Questions & Answers about Мама гордая и никогда не жалуется.
Why use the full adjective гордая here instead of the short form горда?
The full form гордая is used here because it describes a permanent character trait—she is a proud person by nature. If you used the short form горда, it would imply a temporary state or pride in a specific event, such as being proud of a recent achievement.
Why are there two negative words, никогда and не, next to each other?
Russian strictly requires a double negative. Whenever you use a negative pronoun or adverb like никогда (never), никто (nobody), or ничего (nothing), you must also place не directly before the verb. A literal translation would be "never does not complain."
Why does the verb жалуется have a -у- in it if the infinitive is жаловаться?
This is a common rule for verbs ending in -овать or -евать. When conjugated in the present tense, the -ова- or -ева- suffix is replaced by -у-. So, the root жалова- becomes жалу-, followed by the 3rd-person singular ending -ет and the reflexive particle -ся.
Is the verb жаловаться (to complain) related to the word жаль (it is a pity)?