Breakdown of Если воинам не одолеть колдуна, быть великой беде и гибели!
и
and
не
not
быть
to be
если
if
великий
great
беда
trouble, misfortune
воин
warrior
одолеть
to defeat (overcome, overpower)
колдун
sorcerer
гибель
ruin (destruction, downfall)
Questions & Answers about Если воинам не одолеть колдуна, быть великой беде и гибели!
Why do both halves of this sentence use the Dative case plus an infinitive?
This is the classic structure for independent infinitive clauses. When you combine a logical subject in the Dative case (воинам, беде и гибели) with an infinitive verb (одолеть, быть), it expresses that an action is either completely impossible or absolutely inevitable, depending on the context and whether there is a negative particle.
How does не одолеть translate to 'cannot defeat' instead of just 'not to defeat'?
When you use the negative particle не followed by a perfective infinitive like одолеть, it creates a strong sense of impossibility. It means the action simply cannot be accomplished by the Dative subject. If you wanted to state a simple future fact like 'they will not defeat him', you would use a standard conjugated verb.
Would the meaning change if the imperfective verb одолевать was used instead of the perfective одолеть?
Yes, drastically! In infinitive clauses, не plus an imperfective infinitive usually expresses prohibition (you must not do it) or lack of necessity (there is no need to do it). Using the perfective одолеть is what locks in the meaning of physical or circumstantial impossibility.
How does the single word быть mean 'are inevitable' in the second clause?
In an affirmative infinitive clause (one without не), the infinitive implies that an event is destined, doomed, or bound to happen. Combined with the Dative subjects великой беде и гибели, быть literally conveys 'for great trouble and ruin to be,' which translates smoothly as their arrival being completely unavoidable.
Why is the sorcerer (колдуна) not in the Dative case like the other nouns?
Колдуна is the direct object of the verb одолеть (to defeat), so it must take the Accusative case. Because a sorcerer is animate, its Accusative form looks identical to its Genitive form. It is the target of the action, not the logical subject experiencing the impossibility.
Learn Если воинам не одолеть колдуна, быть великой беде и гибели 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