Breakdown of У нас есть уникальная окаменелость — череп длиной в два метра!
мы
we
два
two
у
at, by
есть
is, there is, to have
Questions & Answers about У нас есть уникальная окаменелость — череп длиной в два метра!
Why is the word длина in the Instrumental case here as длиной?
This is the standard Russian structure for describing an object's dimensions. You use the noun of dimension in the Instrumental case (длиной, literally meaning 'by length' or 'with a length'), followed by the preposition в and the numerical measurement.
How exactly does the measurement phrase в два метра work grammatically?
This ties into the new dimension structure you are learning. After the dimension noun (длиной) and the preposition в, the measurement phrase must be in the Accusative case. For inanimate objects, the Accusative of два is just два. Then, according to standard number rules you learned earlier, the number два forces the following noun into the Genitive singular, which is why we see метра.
I see уникальная has a feminine ending. Are all nouns ending in -ость like окаменелость feminine?
Yes, almost all Russian nouns ending in the suffix -ость are feminine. They belong to the 3rd declension, which is why the adjective уникальная takes the feminine Nominative ending to match it. This suffix is very commonly used to form nouns from adjectives.
What is the purpose of the dash before череп?