Complex Sentences That Flow
Written Russian thinks in sentences with rooms in them. Four connectors — который, чтобы, хотя, несмотря на — turn your reliable simple sentences into architecture.
который Through the Cases
The two-way rule: gender and number look back at the noun; the case looks in at its own clause.
чтобы — Purpose and Wishes
Я хочу, чтобы ты пришёл.
I want you to come.
Note: English 'want you to' becomes a whole чтобы-clause — with the verb in the past form.
Although and Despite
Дело в том, что…
Дело в том, что я уже видел этот фильм.
The thing is, I've already seen this film.
Note: The universal explainer — buys thinking time and sounds impressively fluent.
Common Mistakes
- который frozen in the nominative. Its case comes from its own clause: девушка, которую я знаю.
- чтобы + present. After чтобы with a second subject, the verb is past-shaped: чтобы ты пришёл, never приходишь.
- несмотря на + genitive. It takes the accusative: несмотря на дождь.
What You Can Do Now
You can build sentences with subordinate rooms — who-clauses in any case, purposes, wishes and concessions — which is to say: you can now write Russian that reads like Russian.