Breakdown of Этот туманный город светится, точно это странный сон.
это
this / it is
город
city
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
странный
strange
Questions & Answers about Этот туманный город светится, точно это странный сон.
Wait, doesn't точно usually mean "exactly"? Why is it translated as "exactly as if"?
You're right that точно is commonly used as an adverb meaning "exactly" or "precisely". However, it can also function as a comparative conjunction (similar to как будто or словно). When connecting clauses like it does here, it means "as if" or "as though", introducing a hypothetical comparison.
English uses the past tense "as if it were" for this hypothetical comparison. Why does the Russian clause (это странный сон) just use the present tense?
Unlike English, which uses a past tense or subjunctive mood for hypothetical comparisons, Russian usually just uses the indicative mood. Because the main action is happening right now (present tense светится), the "dream" comparison is also expressed in the present tense. You don't need a past tense verb or the hypothetical particle бы.
Why use the reflexive verb светится instead of just светит?
The non-reflexive светить is generally directional; it means to project light onto something else (like a lamp shining on a desk). The reflexive светиться means to emit light from within or to glow. It is the perfect choice for a misty city that seems to be producing its own eerie light.
Is the comma before точно mandatory in this sentence?
Yes. In this sentence, точно acts as a conjunction introducing a new subordinate clause (это странный сон). Russian grammar strictly requires a comma to separate a main clause from a subordinate clause.