Breakdown of Этот драгоценный изумруд сверкает.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
драгоценный
precious
изумруд
emerald
сверкать
to sparkle
Questions & Answers about Этот драгоценный изумруд сверкает.
How is the adjective драгоценный formed?
It comes from combining two words you likely already know: дорогой (dear or expensive) and цена (price). The root дорог- takes its Old Church Slavonic form драг-, creating драгоценный (precious, literally 'highly priced').
What is the difference between сверкает and other verbs for shining, like блестит or сияет?
Сверкать implies a bright, flashing, or intermittent light, which perfectly describes a cut gemstone or lightning. Блестеть describes a surface gleam or reflection (like polished metal or wet glass), while сиять means a steady, radiating glow (like the sun or a beaming smile).
Since the current lesson is about collective numerals, could I use one here to say 'two precious emeralds'?
No, you cannot. Collective numerals like двое or трое are only used with animate masculine nouns (like groups of men or boys), baby animals, personal pronouns, or plural-only nouns (like scissors or jeans). Because изумруд is an inanimate masculine noun, you must use standard cardinal numerals instead: Два этих драгоценных изумруда сверкают.
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