Breakdown of В случае агрессии мы будем враждебными.
мы
we
в
in / to (direction)
быть
to be
случай
case, occasion
агрессия
aggression
враждебный
hostile
Questions & Answers about В случае агрессии мы будем враждебными.
How would we specify that we will be hostile 'towards them' using the compound preposition from this lesson?
You would use по отношению к followed by the Dative case pronoun ним. The expanded sentence would be: В случае агрессии мы будем враждебными по отношению к ним. (In case of aggression, we will be hostile towards them).
Why is the adjective враждебными in the Instrumental case instead of the Nominative?
In the future tense, the verb быть (to be) almost always takes the Instrumental case for adjectives, especially when describing a temporary state, a condition, or how someone will act under certain circumstances. Using the Nominative here (Мы будем враждебные) would sound unnatural.
Why does агрессия change to агрессии in this sentence?
The phrase в случае (in case of) always requires the Genitive case for the noun that follows it. Because агрессия is a feminine noun ending in -ия, its Genitive form ends in -ии.
Can I use в случае to mean 'in case' before a full clause, like 'in case they attack'?
Not on its own. В случае is only used directly with a noun (like 'in case of aggression'). If you want to introduce a full clause with a subject and a verb, you must use в случае, если or simply the standard если (if).
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