Breakdown of Борьба продолжается, даже если неравнодушные граждане устали.
даже
even
если
if
устать
to get tired (perfective)
продолжаться
to continue, to go on
гражданин
the citizen
неравнодушный
concerned
борьба
struggle
Questions & Answers about Борьба продолжается, даже если неравнодушные граждане устали.
Why does this sentence use the indicative past tense (устали) instead of the subjunctive with бы after даже если?
The phrase даже если takes the indicative (normal tenses without бы) when the condition is seen as a real possibility or a factual statement. Here, it implies the citizens might actually be tired right now. If it were a purely imaginary scenario ('even if they were tired', but we know they aren't), you would use the subjunctive: даже если бы... устали.
Why is устали in the past tense when the English translation is in the present ('are tired')?
Устать is a perfective verb meaning 'to get tired'. By putting it in the past tense (устали - 'they got tired'), Russian focuses on the result of that action, which acts as a present state: 'they are tired'. You will see this often with perfective verbs describing physical or mental states.
What is the literal meaning of неравнодушные?
It is made up of не (not), равно (equal), and the root of душа (soul/heart). Literally meaning 'not having an equal (indifferent) soul', it translates to 'concerned', 'caring', or 'passionate'. It is very commonly used in Russian media to describe socially active citizens.
Why does продолжается have the reflexive -ся ending here?
Because the verb is intransitive here - the struggle is continuing on its own. If you wanted to say that specific people are continuing the struggle, you would drop the -ся and use the transitive form продолжать, for example: граждане продолжают борьбу (the citizens continue the struggle).
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