Breakdown of Обычно они эвакуируют людей быстро.
они
they
обычно
usually
быстро
fast, quickly
люди
people
эвакуировать
to evacuate
Questions & Answers about Обычно они эвакуируют людей быстро.
How do we determine the aspect of эвакуируют in this sentence since it is a biaspectual verb?
As a biaspectual verb, эвакуировать has the same form for both perfective and imperfective aspects. Here, the adverb обычно (usually) signals a repeated, habitual action. Therefore, the verb is resolved as imperfective in this context.
Because эвакуируют is imperfective here, what tense is it in?
It is in the present tense. If the context made it perfective (for example, if we used завтра instead of обычно), this exact same form would indicate the future tense, meaning 'they will evacuate'.
Why doesn't the verb have the -ова- suffix in its conjugated form?
Like most verbs ending in -овать, the -ова- suffix changes to -у- when conjugated in the present or simple future tense. That is why эвакуировать becomes эвакуируют instead of retaining the full suffix.
Why is the word for 'people' in the form людей here?
The verb эвакуировать takes a direct object, which requires the accusative case. The word люди (people) is animate, and for plural animate nouns, the accusative form matches the genitive form, giving us людей.
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