Breakdown of Овощи усваиваются всё быстрее. К тому же они содержат полезные минералы.
они
they
овощ
vegetable
полезный
healthy, good for you (of food) / useful
быстрый
fast, quick
содержать
to contain
всё
increasingly / more and more
усваиваться
to be absorbed
к тому же
besides, moreover
Questions & Answers about Овощи усваиваются всё быстрее. К тому же они содержат полезные минералы.
How does к тому же differ from кроме того, and why is it used here?
К тому же translates to besides or what's more. It belongs to the advanced discourse markers of addition you are learning now. It adds a reinforcing argument to what was just said. While кроме того is similar and often interchangeable, к тому же feels slightly more conversational and heavily emphasizes that this new fact makes the whole case for vegetables even stronger.
Why is the word всё used before the comparative быстрее? Doesn't it just mean everything?
When всё is placed right before a comparative adjective or adverb, it means increasingly or more and more. Here, всё быстрее means faster and faster. This is a very common pattern used to show a continuous, ongoing change rather than a one-time comparison.
Why does the verb усваиваются have the reflexive -ся ending?
The -ся ending here gives the verb a passive meaning. The base verb усваивать is an active action meaning to absorb or to assimilate (for example, the body absorbing nutrients). By adding -ся, the sentence makes the vegetables the subject that the action happens to: they are absorbed.
The word полезные usually means useful. Why is it translated as healthy here?
In Russian, полезный literally means beneficial or useful. When talking about food, minerals, or lifestyle habits, it is the standard way to say healthy. If you used здоровые (from здоровый), it would sound like the minerals themselves have a good immune system, rather than being good for your body!
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