Breakdown of Озеро застыло, как будто это хрустальное зеркало.
это
this / it is
зеркало
mirror
озеро
lake
как будто
as if, as though
застыть
to freeze
хрустальный
crystal
Questions & Answers about Озеро застыло, как будто это хрустальное зеркало.
Why does the Russian sentence use the present tense (implied "is") after как будто, while English uses the past tense "were"?
Unlike English, which uses the past subjunctive ("were") for hypotheticals, Russian simply uses the normal indicative tense that fits the scene. Since the lake is being compared to what a crystal mirror is right now, Russian uses the present tense. Because the present tense of "to be" is dropped, we just see это хрустальное зеркало.
Could I use словно or точно instead of как будто in this sentence?
Absolutely. Озеро застыло, словно это хрустальное зеркало works perfectly and means the exact same thing. Как будто is the most common and neutral choice, while словно sounds a bit more literary and poetic, which actually suits this beautiful winter imagery very well.
Why is the word это used here? Couldn't we just say как будто хрустальное зеркало?
You definitely can drop it! If you drop это, it becomes a simple phrase comparison ("as if a crystal mirror") rather than a full subordinate clause ("as if it is a crystal mirror"). Including это simply gives the sentence a slightly more deliberate rhythm, drawing out the imagery of the mirror.
I usually use замёрзло for "froze". Why does this sentence use застыло?
Замёрзнуть is the literal, everyday word for freezing due to cold. Застыть means to become completely still, harden, or solidify. You can use it for jelly setting, hot wax hardening, or a person freezing in shock. Here, it creates a much stronger, more poetic image of the water turning totally motionless and solid like glass.
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