Breakdown of Спустя месяц созревание сыра требует высокой влажности.
высокий
tall / high (of a level or amount)
месяц
month
сыр
cheese
требовать
to demand
Questions & Answers about Спустя месяц созревание сыра требует высокой влажности.
How does спустя work here, and why does месяц look like it is in the nominative case?
The preposition спустя means 'after' or 'later' and always requires the accusative case. Because месяц (month) is a masculine inanimate noun, its accusative form is identical to its nominative form.
Can I say месяц спустя instead of спустя месяц?
Yes, absolutely! Спустя is quite flexible: it can be placed before the time period as a standard preposition (спустя месяц) or after it as a postposition (месяц спустя). Both mean 'a month later' and are perfectly natural.
Why is the object высокой влажности in the genitive case rather than the accusative?
The verb требовать (to require or demand) typically takes the genitive case when the object is an abstract concept, an uncountable noun, or something indefinite. Since влажность (humidity) is an abstract, uncountable condition, it takes the genitive here.
What is the root of the word созревание (aging)?
It comes from the verb созревать (to ripen or mature). You might recognize the root from the adjective зрелый (ripe or mature). The -ние ending simply turns that ongoing process into a neuter noun.