Breakdown of Оба привидения застыли, точно они невесомые.
они
they
оба
both (m/n)
привидение
the ghost
точно
as if, as though
застыть
to freeze
невесомый
weightless
Questions & Answers about Оба привидения застыли, точно они невесомые.
I learned that точно means "exactly." How does it mean "as if" in this sentence?
While точно is very common as an adverb meaning "exactly," it is being used here as a comparative conjunction. In this role, it works just like как будто or словно to mean "as if" or "as though," setting up a hypothetical comparison.
Why does the Russian use the present tense они невесомые when the English translation says "they were weightless"?
When describing a hypothetical state that happens at the exact same time as the main action, Russian often uses the present tense in the comparison clause. The ghosts froze looking like they are weightless at that very moment. English forces a shift to the past tense ("were") for hypotheticals, but Russian keeps the description immediate.
Could I use как будто or словно instead of точно here, or would that change the meaning?
Why is it оба привидения? What case is being used here?
The noun привидение (ghost) is neuter. After the numeral оба (both) in the nominative case, masculine and neuter nouns must take the genitive singular. The genitive singular of привидение is привидения.
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