Breakdown of Эти люди должны бороться за справедливость в обществе.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
в
in / to (direction)
люди
people
должен
must, have to
за
for (in exchange for)
общество
society
бороться
to fight
справедливость
justice
Questions & Answers about Эти люди должны бороться за справедливость в обществе.
How does the preposition за work in this sentence if no one is paying for or thanking anyone?
In this lesson, you are learning that за plus the Accusative case is used for exchange and gratitude (like giving money for a dinner). Here, it acts in a very similar way to show the ultimate goal or object of an action: fighting for something in exchange for effort. You will consistently see за + Accusative used with verbs of fighting, voting, or advocating for a cause.
Why doesn't the word справедливость (justice) change its ending if it is in the Accusative case?
It actually is in the Accusative case! However, справедливость is a feminine noun that ends in a soft sign (-ь). A helpful rule to remember is that for all feminine nouns ending in a soft sign, their Accusative form looks exactly the same as their Nominative (dictionary) form.
Why is the verb бороться (to fight) reflexive?
While the -ся ending often means an action is done to oneself, it is also used for reciprocal actions (doing something with or against others). Verbs involving mutual conflict, wrestling, or competition, like бороться, naturally take this reflexive ending in Russian even when the English translation does not sound reflexive.
Why do we use the word должны instead of a regular verb for 'must'?
Russian does not have a standard verb for 'must' or 'to have to.' Instead, it uses the short-form adjective должен, which literally translates to 'obliged' or 'due.' Because the subject люди (people) is plural, we use the plural adjective form должны, followed directly by the infinitive verb.
Learn Эти люди должны бороться за справедливость в обществе and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free