Questions tagged [usage]
Covers questions about the usage of a particular word or phrase in different situations and contexts.
0
votes
1answer
6 views
In what category does soft sign and hard sign fall into?
I know that the soft and hard signs are not consonants or vowels, but do they fall into as masculine, feminine, or neuter?
Коктейль ? , do we put один одна or одно
3
votes
4answers
118 views
Sentence structure in the following sentences
I was given these sentence at http://masterrussian.com/aa060500a.shtml so they can show me how flexible the sentence structure in the Russian language is (these sentences are supposedly similar):
1) ...
0
votes
3answers
86 views
The difference between “пойди”, “иди” and “начни идти”?
What's the difference between "пойди", "иди" and "начни идти"?
"Иди" is imperfective, while "пойди" and "начни идти" are perfective. However, as far as I know, both "иди" and "начни идти" are used in ...
5
votes
2answers
189 views
What does it mean if a girl puts “есть друг” in Семейное положение? [duplicate]
I'd like to know what if a girl wrote "есть друг" in her marital status, what does this mean?
2
votes
2answers
171 views
What does it mean if a girl puts “есть подруга” in Семейное положение?
I google it and found the word "подруга" means "girlfriend". Does it mean "girlfriend" or "a friend who is a female"? If it means a friend who is a female, it seems weird that she put "есть подруга" ...
2
votes
2answers
104 views
If the gender is implied in the verb do i still have to put 'он' 'она' 'оно'?
To explain my question i will give this example of a sentence:
она говорила это (Lit. She said that)
говорила это (Lit. Said that) but (Implied. She said that)
Is it necessary for me to have она in ...
-1
votes
2answers
190 views
Origins, usage and connotations of the word “швабода”?
Drawing an analogy with "дерьмократия" I think "швабода" is a derisive and probably vulgar way of saying "свобода" (freedom), but please can someone fill me in on the origins, usage, and connotations ...
4
votes
3answers
116 views
Is it acceptable to use two “до этого”s with two different meanings like this?
In conversation, I just said:
Именно. Так мы сможем получить столько средств, сколько нам хватит. Никто еще не додумался до этого. Это же гениально!
Leaving aside the question of stylistic ...
3
votes
4answers
141 views
“Много народа” or “много народу”
I have been doing some reading lately, and became aware of the two phrases 'много народа' and 'много народу'. According to Google Ngrams, both are current (although 'много народу' is 2x more frequent)...
6
votes
3answers
187 views
Difference between “папа” and “отец”?
In Russian is there a difference between папа and отец? If there is, is it like Dad vs Daddy in English?
1
vote
3answers
126 views
How do I express “aren’t”?
I was given this to translate in Russian: "Really? Aren’t they playing on Tuesday?"
I translated it: "Правда? Они не играют не во вторник". ( I did this still without fully understand how to write ...
4
votes
2answers
102 views
Usage of “рваться”
The context: They were talking about a gate they couldn't open and pass through. But they weren't so eager to venture too deep into the forest to begin with.
... но мы не особо-то сюда и рвались.
...
7
votes
3answers
487 views
“Апартаменты” or “квартира”
When studying I always come across words such as apartment, when I search many dictionaries I sometimes get an exact translation апартамент, but there is also another Russian word that has the exact ...
5
votes
3answers
96 views
Why does “подальше”, not “дальше”, seem like a choice by default in some phrasings?
Ты что, собираешься перебраться в деревню, подальше от любопытных глаз?
{vs}: Ты что, собираешься перебраться в деревню, дальше от любопытных глаз?
Так засунь подальше свои эмоции и решай ...
4
votes
3answers
86 views
When to use «вдвое/втрое/etc» rather than «в два/три/etc раза»
Говорят, что это в самом деле были огромные медведи в два раза больше любого человека!
Говорят, что это в самом деле были огромные медведи вдвое больше любого человека!
I'm a bit fuzzy on when I ...
3
votes
3answers
127 views
Does the oxymoronic use of “здо́рово” sound slangish?
In conversation, I said jokingly:
Может, ты кому-то здо́рово насолила? Например, этому человеку, не пораженному пагубной страстью к роскошным автомобилям.
Somewhere along the way, I got used to ...
