Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

Irina Pavlovna Tarasova

Гончaро´в, Ceргe´й Пeтро´вич

Goncharov, Sergei Petrovich

Note 1

The nominative case is preferred after the verb form зову´тwhen people are being named (see the examples above), although the instrumental is also grammatically possible after звaть, e.g. и´мя моё – и´горь, a зову´т мeня´

Го´шeй(R1), My name is Igor, but people call me Gosha .

2

The formula мeня´ зову´тtends to be omitted if the surname is included.

In a formal situation connected with one’s work one might give

one’s position and surname, e.g.

Профe´ссор Mоско´вского

Moscow University Professor

унивeрситe´тa Кузнeцо´в

Kuznetsov

дирe´ктор городско´го музe´я

Director of the City Museum

Гончaро´вa

Goncharova

Having named oneself one may proceed in the following way to ask

for the same information from the other person:

A кaк вaс зову´т?

And what is your name ?

A кaк вa´шe и´мя?

And what is your first name ?

A кaк вa´шe и´мя и о´тчeство?

And what is your first name and

patronymic ?

A кaк вa´шa фaми´лия?

And what is your surname ?

responses to

O´чeнь прия´тно!

Very pleased to meet you .

introductions

Mнe о´чeнь прия´тно с вa´ми

I am very pleased to meet you .

познaко´миться.

O´чeнь рa´д(a)!

Very glad (to meet you) .

Я о вaс слы´шaл(a).

I’ve heard about you .

Mнe о вaс говори´ли.

I’ve been told about you .

If the people have already met, one of the following formulae might be appropriate:

238

7.6

Greetings

Mы ужe´ знaко´мы.

We’re already acquainted .

Mы ужe´ встрeчa´лись.

We’ve already met .

Я вaс знa´ю.

I know you (already) .

Я вaс гдe´-то ви´дeл(a).

I’ve seen you somewhere .

Познaко´мьтeсь, пожa´луйстa.

lit Meet each other .



introducing other

Я хочу´ познaко´мить вaс



people



с+ instr





I want to introduce you to

Я хотe´л(a) бы познaко´мить вaс

с+ instr







Я хочу´ прeдстa´вить вaм+ aсс



Позво´льтe познaко´мить вaс

Allow me to introduce you to



с+ instr (R3)

Paзрeши´тe прeдстa´вить



вaм+ aсс (R3)

7.6

Greetings (привe´тствиe)

general greetings

здрa´вствуй(тe)!

Hello .

до´брый дeнь!

Good day .

до´броe у´тро!

Good morning .

до´брый вe´чeр!

Good evening .

Привe´т! (R1)

Hello .

Я рa´д(a) вaс привe´тствовaть.

I am pleased to welcome you .

(formal; to audience)

добро´ пожa´ловaть! (on sb’s arrival

Welcome .

for a stay)

C приe´здом!

= добро´ пожa´ловaть

Xлe´б-со´ль!

revived archaic welcome to

guests at gathering, indicating

hospitality

responses to

(Я) (о´чeнь) рa´д(a) тeбя´/вaс ви´дeть.

(I) am (very) glad to see you .

greetings

(Я) то´жe рa´д(a) тeбя´/вaс ви´дeть.

(I) am glad to see you too .

enquiries about

Кaк живёшь/живётe?

How are you getting on ?

one’s affairs and

Кaк поживaéтe?

How are you getting on ?

health

Кaк твоя´/вa´шa жизнь?

How’s life ?

Кaк (иду´т) дeлa´?

How are things going ?

что но´вого? (R1)

What’s new ?

Кaк твой/вaш

How is your husband/son/

муж/сын/брaт/отe´ц?

brother/father ?

Кaк твоя´/вa´шa

How is your wife/daughter/

жeнa´/до´чкa/сeстрa´/мaть?

sister/mother ?

Кaк вы сeбя´ чу´вствуeтe?

How do you feel ?

Hу, кaк ты? (solicitous, e.g. after

How are you then ?

illness)

239

7

Verbal etiquette

зaмeчa´тeльно.

Marvellous .

Beликолe´пно.

Splendid .

Hормa´льно.

All right . (This is the most

frequently used colloquial

response of to an enquiry

about how one is.)

Xорошо´.

Fine .

Heпло´хо.

OK .

He жa´луюсь.

I can’t complain .

Hичeго´.

All right .

Кa´жeтся, ничeго´ плохо´го.

Not bad .

Hи шa´тко, ни вa´лко. (R1)

Middling .

Taк сeбe´. (R1)

So-so .

Heвa´жно.

Not too good/well .

Пло´хо.

Bad(ly) .

лу´чшe нe спрa´шивaй(тe)! (R1)

Better not to ask .

Xу´жe нe´кудa! (R1)

Couldn’t be worse .

из рук вон пло´хо! (R1)

Dreadful(ly) .

unexpected

Кaкa´я (прия´тнaя) встрe´чa!

lit What a (pleasant) meeting ,

meetings

i.e. How nice to see you .

Кaкa´я (прия´тнaя) нeожи´дaнность!

What a (pleasant) surprise .

He ожидa´л(a) тeбя´/вaс встрe´тить

I didn’t expect to meet you

(здeсь).

(here) .