Пейзажи мелькают, когда мы проезжаем мимо указателя.
Landscapes flash by when we drive past the sign.
Breakdown of Пейзажи мелькают, когда мы проезжаем мимо указателя.
мы
we
когда
when
мимо
past (moving by)
проезжать
to drive past
мелькать
to flash by
пейзаж
the landscape
указатель
the signpost
Questions & Answers about Пейзажи мелькают, когда мы проезжаем мимо указателя.
Why is it указателя instead of the dictionary form указатель?
The preposition мимо (past/by) always takes the Genitive case. The word указатель is a masculine noun ending in a soft sign. To make it Genitive, you drop the soft sign and add -я, resulting in указателя.
Why use the verb проезжаем instead of just едем?
While едем just means 'we are driving', the prefix про- specifically adds the idea of moving through or past a location. When paired with мимо (past), проезжать heavily emphasizes the trajectory of passing the sign.
Is мелькают a verb of motion? It translates here to 'flash by'.
It is not one of the strict grammar 'verbs of motion'. мелькать literally means to flicker, gleam, or appear for a short time. In Russian, this is the most natural verb to describe scenery quickly appearing and disappearing from view as you travel.
Why are both verbs in this sentence in the imperfective aspect?
Both verbs describe ongoing actions that are happening at the exact same time. The imperfective aspect shows that the scenery 'flashing by' (мелькают) and the vehicle 'driving past' (проезжаем) are simultaneous, continuous processes.
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