Breakdown of Эту задачу сложно объяснить быстро.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
быстро
fast, quickly
задача
task
объяснить
to explain (perfective)
сложно
it is complicated, difficult
Questions & Answers about Эту задачу сложно объяснить быстро.
Why is эту задачу in the accusative case instead of the nominative, since it translates as the subject 'This problem'?
In Russian, this sentence uses an impersonal structure. The literal translation is 'It is difficult to explain (what?) this problem.' Because эту задачу is the direct object of the verb объяснить (to explain), it takes the accusative case. It is placed at the beginning of the sentence to show it is the main topic.
Why do we use the adverb сложно instead of a feminine adjective like сложная?
The word сложно pairs with the infinitive verb объяснить to form the impersonal phrase 'it is difficult to explain'. It doesn't grammatically describe the noun itself. If you wanted to use an adjective, you would need a different structure where the problem is the subject, such as Эта задача сложная (This problem is complicated).
The English translation says 'problem'. Why use задачу instead of проблему?
Задача refers to a task to be completed, a mathematical problem, or a specific objective. Проблема refers to a broader issue, trouble, or negative situation. If this sentence is about a complex work task or a math question, задачу is correct. If it were about a complicated life issue, you would use проблему.
Why is the perfective verb объяснить used here rather than the imperfective объяснять?
The perfective is used because the speaker is focused on the successful completion of the explanation for this specific instance. The addition of быстро (quickly) emphasizes the result of getting the point across in a short amount of time, rather than the ongoing process of explaining.
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