Breakdown of Нам приходится обсуждать последствия этой катастрофы.
мы
we
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
обсуждать
to discuss
приходиться
to have to
последствие
consequence
катастрофа
disaster
Questions & Answers about Нам приходится обсуждать последствия этой катастрофы.
Why use нам приходится instead of нам надо or мы должны?
Приходится implies that you are forced by external circumstances. It translates closely to 'circumstances dictate that we...' or 'we have no choice but to...'. Мы должны implies a moral duty or obligation, and нам надо is just a simple need.
Why is обсуждать (to discuss) in the imperfective aspect here?
The imperfective обсуждать emphasizes the ongoing or repeated nature of the action. Discussing the aftermath of a disaster is usually a long, continuous process rather than a quick, one-time action that the perfective обсудить would imply.
What case is последствия, and why does it look like the nominative?
It is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb обсуждать. Since последствие (consequence) is a neuter, inanimate noun, its plural accusative form is identical to its plural nominative form.
How could we use this lesson's grammar (progressive comparisons with всё) to say we have to discuss 'worse and worse consequences'?
You would use всё plus a comparative adjective phrase. Because it modifies a noun, you can use всё более (more and more) followed by a normal adjective in the accusative case, such as всё более тяжёлые (heavier and heavier). The sentence would be: Нам приходится обсуждать всё более тяжёлые последствия этой катастрофы.
Learn Нам приходится обсуждать последствия этой катастрофы 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