Mne nravitsya and mne trudno: the to-form in place of a subject
Where another language puts I, this one often puts mne: mne nravitsya, mne povezlo, mne trudno dayotsya grammatika. No main person stands in the sentence; the human is in the to-form, the one that answers to whom? For example: “Мне трудно даётся математика, а техника — легко” — Mathematics comes hard to me, and gadgets come easy. A rule from the Russian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Where another language puts I, this one often puts mne: mne nravitsya, mne povezlo, mne trudno dayotsya grammatika. No main person stands in the sentence; the human is in the to-form, the one that answers to whom?
Three families. Feelings: mne kholodno, mne veselo, mne skuchno. Luck and success: mne povezlo, mne udalos, u menya poluchilos. Opinion: mne kazhetsya, mne nravitsya.
The trap is in the agreement: nravitsya bends for the thing liked, not for the person. Gorod nravitsya, goroda nravyatsya — while mne stays the same through every form.
The roles are handed out differently: not the person did something, but something came to the person.
Table
| The phrase | About whom | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mne kholodno | about me | mne kholodno |
| nam veselo | about us | nam veselo |
| emu povezlo | about him | emu povezlo |
| ey trudno dayotsya | about her | ey trudno dayotsya matematika |
| mne kazhetsya | about me | mne kazhetsya |
By example
- Мне трудно даётся математика, а техника — легкоMne trudno dayotsya matematika, a tekhnika — legkoMathematics comes hard to me, and gadgets come easy
- Ей легко даётся математика, а мне трудноEy legko dayotsya matematika, a mne trudnoMathematics comes easy to her, and hard to me
- У меня получилось с первого разаU menya poluchilos s pervogo razaIt worked on the first try
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Why mne trudno and not ya trudnyy?
Where another language puts I, this one often puts mne: mne nravitsya, mne povezlo, mne trudno dayotsya grammatika. No main person stands in the sentence; the human is in the to-form, the one that answers to whom?
When mne stands instead of ya?
Where another language puts I, this one often puts mne: mne nravitsya, mne povezlo, mne trudno dayotsya grammatika. No main person stands in the sentence; the human is in the to-form, the one that answers to whom?
Mne nravitsya and mne povezlo?
Three families. Feelings: mne kholodno, mne veselo, mne skuchno. Luck and success: mne povezlo, mne udalos, u menya poluchilos. Opinion: mne kazhetsya, mne nravitsya.
Phrases with the to-form as the feeler?
Where another language puts I, this one often puts mne: mne nravitsya, mne povezlo, mne trudno dayotsya grammatika. No main person stands in the sentence; the human is in the to-form, the one that answers to whom?
What does it look like in a Russian example sentence?
“Мне трудно даётся математика, а техника — легко” (Mne trudno dayotsya matematika, a tekhnika — legko) — Mathematics comes hard to me, and gadgets come easy. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.