Breakdown of Мы делаем обжиг по-новому, потому что так лучше.
мы
we
делать
to do
потому что
because
так
so, like this
Questions & Answers about Мы делаем обжиг по-новому, потому что так лучше.
Why does по-новому have a hyphen, and how is it formed?
It is formed from the adjective новый (new). When you turn an adjective into an adverb meaning "in the manner of" by using the prefix по- and the dative masculine/neuter ending -ому (or -ему), Russian spelling rules require a hyphen. Here, it translates to "in a new way."
Could I say новым способом instead of по-новому here?
Absolutely! Новым способом (using the instrumental case to mean "by a new method") means the exact same thing. По-новому is simply a very natural, concise adverbial alternative that native speakers use frequently.
The noun обжиг (firing) seems unusual. Is it related to a verb?
Yes, it is derived from the verb root жечь (to burn). The prefix об- gives it the meaning of firing or baking all around (like clay or ceramics). You will see this same root and consonant shift in related words like зажигать (to light/ignite) and пожар (fire).
Why use так лучше instead of это лучше at the end of the sentence?
While это лучше means "this is better" (often referring to a specific thing or a broad concept), так is an adverb meaning "thus" or "in this way." So так лучше specifically means "it is better doing it this way," referring directly back to the process or method just mentioned.