Questions tagged [russian-usage]
Now covers questions about the usage of the Russian language in other countries.
105
questions
3
votes
3answers
132 views
Russian slang: "the letter Х"
Someone told me that in Russian slang, people ask each other: Kак дела? (How are you?), to which the obvious answer is Хорошо (Good).
But there's another word that starts with "x" and means ...
2
votes
1answer
102 views
Were Russian surnames in the 19th century just nicknames or actual person’s name?
Let’s say a person born in the 19th century had the name “Mikhail Shatunov”, is the surname “Shatunov” a nickname or does it mean that an actual person named “Shatun” was his (grand)father?
If it were ...
4
votes
3answers
179 views
How can I figure out if an adjective is hard or soft without seeing its ending?
I can't determine whether the adjective is hard or soft without seeing its ending. I need to be able to tell if the adjective is hard or soft without seeing its ending.
What I mean is, how can I tell ...
5
votes
1answer
238 views
Strange use of 'и': для этого и делается
I was listening at Navalny's phone call and at some point he says:
ровно для этого и делается доклад
It is supposed to translate to:
this is exactly what the report is for
What I understand so far:...
3
votes
4answers
2k views
Why has the word Жид (Jew) become a taboo in Russian?
As far as I know, it is a neutral word in some Slavic languages, and it was legal in Russian before the Russian Revolution. However, now, it's completely illegal and, thus, Russians utter it only to ...
-1
votes
1answer
162 views
Kaliningrad ... may it be referred to as Kalinograd?
Kaliningrad is the Russian exclave sandwiched in between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic coast. Every time I think of it I find myself saying "Kalinograd" because in English usage ...
9
votes
5answers
2k views
The word подарок - abstract meaning?
In my Russian class, we are learning holiday vocabulary, and I am wondering if there exists an abstract meaning for “подарок». For example, could you be talking about “the gift of forgiveness” or “the ...
1
vote
4answers
532 views
Can стакан сока be used here instead of сок?
In the book Дорога в Россию - учебник русского языка, there's a conversation that describes the scene of buying food:
Мне нравится эта рыба, этот салат, этот сок. Дайте, пожалуйста.
which means the ...
1
vote
1answer
248 views
«Для» или «за»? – This store is for the purchase of
I was writing a paragraph, and a sentence within (and the previous sentence) is, in English:
(The first store sells mostly bulk produce.) The second store is (a) traditional (store), for the purchase ...
1
vote
1answer
273 views
Do Russian speakers in the former USSR countries use patronymics?
Can the general calling conventions in Russian (for example - Dimitri Ivanovich Petrov will be formally referred to as Dimitri Ivanovich) be extended to the countries of the former Soviet Union (...
2
votes
0answers
208 views
What does this expression mean in Russian? "во даёт!" [closed]
Give me some phrases examples as well plz
2
votes
3answers
140 views
The adjective "экономичный" to modify animate objects
Would it make sense to say "Я очень экономичный муж", or "У меня такая экономичная собака" when someone wishes to allude to his being frugal with apparel, meal, diversions etc. Or a dog is small and ...
0
votes
1answer
83 views
1
vote
3answers
1k views
How to type "@" symbol in Russian keyboard layout? [closed]
Does a Russian keyboard layout support the "@" symbol? I had to switch to an English keyboard to type "@".
4
votes
4answers
373 views
What does "так и есть" and "ну что ж" mean?
What does "так и есть" and "ну что ж" mean, are these idioms?
How are they used in sentences?
2
votes
1answer
105 views
short, long adjective, adverb for two consecutive words
In Nicholas J. Brown's book, The New Penguin Russian Course - A Complete Course for Beginners (1996), there is an exercise (27.5 if it matters) containing a sentence;
Девяносто пять процентов тех, ...
1
vote
2answers
197 views
"Хотелось" or "хочу"
1). хотелось = мне хотелось / I wanted
2). хочу = я хочу купить что нибудь для тебя / I want to buy something for you
What is the difference between "хотелось" when used in the first scenario v.s. ...
