Breakdown of Этот год пролетел совершенно незаметно.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
год
year
совершенно
absolutely
незаметно
unnoticeably
пролететь
to fly by (pf)
Questions & Answers about Этот год пролетел совершенно незаметно.
How does the prefix про- change the meaning of the verb of motion in пролетел?
The base verb is лететь (to fly). The prefix про- adds the meaning of moving "past" or "through" a space. Metaphorically applied to time, пролетел means time "flew by" or elapsed very quickly, emphasizing the completion of this quick movement since it is a perfective verb.
Could I use another verb of motion, like прошёл, in this sentence?
Yes, you can say Этот год прошёл (This year passed), which is the standard metaphorical way to talk about time passing using the base verb идти (to go/walk). Using пролетел instead makes the sentence much more expressive, specifically highlighting how incredibly fast the year felt.
Why do we use the adverb совершенно here instead of a simpler word like очень?
совершенно means "completely" or "absolutely." It pairs much better with незаметно (unnoticeably) than очень (very) does. Because "unnoticeably" describes a total lack of noticing, an adverb expressing absolute completeness fits more naturally than one expressing degree.
What is the root of the word незаметно?
It is built from the perfective verb заметить (to notice). From that root, you get the adverb заметно (noticeably), and adding the negative prefix не- gives you незаметно. So literally, the year flew by without being noticed.
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