simple grammar question

[John Langran]

Nola
I sometimes explain this by translating it as:
Тогда  её не было в Москве. At that time, there was none of her in Moscow
"She" is not the subject, "none of" becomes the subject, and is neuter.

John Langran
www.ruslan.co.uk




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nola" <oothappam at EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 2:38 PM
Subject: [SEELANGS] simple grammar question


I hope the members of this group will excuse my intrusion with my simple 
grammar question. I have asked two kind and helpful people but still can't 
really understand this, and hope that among you scholars there will be 
somebody who can explain this in a way that my thick head can comprehend-
It is about  есть\нет, and быть in the past and future.
У Саши бЫЛА машина. Sasha had a car.

У Саши не было машины. Sasha didn't have a car.

Ok-I understand the explanation in this case about было \была. In the first 
sentence, Sasha had a car and it's positive so Sasha is genitive because of 
the У but HAD is была, matching gender of машина. And in second sentence, 
Sasha is in genitive case again, car is now genitive because of negative 
existence,  but было is neuter, because when the existence of something in 
the past is negative, you use the neuter form of быть.

But see this-------

 Ольга не была сегодня в магазине. Olga was not in the shop today

Тогда  её не было в Москве. At that time, she wasn't in Moscow.

OKAY! What gives here?Both times Olga simply wasn't at a place...but in one 
case  быть matches Olga's gender and in the next it's neuter...I cannot see 
what would be the reason for this.

Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Nola - thick headed student










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