4
votes
1answer
294 views
Why do some people pronounce "о" as "a" and some just pronounce "o" as "o"?
It makes no sense to me; when I'm listening to Russians on YouTube they all do it either way, another thing.
If I choose to do most of my o’s as a’s will there be others who don't still understand me?
-2
votes
2answers
119 views
Difference Between and when to select which when they fuse. "меня" V.S "я"
I am not only confused with the overall definition and distinction between "меня" and "я" but also when to use which when 2 different phrases containing one of them each merge together.
As an example:...
-1
votes
1answer
135 views
When to use which with "не" / " нет"
Why is the word "не" used in the phrase:
"мне не нравится"= "I Don't Like"
But on the contrary "нет" is used in this one:
"у меня нет"= "I Don't Have"
Is it a rule that Always "мне" goes with "не" ...
2
votes
1answer
161 views
How would I say "of the silk road" as in a male dog or horse or cat from the silk road?
How would I say "of the silk road" as in a male dog or horse or cat from the Silk Road?
By "the Silk Road" I mean the ancient general route or area stretching from Russia, Central Asia and China.
E....
4
votes
2answers
230 views
Kamchadalskii dialect
The native people of southern Kamchatka are Itelmen. The arrival of Russian men around 1700 created a mixed group called Kamchadals. By 1800, the Itelmen languages were mostly extinct and the Russian ...
0
votes
1answer
112 views
Need to recognize first name and last name
I need to recognize the first name and last name of a Russian man SEIDOV CHARY
which is first, which is last?
5
votes
5answers
2k views
How do you write a featuring artist into a song title
In English there is a convention where you can include featured artists of a song in the song's title using the format:
[Song Title] feat. [Featured Artist]
What is the equivalent of this in ...
0
votes
1answer
94 views
How do you say "I belive in you!" in russian? [closed]
It has to be 30 characters that's why this is here. And i mean "in you" not that i believe you.
2
votes
1answer
280 views
What are the Latin Transliterations of Hard Consonants Converted to Soft Consonants?
I have been studying Russian recently and I have come across a problem that I have been trying to resolve for some time now which involves the softening of consonants.
I understand that there are ...
2
votes
2answers
128 views
“Быть” with tenses, gender, number but in affirmative sentences
A homework question, exactly quoted,
В этот период у нас было много неожиданных трудностей.
but in reviewing my previous question, When to use 'не было' and 'не будет' regardless of ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
What are the rules of the locative case?
I understood the first time I heard about the locative that it was usually reserved for monosyllabic masculine nouns (ex. чай, дом, сок) with exceptions (кровь, дверь). However, I recently saw that на ...
5
votes
3answers
109 views
clarification on the proper form of a possessive pronoun
Simple question at the end of my textbook (finally)...
I'm supposed to provide the proper form for a possessive pronoun in the blank:
Где ____ машина! Вы видели ____ машину?
Нет, я не видел ____ ...
7
votes
1answer
101 views
Очередь на Серова (=выставку Серова): A specific type of metonymy?
I'm wondering, if anybody knows, what is this type called and if there are theoretical studies and/or monographies about contexts, in which these forms could be particulary used (проходим Пушкина (=...
9
votes
2answers
362 views
Difference between царь and король?
The only sites answering this question are in Russian text, so I wanted to ask it here.
2
votes
0answers
55 views
Training books or sites [duplicate]
I'm new to Russian and started learning it about 2 or 3 months ago. Till now I've been using Duolingo to learn Russian, and as you may all know, Duolingo is not the site for 'Grammar' and I had to ...
2
votes
1answer
74 views
"for the benefit of", на благо vs для?
I've learned that when using "for", when meaning "benefit from", you would use "для + gen". But I've also just learned "на благо", meaning the same thing. Are they synonyms? How are they different?
3
votes
3answers
196 views
City name change when used in sentence?
I use Google to translate 2 sentences involving 2 cities (Liman-Лиман, Kamyzyak-Камызяк):
The distance from Liman to Kamyzyak.
