Breakdown of Преподаватель вошёл в аудиторию, и студенты замолчали.
и
and
студент
student (m)
в
in / to (direction)
аудитория
lecture hall
Questions & Answers about Преподаватель вошёл в аудиторию, и студенты замолчали.
Why is the verb замолчали used here instead of just молчали?
Молчали is the imperfective verb meaning "were silent." By adding the prefix за-, we get the perfective verb замолчать. This prefix often indicates the sudden or spontaneous beginning of an action. So, замолчали means the students suddenly started being silent, or "fell silent," the moment the teacher walked in.
Doesn't аудитория mean "auditorium" or "audience"? Why is it translated as "classroom"?
In Russian, аудитория is the standard word for a university or college classroom. While it can also mean "audience" (the people listening), in this context it specifically refers to the room where university students have their classes. A school classroom for children would just be класс.
Could I use учитель instead of преподаватель in this sentence?
You could, but it would sound slightly mismatched. Учитель is typically a schoolteacher (for children). Because this sentence specifically mentions студенты (university students) and an аудитория (university classroom), преподаватель (a higher-education instructor or lecturer) is the natural fit.
Why is it в аудиторию (accusative) instead of в аудитории (prepositional)?