Archives for: June 2010, 30

Бывать

June 30th, 2010 by Don

Every beginning Russian student knows that the verb быть means 'to be,' and that in the present tense the verb is generally not used, thus we have sentences like:

Кира сейчас в Москве. Kira is in Moscow right now.

Eventually we learn that there is a second verb 'to be,' which is бывать. The -ва- suffix in Russian sometimes forms what we call a frequentative verb, one that indicates that the action happens on more than one occasion. Thus we can have sentences like:

Кира бывает в Москве. Kira is sometimes in Moscow.

The verb is perfectly regular, just like читать, so you'll have no trouble conjugating it. In terms of translation style, though, you may often find yourself making non-literal substitutions. For instance:

— Иван бывает в Москве?
— Да, бывает.		 "Is Ivan in Moscow sometimes?"
"Yes, he is."

While that is a perfectly grammatical translation, it really doesn't capture what an English speaker would say in a similar situation. For a good flow it is better to substitute motion phrases and add some typical functional words:

— Иван бывает в Москве?
— Да, бывает.		 "Does Ivan ever come to Moscow?"
"Yes, he does."

The 'go' version works as well:

— Иван бывает в Москве?
— Да, бывает.		 "Does Ivan ever go to Moscow?"
"Yes, he does."

If you include some other adverb of frequency, then don't include the word 'sometimes':

Я редко бываю в Париже. I don't go to Paris very often.
— Как часто у вас бывают грозы?
— В августе они бывают почти каждый день.		 "How often do you have thunderstorms?"
"In August we have them almost every day."
— Мы вчера увидели розового слона.
— Розовых слонов не бывает.
— Да что ты. Это была реклама в виде надувного розового слона.
— Ах, понял.		 "Yesterday we saw a pink elephant."
"There's no such thing as pink elephants."
"Don't be silly. It was an inflatable pink elephant used for advertising."
"Oh, I get it."
— У вас есть чёрный хлеб?
— Бывает.
— Дайте, пожалуйста, две буханки.
— Я сказала, что бывает. Сегодня нету.		 "Do you have rye bread?"
"Usually."
"I'd like two loaves, please."
"I said that we usually do. Today there isn't any."

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