Question 1

This lesson focuses on "как можно" + comparative adverb. How would we use that here to say "we are automating all calculations as quickly as possible"?

Accepted Answer

You would add как можно быстрее to the main clause: Чтобы ускорить проект, мы автоматизируем все расчёты как можно быстрее.

Question 2

Why do we use the infinitive ускорить after чтобы instead of a past tense verb?

Accepted Answer

Because the subject performing both actions is the same ("we"). When the subject of the main clause (мы) is the same as the implied subject of the purpose clause, you use чтобы + infinitive. If the subjects were different, like "We are automating calculations so that the team speeds up the project", you would use чтобы + past tense: ...чтобы команда ускорила проект.

Question 3

Is автоматизируем an imperfective or perfective verb?

Accepted Answer

It is actually a biaspectual verb, meaning it does the job of both! Like many foreign borrowings ending in -ировать, it doesn't have a separate perfective or imperfective partner. Here it acts as an imperfective present tense verb ("we are automating"), but in a different context, this exact same form could act as a perfective future verb ("we will automate").

Question 4

I recognize the root of ускорить from скоро (soon/quickly). How does the prefix у- change the meaning?

Accepted Answer

Wrapping an adjective root with the prefix у- and the suffix -ить is a common way to create a verb meaning "to make something more [adjective]". Here, скорый (fast) becomes ускорить (to make faster, to speed up). You can see this exact same pattern in улучшить (to make better/improve) and ухудшить (to make worse).

Чтобы ускорить проект, мы автоматизируем все расчёты.

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