Breakdown of Протяжённость этого моста достигает тысячи двухсот тридцати пяти метров.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
пять
five
метр
metre
тридцать
thirty
тысяча
thousand
мост
bridge
двести
two hundred
достигать
to achieve / to reach (a quantity or level)
протяжённость
extent
Questions & Answers about Протяжённость этого моста достигает тысячи двухсот тридцати пяти метров.
Why does every single word in the number 1235 change its ending here?
Because of the Russian rule for oblique cases. When a compound number is used in any case other than Nominative or Accusative, every individual word within that number must decline. Since the sentence requires the Genitive case, the Nominative тысяча двести тридцать пять transforms word-by-word into тысячи двухсот тридцати пяти.
Why is the number in the Genitive case to begin with? Doesn't the bridge "reach" a direct object?
In English, "reaches" takes a direct object, but the Russian verb достигать (to reach) requires its object to be in the Genitive case. This is true whether you are reaching a physical limit, like a distance or height, or an abstract goal.
How do we get the form двухсот from двести (two hundred)?
Hundreds in Russian are historically formed from two roots, and both halves decline. For двести, the first part declines into the Genitive двух-, and the second part (-сти, meaning hundred) becomes -сот. Put them together and you get двухсот.
Does the noun метров change because the number is in the Genitive case?
In this specific sentence, it looks exactly the same as it would in the Nominative case! In the Nominative, numbers ending in 5 already force the noun into the Genitive plural (пять метров). When the whole number phrase moves to the Genitive case, the noun simply matches the case of the number in the plural, which keeps it as Genitive plural (пяти метров).
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