Modal and Impersonal

🎭 Russian Modal & Impersonal Sentences

When Things Just “Happen” Without a Hero

The Magic of “No-Subject” Sentences

Imagine you’re telling a story, but instead of saying “I am cold,” you say “It’s cold to me.” Weird in English, right? But in Russian, this is totally normal!

Think of it like this: In English, someone always does the action. “I can swim.” “You must go.” But in Russian, sometimes the action just… exists. Like weather. “It’s raining” — who is raining? Nobody! The rain just happens.

Russian uses this “no-hero” style A LOT. Let’s discover this magical grammar together!

🏠 Impersonal Constructions

What Are They?

Simple idea: Sentences where no specific person is the subject. Things just ARE.

Think of it like this:

• English: “I am bored” (YOU are the hero of the sentence)
• Russian: “Мне скучно” (Boredom happens TO you, like weather)

The Secret Formula

DATIVE CASE + ADVERB/PREDICATE

Wait, what’s dative case? It’s the “TO someone” form:

• Мне = to me
• Тебе = to you
• Ему = to him
• Ей = to her
• Нам = to us
• Вам = to you (formal/plural)
• Им = to them

Examples That Make Sense

Why Does Russian Do This?

Because the feeling isn’t something you DO — it happens TO you! You don’t “cold yourself.” Coldness arrives and affects you. Russian grammar reflects this reality.

💪 Expressing Ability (Can/Be Able To)

Meet Your New Friend: МОЧЬ

The word мочь (to be able) is your “can” button in Russian.

Present Tense — “I Can”

Building Sentences

Formula: Subject + МОЧЬ (conjugated) + Infinitive

Examples:

• Я могу плавать = I can swim
• Она может петь = She can sing
• Мы можем помочь = We can help

The Impersonal Version: МОЖНО

Here’s where it gets cool! Можно means “it is possible/allowed.”

No subject needed:

• Можно войти? = May I come in? (Literally: Is-possible to-enter?)
• Здесь можно курить? = Can one smoke here?

Add dative for specific people:

• Мне можно есть торт? = Can I eat cake? (Is-it-possible to-me to-eat cake?)

Inability: НЕЛЬЗЯ + НЕ МОЧЬ

Two ways to say “cannot”:

1. Не мочь = physically unable

   • Я не могу бежать = I can’t run (I’m injured)

2. Нельзя = not allowed/impossible

   • Здесь нельзя курить = One can’t smoke here (forbidden)

📋 Expressing Necessity (Must/Have To)

Three Magic Words

Russian has three main ways to say “must.” Each has its own flavor!

1. НАДО / НУЖНО (Impersonal — Most Common!)

Formula: Dative + надо/нужно + infinitive

Secret: Надо and нужно are almost identical. Use either one!

2. ДОЛЖЕН (Personal — More Formal)

This one changes for gender and number:

Examples:

• Я должен работать = I must work (male speaker)
• Она должна позвонить = She must call
• Мы должны уйти = We must leave

3. ПРИХОДИТСЯ (Have To, No Choice)

When you MUST do something, even if you don’t want to.

Formula: Dative + приходится + infinitive

• Мне приходится рано вставать = I have to get up early (no choice)
• Ей приходится много работать = She has to work a lot

Quick Comparison

✅ Expressing Permission (May/Allowed To)

МОЖНО — Your Permission Pass

Remember можно from ability? It’s also your “may I” word!

Asking Permission

Formula: Можно + infinitive + ?

• Можно спросить? = May I ask?
• Можно сесть? = May I sit down?
• Можно взять? = May I take (this)?

Giving Permission

Just say можно with confidence!

• Да, можно = Yes, you may
• Конечно можно! = Of course you may!

For Specific People

Add dative case:

• Тебе можно остаться = You may stay
• Детям можно играть = Children may play
• Вам можно войти = You may enter (formal)

More Formal: РАЗРЕШАЕТСЯ

In official situations, use разрешается (is permitted):

• Здесь разрешается парковаться = Parking is permitted here
• Вам разрешается использовать словарь = You’re allowed to use a dictionary

🚫 Expressing Prohibition (Can’t/Mustn’t)

НЕЛЬЗЯ — The Ultimate Stop Sign

When something is forbidden or impossible, нельзя is your word.

Two Meanings, One Word

Meaning 1: It’s forbidden

• Здесь нельзя курить = No smoking here
• Нельзя так говорить! = You mustn’t say that!

Meaning 2: It’s impossible

• Это нельзя понять = This can’t be understood
• Его нельзя остановить = He can’t be stopped

With Dative (For Specific People)

• Мне нельзя есть сахар = I can’t eat sugar (doctor said no)
• Ему нельзя водить = He’s not allowed to drive
• Детям нельзя смотреть это = Children can’t watch this

Stronger Prohibition: ЗАПРЕЩЕНО / ЗАПРЕЩАЕТСЯ

Official “FORBIDDEN” signs use these:

• Курение запрещено = Smoking forbidden
• Вход запрещён = Entry forbidden
• Запрещается фотографировать = Photography is prohibited

НЕ ДОЛЖЕН — “Shouldn’t” (Advice)

Less strong than нельзя. More like a recommendation:

• Ты не должен так поступать = You shouldn’t act like that
• Мы не должны опаздывать = We shouldn’t be late

🎨 The Big Picture

graph TD
    A["Russian Modal Expressions"] --> B["Impersonal"]
    A --> C["Personal"]

    B --> D["Можно<br/>allowed/possible"]
    B --> E["Нельзя<br/>forbidden/impossible"]
    B --> F["Надо/Нужно<br/>necessary"]

    C --> G["Мочь<br/>can/able"]
    C --> H["Должен<br/>must/ought"]

    D --> I["Dative + infinitive"]
    E --> I
    F --> I

🎯 Cheat Summary

🌟 Remember This!

The Russian Mindset:

• Feelings and states HAPPEN to you (dative case)
• Permission and prohibition exist independently (impersonal)
• Necessity can be personal (должен) or impersonal (надо)

Start simple. Use можно, нельзя, and надо — these three words will take you far!

You’ve got this! 💪🇷🇺