Breakdown of Судя по жестам, актёр волнуется.
актёр
actor
волноваться
to worry
судя по
judging by
жест
gesture
Questions & Answers about Судя по жестам, актёр волнуется.
Why is жестам in the dative case here?
The phrase судя по ("judging by") always requires the dative case for the evidence you are observing. Here, жестам is the dative plural of жест (gesture).
What part of speech is судя, and where does it come from?
Судя is a verbal adverb (also called an adverbial participle or gerund). It is formed from the imperfective verb судить (to judge). Literally, it translates to "judging."
Why is there a mandatory comma after жестам?
In Russian, phrases that start with a verbal adverb (like судя) must be separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma. This rule applies regardless of whether the phrase comes at the beginning, middle, or end of the sentence.
Could I use нервничает instead of волнуется in this sentence?
Yes, you could say актёр нервничает. Both mean "the actor is nervous," but волноваться often carries a slightly softer nuance of being worried or anxious, whereas нервничать can imply more active stress or being "on edge." For an actor, both are very natural.