Breakdown of С тех пор как я покинул этот город, моё мировоззрение стало другим.
я
I
город
city
мой
my (мой, моя, моё) / mine
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
стать
to become
другой
other
покинуть
to abandon (perfective)
с тех пор как
since
мировоззрение
worldview
Questions & Answers about С тех пор как я покинул этот город, моё мировоззрение стало другим.
Why is the perfective verb покинул used after с тех пор как?
The phrase с тех пор как (since) sets a specific starting point in the past for a new situation. To pinpoint exactly when that new situation began, the action in the 'since' clause needs to be a single completed event. Therefore, we use the perfective aspect (покинул) rather than the imperfective (покидал).
Why is the adjective другим in the instrumental case here?
It is driven by the verb стало (from стать, to become). In Russian, verbs of becoming require the instrumental case for the new state or identity. Because of this, the nominative другое changes to the instrumental другим.
Could I just say уехал из этого города instead of покинул этот город?
Yes, but it changes the tone. Покинуть (to leave, abandon) is a formal or literary word that often implies a permanent or emotionally significant departure. This elevated tone fits perfectly with the deep, philosophical change in the speaker's мировоззрение (worldview). Уехать из is much more neutral and everyday.
Is it possible to put a comma inside the phrase с тех пор как?
Yes. When it starts a sentence, it is usually written without an internal comma, acting as one solid conjunction block. However, writing С тех пор, как is also perfectly acceptable and just places a slightly stronger logical emphasis on 'from THAT time'.
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