1
vote
2answers
111 views
Proper usage for “No X, Y, Z” sign?
I've created this sign for a bathroom in a property that I rent out:
(And yes, before you ask - I have fished several such items out of toilets in the past.)
Is the wording correct? I'm particularly ...
11
votes
2answers
969 views
Idiomatic Signage: “No children”, “Children not allowed on table”, etc.?
Let's say you had a nice pool table. And some people were ruining it by putting their small children on top of it and letting them walk around and bang on it.
In American English, you might put a ...
5
votes
4answers
153 views
How to interpret “ведь” in this specific instance?
Почему ты так спокоен, ведь твой друг в опасности?
The usage of "ведь" in this specific instance pulled me up short because in my mind the second clause seems like an affirmative statement:
Почему ...
6
votes
1answer
137 views
“You get the picture”
The literal translation that is found to be most closely equivalent to the English meaning of this is
Вы поЛучите картину,
but I don’t know if that is just the literal meaning of saying ‘...
3
votes
3answers
80 views
3
votes
1answer
65 views
Purpose of ‘уже’ in this sentence
Я плохо говорю по-португальски, но уже хорошо читаю. (Literal meaning: i speak Portuguese badly, but read (it) well.
The literal meaning of уже is ‘already’, but at the same time i know it expresses ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
“Не берись …” vs “Не вздумай …”
Не берись утверждать, что ты действительно знаешь, какая она.
Не вздумай утверждать, что ты действительно знаешь, какая она.
I'm wondering how they are nuanced. Is the former about telling them ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Difference between usage of ‘удивление’ и ‘сюрприз’
I was given this sentence:
Я делаю сюрприз (Im preparing a surprise)
But i was also given удивление as when you pop out and yell surprise*
What is the difference of usage between the two, i searched ...
3
votes
1answer
63 views
Usage of “у них у всех” vs “у них всех”
In conversation, I just said:
Некоторых ссор время от времени просто не избежать. У них у всех ведь нет ничего общего.
Nuance-wise, how does the dual-prepositional-style "у них у всех" sound, ...
3
votes
2answers
58 views
Difference of usage between ‘право, правда, and действительно’?
What is the difference in usage between them, i couldnt find anything online and правда и действительно have the same definitions.
4
votes
3answers
100 views
How are “в случае чего” and “чуть что” nuanced?
In conversation, I just said:
Ни за что! Мне нужно быть налегке, чтобы, в случае чего, я мог бы быстренько отправиться.
We were talking about how I like travelling light on business trips. I ...
3
votes
1answer
54 views
When to use “а ведь”, as opposed to “хотя/хоть”
Она больше не знает, что к чему, а ведь ей почти всегда это было понятно.
I'm wondering when it is preferable to use "а ведь" to show contrast.
Она больше не знает, что к чему, хотя ей почти ...
6
votes
3answers
93 views
How to use an incomplete “чтобы” subordinate clause
Чтобы ты управляла лодкой? Еще чего! Ты еще не в силах справиться с ней в одиночку!
In conversation, I sometimes use an incomplete "чтобы" subordinate clause like this to express an element of ...
3
votes
2answers
52 views
Nuances of meaning between “Если бы”, “Вот бы”, and “Вот если бы”
Если бы и в жизни было так.
Вот бы и в жизни было так.
Вот если бы и в жизни было так.
In conversation, I tend to use whichever comes to mind first, but I'm wondering how they are nuanced.
2
votes
1answer
59 views
Usage of the structure “кто …, у того …”
А кто пачкается за столом, у того и душа запятнана.
I just heard this, and given the context, I assume that the combination of "кто ..., у того ..." means "those who ...". I wonder if this is a ...
1
vote
3answers
83 views
Which is the best way to convey “You're lucky that you're not here” in Russian?
The translators all give different meanings but which is the most appropriate way to say it?
Твоё счастье, что ты не здесь ( счастье’s main meaning is happiness)
Тебе повезло, что тебя здесь нет (...
3
votes
3answers
110 views
The meaning and usage of “Куда + dative + noun”
Куда нам еще однa шляпа, и так уже целый склад.
I just heard my girlfriend say this, and I'm not familiar with this particular usage of "куда". What does this sentence mean? Is it meant as a ...
