Breakdown of Он говорит так, как будто всё знает.
он
he / it (for a masculine noun) / it (for a neuter noun)
знать
to know
говорить
to speak, to talk
так
so, like this
как будто
as if, as though
Questions & Answers about Он говорит так, как будто всё знает.
Our current lesson focuses on так же ... как. Why is there no же in this sentence?
The phrase так же ... как is used for comparing equality (like 'as fast as'). But here, we aren't comparing two equal actions. Instead, we are describing a manner of speaking using a hypothetical scenario. Therefore, we just use так (so / in such a way) paired with как будто (as if), without же.
What exactly does the phrase как будто mean here?
Как будто is a very common set phrase meaning 'as if' or 'as though'. When paired with так in the first half of the sentence, the whole structure так, как будто translates smoothly to 'in such a way as if' or simply 'as if'.
Do I always need a comma before как in sentences like this?
Yes. In Russian, you almost always put a comma before как when it introduces a new clause (a new part of the sentence with its own verb, like знает here). The comma separates the main action from the descriptive 'as if' scenario.
Could I include the pronoun again and say как будто он всё знает?
Yes, adding the second он is grammatically correct and perfectly fine to say. However, because the subject is exactly the same for both verbs (говорит and знает), dropping the second pronoun makes the sentence flow more naturally and is extremely common in Russian.
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