Breakdown of Карусель не может быть запущена, если технический осмотр не закончен.
не
not
быть
to be
мочь
to be able to
если
if
осмотр
check-up
закончить
to finish (perfective)
запустить
to launch
технический
technical
карусель
the carousel
Questions & Answers about Карусель не может быть запущена, если технический осмотр не закончен.
How does the passive infinitive construction work with не может быть запущена?
It combines the modal verb может (can), the infinitive быть (to be), and the short past passive participle запущена (started). This is the standard formula for saying something "can be" or "must be" done to an object. Because the subject карусель is feminine, the short participle takes the feminine ending -а.
Why is there no word for "is" in the second clause (осмотр не закончен), while the first clause uses быть?
The first clause needs the infinitive быть because it follows the modal verb может ("cannot be started"). The second clause ("the inspection is not finished") is a standard present-tense descriptive sentence. In Russian, the present tense of the verb "to be" is omitted, so you simply place the subject (осмотр) right next to the short participle (не закончен).
Both запущена and закончен are formed from perfective verbs. Why is that important here?
Short past passive participles are almost exclusively formed from perfective verbs because they focus on the result of a completed action. The sentence is talking about specific, achieved states: the state of being successfully started depends entirely on the state of being completely finished.
I've seen the verb запустить used to mean "neglect". How do I know it means "started" here?
Context! The perfective verb запустить (and its participle запущена) has two distinct meanings: to "start/launch" (a machine, a rocket, a project) or to "neglect" (an illness, a building). Since we are talking about a mechanical ride and a technical inspection, "started" is the only logical translation.
Карусель ends in a soft sign (-ь). How can I remember that it's feminine and requires the feminine form запущена?
Nouns ending in a soft sign can be masculine or feminine, which is notoriously tricky. A helpful pattern for B2 learners is that many abstract or borrowed nouns ending in -ель (like карусель, модель, цель) are feminine. Because it is feminine, any passive participle acting upon it must also take the feminine ending.
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