6
votes
3answers
264 views
The meaning and usage of “не то чтобы”
Они не то чтобы открыть, а даже сдвинуть его с места не могут.
I'm familiar with the expression "Не то чтобы" -- in the sense of "Not that ..." -- placed at the beginning of a subordinate clause, but ...
2
votes
2answers
95 views
Nuances between “… бы … ни …” and “неважно, …”
Какое бы положение ты ни занимал в обществе, ...
Неважно, какое положение занимаешь в обществе, ...
Не важно, какое положение занимаешь в обществе, ...
I tend to use these subordinate ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
Difference between “друг другу всем” and “все … друг другу”
Мы будем помогать друг другу всем.
I wonder how placing "всем" after "друг другу" compares with:
Мы все будем помогать друг другу.
Is it just a stylistic difference, or are they nuanced?
2
votes
3answers
164 views
Usage of “Ничего, если … ?”
Ничего, если я поживу здесь какое-то время?
I hear this expression in conversation from time to time. How polite does it sound; is it appropriate for use in formal settings such as business meetings? ...
1
vote
2answers
104 views
What is the purpose of “a” in these sentences if not *and*
These are the images from the lessons im taking
2
votes
1answer
72 views
Difference in usage between “похоже” and “вроде”
When used in a phrase such as "похоже на" and "вроде меня", "похоже" and "вроде" are not interchangeable. But how are they nuanced in the following instances?
Холод, похоже, ее совершенно не ...
4
votes
4answers
274 views
What are some words for LGBT people in Russia?
I am currently writing a novel with a Russian main character.
Part of his backstory and something that comes up frequently is that he is, agaisnt all odds, a homosexual transvestite.
I am ...
2
votes
3answers
101 views
Как правильно употреблять «дело в том, что»?
Скажите пожалуйста как правильно употреблять конструкцию «дело в том, что»? Какая разница между «потому, что», «так как» «поскольку» и «дело в том, что»?
2
votes
2answers
68 views
Correct translation for complex sentence
I need to translate some from russian into english.
english is foreign to me, so I asked for a help.
My english is poor, But thranslated text seems to be wrong.
For example:
Боевой пропуск, ...
5
votes
4answers
148 views
Difference in usage between “ни за что” and “нипочем”
Я не собиралась говорить ей, и она ни за что бы не догадалась.
Я не собиралась говорить ей, и она нипочем бы не догадалась.
In my experience, I seem to come across "ни за что" ten times more ...
1
vote
3answers
128 views
Russian verb “to meet by chance”
I know that случайно встречаться и случайно встретиться mean “meet by chance” but i look up the verb conjugation and i cant seem to find where they get the verb. Is both случайно встречаться a whole ...
2
votes
2answers
101 views
Difference in usage between “не помешает” and “не повредит”
компания мне не помешает
компания мне не повредит
I wonder how they differ in usage when used figuratively.
4
votes
2answers
115 views
The meaning and usage of “видать”
Смотрю на них, думаю, видать не у одной меня порой крыша едет!
Given the context, I assume the sentence means:
It is not just me who loses it every now and then -- such outbursts of temper are ...
2
votes
3answers
118 views
“Он житейски неопытен”: the usage of “житейски” (versus “по-житейски”)
он житейски неопытен
It seems the word "житейски" is separately listed far below in the conjugation table of the adjective "житейский", and I'm not so familiar with its usage.
Is "житейски" an ...
2
votes
2answers
135 views
“Я на тебя удивляюсь” or “я тебе удивляюсь”
Choosing between "я на тебя удивляюсь" and "я тебе удивляюсь" - which is correct as the object of the verb удивляться?
1
vote
1answer
100 views
Pronunciation of “и” at end for these specific words
In words such as по-дружески or по-человечески:
I have looked through dictionaries and cannot find why
in these words the «и» at the end sounds like the letter e=ye. Why is that, what is the rule?
2
votes
1answer
72 views
Nuances between “столь/настолько/так (твёрдо) уверен”
To express the idea of:
How come you're so[that much / this much / to this extent] sure of it?
The following phrasings all seem to be saying more or less the same thing:
Почему ты в нем столь / ...
