Breakdown of Каждый день в парке коляску катает не только мама, но и папа.
мама
mom
парк
park
день
day
папа
dad
в
in / to (direction)
каждый
every
не только ..., но и
not only ... but also
катать
to roll (multidirectional) / to give a ride
коляска
stroller / carriage / wheelchair
Questions & Answers about Каждый день в парке коляску катает не только мама, но и папа.
Why use the multidirectional verb катает instead of the unidirectional катит?
The context includes каждый день (every day) and в парке (in the park). This tells us the action is both a regular habit and happening in various directions around the park, rather than a single trip in one direction from point A to point B. Therefore, we use катать (the multidirectional verb) instead of катить.
Why is the verb for "pushes" translated as катает, which I thought meant "rolls" or "rides"?
Russian focuses on the mechanics of the object being moved. Since a stroller (коляска) moves on wheels, you "roll" it rather than simply push it (which would be толкать, a general push). Therefore, катать коляску is the standard, natural collocation for pushing a stroller.
Why is the object коляску placed before the verb and the subjects (мама, папа)?
Russian word order generally places the newest or most important information at the end of the sentence. By placing коляску early, it is established as the known topic. The real focus of the sentence is the contrast introduced at the end: the fact that not only mom, but also dad pushes it.
Why is the verb катает in the singular form when both mom and dad are doing the action?
When subjects are connected by the conjunction pair не только ..., но и ... (not only ..., but also ...), the verb typically agrees grammatically with the closest subject. Since мама is singular, катает takes the singular third-person form.
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