Надо (часть вторая)
We mentioned previously that one of the words in Russian that is translated as need is надо. Sometimes you will run across sentences like this:
| Мне надо книгу. | I need а book. |
| Вите надо гаечный ключ. | Viktor needs a wrench. |
Such sentences are conversational, and they really have an implied verb in them. Thus the first sentence probably implies something like «Мне надо купить книгу» "I need to buy a book," and the second probably implies something like «Вите надо взять гаечный ключ» "Viktor needs to get a wrench."
People often use these phrases to ask you what you need:
| Что тебе надо? Что вам надо? |
What do you need? |
That reminds me... the phrase is used in a wonderful children's poem by Корней Чуковский called «Телефон». Read it out loud to yourself in Russian. The rhymes are delightful:
| У меня зазвонил телефон. | My phone started ringing. |
| — Кто говорит? | "Who is calling?" |
| — Слон. | "It's me, Elephant." |
| — Откуда? | "Where are you calling from?" |
| — От верблюда. | "From Camel's place" |
| — Что вам надо? | "What do you need?" |
| — Шоколада. ¹ | "Some chocolate." |
| — Для кого? | "For who?" |
| — Для сына моего. | "For my son." |
| — А много ли прислать? | "Do I need to send a lot?" |
| — Да пудов этак пять Или шесть: Больше ему не съесть, Он у меня ещё маленький! |
"Oh, just 180 pounds' worth, Maybe 200. He won't be able to eat much more. He's still pretty small." |
You can find the complete text of the poem here.
¹ Шоколада here is in the genitive case, not the accusative. The genitive adds the 'some' idea.
No feedback yet
Form is loading...