Из (часть первая)

by Don  

One of the prepositions that takes the genitive case is из, which means ‘from’. But not all froms are created equal in Russia. Let's start thinking about to/from/at in Russian like this. There are three words for to, three words for at, and three words for from. And they are related, roughly speaking, like this:

If you go "to" a place using… then you'll be "at" that place using… and you'll return "from" that place using…
в + acc в + pre из + gen
на + acc на + pre с + gen
к + dat у + gen от + gen

So if you go to a place using в, and you are at that placе using в, then you come back from it using из. That applies to most cities and countries and places of business:

Она только что пришла из аптеки. She just came back from the pharmacy.
Он только что приехал из Москвы. He just returned from Moscow.
Мы только что прилетели из Гонолулу. We have just returned [by air] from Honolulu.
— Откуда он?
— Из Перми.
“Where is he from?”
“From Perm.”

These aren't the only contexts which require из, but it's a good start to keep them in mind.

Ты

by Don  

One of the words for you in Russian is ты, which is declined like this:

Sg
Nomты
Accтебя
Gen
Preтебе
Dat
Insтобой
тобою

Ты, of course, is the singular form of ‘you’ that is used when talking to someone you don't have to be more formal and polite with. You can use it when talking to a child. You can use it when talking to a pet. You can use it when you are talking to a brother or a sister. You can use it when talking to one person whom you know well. So, if you suddenly spot someone walking down the street, and you know that person very well, you might say:

Куда ты идёшь? Where are you going?
Откуда у тебя такие красивые глаза? How did you get such beautiful eyes?
Я хочу поцеловать тебя. I want to kiss you.
Я хочу, чтобы мы с тобой были вместе навсегда! I want us to be together forever!

In contrast to ты the word вы is used to talk to a single individual when you are speaking more formally. Mastering when to use ты and вы is a bit problematic for American English speakers for several reasons. The obvious reason is that there is only one word for you in English. Previously the general rule for non-Russian speakers of Russian was that one should use вы until a particular Russian suggests otherwise to you. That's not the worst rule on the planet. But nowadays the transition from вы to ты is taking place much more rapidly than previous generations could have dreamed of. Nonetheless, I am still advising my students to start with вы with anyone older than them, and then allow the Russians to suggest making the change when it suits them. If you are a college age or highschool age American talking to a Russian who is the same age as you, go for it and use ты right away.

One last comment. You may have noticed that the instrumental case has two different forms. The more common one is тобой, so that should be your first choice in speech. But if you are ever writing poetry in Russian and need to have an extra syllable in the line, feel free to use тобою.

Право

by Don  

The word право means right in the sense of “the right to do something”. In the singular it is stem-stressed, and in the plural it is end-stressed.

SgPl
Nomправоправа
Acc
Genправаправ
Preправеправах
Datправуправам
Insправомправами

The word means right both in the sense of moral rights and legal rights:

Не кричи, ты не имеешь права говорить со мной таким тоном! Don't shout! You don't have the right to speak to me in that tone of voice.
В западных странах каждый имеет право сказать, что хочет. In Western countries each person has the right to say whatever they want.
В Аризоне каждый имеет право носить пистолет на территории университета, но не в аудиториях. In Arizona everyone has the right to carry a gun on the university campus, but not in the classrooms themselves.

If you combine the noun with водительский in the plural, then the phrase means driver's license.*

У тебя есть водительские права? Do you have a driver's license?
Нельзя водить машину без водительских прав. You can't drive a car without a driver's license.
В США с водительскими правами можно купить спиртное, а без них — нет. In the US you can buy alcohol with a driver's license, but not without one.
Согласно вашим водительским правам, вам только восемнадцать лет. Не могу впустить вас. Accordeing to your driver's license you are only eighteen years old. I can't let you in.

* In Arizona, at least, the official phrase is “driver license”, but normal human beings say “driver’s license”.

Нельзя

by Don  

The word нельзя means “it is forbidden”. In this sense it is used with imperfective verbs:

Нельзя говорить по-французски на занятиях русского языка. You aren't allowed to speak French in Russian class.
В библиотеке нельзя говорить громко. Speaking loudly in the library isn't allowed.

If you mention the person who is not allowed to do something, that person goes in the dative case:

Сынок, сколько раз я говорил, что тебе нельзя материться? Son, how many times have I told you that you are not allowed to swear?
Женя, твоим друзьям нельзя курить в квартире. Скажи им, чтобы они вышли на балкон. Evgeni, your friends aren't allowed to smoke in the apartment. Tell them to go out on the balcony.

Нельзя can also mean “it is impossible”. In that sense it is used with perfective verbs:

Нельзя открыть окно. Оно прибито гвоздями. You can't open the window. It's nailed shut.
Жанне нельзя будет включить мотор. Я вынул аккумулятор. Zhanna won't be able to start the motor. I took out the battery.
Нельзя понять непонимаемое. You can't understand the incomprehensible.
Нельзя переварить картон... если только ты не хомяк. You can't digest cardboard... unless you're a hamster.

Милый

by Don  

The word милый in its various forms means sweetheart, dear, darling. It's used as a term of affection between boyfriends and girlfriends, among family members and close friends.

Милая, не передашь мне телефон? Sweetie, could you give me the telephone?
Милый, как я тебя люблю! Darling, I love you so!
Милый, не уберёшь со стола? Я так устала. Darling, could you clear the table? I'm so tired.
Милая, не подскажешь, что хочешь на юбилей? Я так плохо разбираюсь в подарках. Darling, could you tell me what you want for our anniversary? I'm so bad at gifts.

The adjective can also be used in a diminutive form, миленький, which is particularly well known in the folk song «Миленький ты мой». Here is the song and the translation:

- Миленький ты мой,
Возьми меня с собой!
Там, в краю далеком,
Буду тебе женой.
Oh, my darling
Take me with you
There in a distant land
I will be your wife.
- Милая моя,
Взял бы я тебя,
Но там, в краю далеком,
Есть у меня жена.
Oh, my darling
I would take you
But there in a distant land
I have a wife.
- Миленький ты мой,
Возьми меня с собой!
Там, в краю далеком,
Буду тебе сестрой.
Oh, my darling
I would take you
And there in a distant land
I will be a sister to you.
- Милая моя,
Взял бы я тебя.
Но там, в краю далеком,
Есть у меня сестра.
Oh, my darling,
I would take you
But there in a distant land
I have a sister
- Миленький ты мой,
Возьми меня с собой!
Там в краю далеком,
Буду тебе чужой.
Oh, my darling
Take me with you
And in a distant land
I will be a stranger to you.
- Милая моя,
Взял бы я тебя.
Но там, в краю далеком,
Чужая ты мне не нужна
Oh, my darling,
I would take you
But there in a distant land
I don't need a stranger

1 ... 26 27 28 ...29 ... 31 ...33 ...34 35 36 ... 158