Breakdown of Эта задача кажется невыполнимой.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
задача
task
казаться
to seem
невыполнимый
impossible / unfeasible
Questions & Answers about Эта задача кажется невыполнимой.
Why is невыполнимой in the instrumental case here instead of the nominative?
The verb казаться (to seem) requires the adjective or noun describing the subject to be in the instrumental case. It's a linking verb, similar to how verbs of becoming or being (like быть in the past/future tense, or стать) use the instrumental to show a state, condition, or subjective perception.
How do we break down the adjective невыполнимый to understand its root?
It comes from the perfective verb выполнить (to fulfill / to carry out). The suffix -им- is used to create adjectives that mean "capable of being [verb]-ed" (similar to "-able" or "-ible" in English), creating выполнимый (doable / feasible). Adding the negative prefix не- gives us "impossible to fulfill" or "impossible."
How would we add "всё-таки" or "всё же" (nevertheless) to this sentence to fit the current lesson?
Concessive particles are quite flexible in Russian. To say "Nevertheless, this task seems impossible," you could place the particle at the beginning for emphasis (Всё-таки эта задача кажется невыполнимой) or right before the verb (Эта задача всё же кажется невыполнимой).
Could I use the short-form adjective (невыполнима) in this sentence instead?
It would sound very unnatural here. While you can absolutely say Эта задача невыполнима (This task is impossible) using the short-form nominative, when you introduce a verb like казаться (to seem) or оказаться (to turn out), you must use the long-form adjective in the instrumental case (невыполнимой).
Learn Эта задача кажется невыполнимой and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free