The distance between Liman and Kamyzyak.
Расстояние от Лиман до ...
6
votes
3answers
186 views
"Я в состоянии" vs "я способен"?
I've come across я в состоянии плавать, I can (am able) to swim, and я способен, I can (am able)...
How are both of these used?
3
votes
2answers
204 views
Need help with declarative sentence
How would you translate this sentence: "Nikita Sergeyevich Mikhalkov the director of Burnt by the Sun"
I thought it would be:
" <<Утомленные солнцем>> директора - Никита Сергеевич Михалов "
...
3
votes
2answers
455 views
Phrase meaning “ты мой золотой”
I have been chatting with someone for a while now and she used the phrase “ты мой золотой” we have met before but currently we are in different country. My question is what does this phrase stand for? ...
3
votes
2answers
388 views
Correct pronunciation of vowels and soft/hard consonants
I have read in several places online that it would be wrong to use the terms "soft vowels" and "hard vowels", and instead it's more correct to call them vowels which indicate a ...
7
votes
5answers
2k views
"She wants him to like her." - Where is "her"?
I saw this sentence in Charles E Townsend's, Continuing with Russian,
Она хочет ему нравиться.
She wants him to like her (in general).
and I wondered where the 'her' was. If it was a little more ...
3
votes
2answers
4k views
What's the difference between доброе, добрый and доброй? [closed]
Also, is there a difference between "спокойной ночи" and "доброй ночи"?
4
votes
2answers
249 views
Which это? Particle or Special Adjective/Pronoun
In the sentence,
"But that's not true."
I see a translation as
"Но это не правда."
I know 'правда' is feminine so it seems that the 'это' being used is the indeclinable particle, and not the ...
4
votes
1answer
19k views
What is the difference between "мои" , "моя", "мой"? [duplicate]
My curiosity I have started learning Russian. While i read some articles they specified same meaning for different word. Can any one clarify my doubt and guide me in right path?
-1
votes
1answer
321 views
Как сказать "лихие девяностые" на английском? [closed]
I honestly don't know. Gave it some thought, but best i could come up with is Roaring 90s,Dashing 90s?
Those familiar with a term - what do you think?
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Can ппц word use for a good manner?
What it means in Russian " ого ппц! милый." Imagine one girl write this as an answer to her friend who sent Justin Bieber video when he is singing in a car.
I want to understand here also full ...
1
vote
2answers
112 views
Уместно ли продолжение речи автора после приведения цитаты?
Как Вы считаете, уместна ли такая конструкция:
В предложении 24 говорится: "Родину надо защищать", - и это свидетельствует о патриотическом настрое Кузьмы.
Предложение от балды. Интересует именно ...
1
vote
2answers
130 views
case of pronoun changes adverb to/from predicative
First, there are not so many tags, right?
Now, I notice two sentences;
Ему интересно учить русский язык.
Learning Russian is interesting to him.
Он интересно учит русский язык.
He learns Russian ...
3
votes
4answers
304 views
Выставка фотографов, или Выставка фотографий?
Наткнулся на фразу "Выставка фотографов". Это вообще правильно? Так можно сказать, когда речь идёт о "Выставке работ фотографов"?
Если так можно сказать, то почему? Ведь фраза меняет свой смысл. И ...
2
votes
2answers
153 views
Use of "абсолютно" as negative sentence-word response
Based on a limited sample of native Russian-speaking friends, I've come to understand that the adverb "абсолютно" used as a sentence-word in a response is synonymous with "no" as in:
-- Неужели Вы ...
6
votes
1answer
3k views
Equivalent letter for H in Russian?
I want to pronounce and write the word 'Hindustan'. What is the equivalent letter for 'H'?
FYI: I am getting into first step of learning.
Thanks
6
votes
1answer
270 views
Знаешь его брата - is 'его' in genitive and 'брата' in accusative?
There is this simple sentence I don't quite understand, grammatically;
Он думает, ты знаешь его брата.
He thinks you know his brother.
So based on things like,
Ivan's dog = The dog of Ivan
собака ...