Breakdown of Гости придут с минуты на минуту.
гость
guest
прийти
to arrive (on foot, pf)
с минуты на минуту
any minute now
Questions & Answers about Гости придут с минуты на минуту.
How does the phrase с минуты на минуту literally translate, and what cases are used?
It literally translates to "from minute to minute." The structure uses the preposition с (from) with the Genitive case (минуты), and на (to/onto) with the Accusative case (минуту). This is the standard Russian idiom for "any minute now."
Since our current lesson is about спустя (after/later), could I say Гости придут спустя минуту instead?
You could, but it changes the meaning. Гости придут спустя минуту means "The guests will arrive a minute later" (referencing a specific amount of elapsed time). The idiom с минуты на минуту is specifically used when you are actively waiting for an imminent, uncertain event, just like "any minute now" in English.
Why use the perfective verb придут here instead of the imperfective приходят?
The perfective придут focuses on the specific, completed result in the future: the guests successfully arriving. The imperfective приходят would imply a regular, repeated action (like "they usually arrive") or an ongoing process, which contradicts the immediate, one-time expectation of this idiom.
Could I use приедут instead of придут if I know the guests are driving?
Yes! While придут (from прийти) technically means arriving on foot, it is often used as a general "to arrive" when the mode of transport isn't the main focus. However, if you want to emphasize that they are arriving by car, train, or taxi, приедут (from приехать) is the perfect choice.
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