"The cat saw a mouse and ran after it."

Translation: Кот увидел мышь, и побежал за ней.

[kpagcha]

Why is the perfective verb for run used here?

[cptchuckle]

I assume because the cat is done running after the mouse

[JayColly]

And because the sentence wasn't 'and was running after it'.

[tsooj]

Кот увидел мышь и за ней побежал - is this word order incorrect?

[chsemyonova]

I am wondering the same.

[viki638530]

This word is correct

[viki638530]

Sometimes it is possible to change the order in russian sentences.
For example "кошка увидела мышь и побежала за ней" is correct and "кошка увидела мышь и за ней побежала" is correct too

[Yperdneisteria]

почему не "мыши"?

[olimo]

The accusative of "мышь" is the same - "мышь".

[Yperdneisteria]

even though it is "animate"? (genitive=accusative)

[olimo]

Neuter nouns and feminine nouns with a final -ь (e.g., «мы́шь») use the Nominative form. This is from Tips and notes for the Accusative skill :-)

[alex_tv80]

Yes, but if there were many mice than it would be:

Кот увидел мышей

[justsomegu2]

All bets are off for the genitive plural. But for mouse, you can usually say мышка and avoid the confusion all together.

[MarcoJansen96]

Would the genitive plural of мышка be мышек?

[packal28]

Why the answer ¨Кошка увидела мышь и побежала за нее¨ is not accepted

[viki638530]

"…за неЙ" – is correct, because the word "ней" is in 'творительный падеж' (instrumental case or ablative)

[L99426]

Почему "увидел" а не "видел"?

[viki638530]

Because "увидел" is a verb in 'совершенный вид' (it's sth like past simple in English) , the verb "видел" is in 'несовершенный вид' (it's like past continuous).

[justsomegu2]

Почему здесь не позвольно "забежать"?

[Gwenci]

"Забежать" has another meaning (just ignore meaning [1]; the example there actually has meaning [3] – to drop in.) "Побежать" is "to start running."

[justsomegu2]

А не имеется у причастки "за-" значение "начать действовать?" Или может быть к этому глаголу этого значения нету?

[Gwenci]

Имеется, но да, конкретно глаголу "бежать" она придаёт другое значение.

[Gwenci]

By the way, the comma in the Russian sentence is unnecessary because there is only one clause.

[EdgardRefi]

Is Кошка увидел wrong? Everytime that we say кот it is a male cat and кошка it is a female cat?

[nelvb]

Yes, that's wrong. It should be кошка увиделА.

[Soyjack1488]

Кошка увидела мышь, и побежал за ней isn't accepted either

[DrPhilsHolyBro]

побежал must also be feminine, so побежала

[MattFinuca]

Кошка not allowed for some reason.......

[DrPhilsHolyBro]

кошка does work: кошка увидела мышь и побежала за ней, it is accepted.

[MattFinuca]

Кошка not allowed for some reason.......