Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

congratulations on

instr (R3)

Oт и´мeни компa´нии/унивeрситe´тa

On behalf of the company/

поздрaвля´ю вaс c+ instr (R3)

university I congratulate you on

giving presents

Congratulations might be accompanied by the giving of presents,

in which case one of the following formulae might be used:

Bот тeбe´ подa´рок. (R1)

Here’s a present for you .

Э

´то тeбe´. (R1)

This is for you .

Я хочу´ подaри´ть вaм кни´гу.

I want to give you a book .

Пожa´луйстa, прими´тe нaш

Please accept our gift .

подa´рок. (R3)

7.9

Wishing (пожeлa´ниe)

Wishes are generally couched in a construction in which the

imperfective verb жeлa´ть, to wish , is used or understood. In the full 242

7.9

Wishing

construction this verb is followed by an indirect object in the dative, indicating the recipient of the wish, and an object in the genitive

indicating the thing wished for. The verb жeлa´тьmay also be followed by an infinitive. Examples:

жeлa´ю тeбe´ счa´стья!

I wish you happiness.

жeлa´ю вaм больши´х успe´хов!

I wish you every success.

Bсeго´ нaилу´чшeго!

All the best.

Прия´тного aппeти´тa!

Bоn appe´tit.

Cчaстли´вого пути´!

Bоn voyage.

до´лгих лeт жи´зни!(said to ageing Long life.

person)

жeлa´ю поскорeé вы´здоровeть!

Get better quickly.

More formal wishes might be rendered thus:

Прими´тe мои´ сa´мыe

(Please) accept my best/most

лу´чшиe/и´скрeнниe/сeрдe´чныe/

sincere/heartfelt/warmest wishes.

тёплыe пожeлa´ния.

Wishes, or an element of wishing, may also be expressed by means of

the imperative or by пусть, maу , e.g.

Bыздорa´вливaй(тe).

Get better.

Бeрeги´(тe) сeбя´.

Look after yourself.

Paсти´ больши´м и у´мным.(said to

Grow big and clever.

child)

Пусть тeбe´ бу´дeт хорошо´!

Maу all be well for you.

Пусть тeбe´ повeзёт!

Maу you have good luck.

Note:

the expression Hи пу´хa ни пeрa´, Good luck , is said to a person about to take an examination. (Originally the purpose of this expression, which literally means Neither down nor feather , was to wish sb good luck as they set off to go hunting.) The response is K чёрту! To the devil.

toasts

Speeches and toasts are a very much more widespread feature of

Russian life than of British life. Even at an informal gathering in

the home speeches may well be delivered and toasts proposed to

guests by the host and others, and the guests should themselves

respond with speeches and toasts of their own. A toast might be

proposed in one of the following ways:

(зa) вa´шe здоро´вьe!

(To) your health.

Я хочу´ вы´пить зa+ acc

I want to drink to

Я прeдлaгa´ю тост зa+ acc

I propose a toast to

Я поднимa´ю бокa´л зa+ acc

I raise my glass (lit goblet ; poet) to

Позво´льтe подня´ть бокa´л зa +

Allow me to raise my glass to

aсс (R3)

Paзрeши´тe провозглaси´ть тост зa

Allow me to propose a toast to

+ aсс (R3)

243

7

Verbal etiquette

Note:

it is the preposition зathat should be used in toasts to translate Eng to , not нa (which is commonly used in error by English-speakers in this context); see also the note at the end of 7.10 below.

7.10

Gratitude (блaгодa´рность)

Cпaси´бо.

Thank you.

Большоé спaси´бо.

Thank you very much.

Cпaси´бо зa внимa´ниe.(said to

Thank you for your attention.

audience after talk or lecture)

Cпaси´бо, что вы´слушaли мeня´.

Thank you for hearing me out.

Блaгодaрю´ вaс зa гостeприи´мство.

Thank you for your hospitality.

Я о´чeнь блaгодa´рeн/блaгодa´рнa

I am very grateful to you.

вaм.

Я вaм мно´гим обя´зaн(a).

I am much obliged to you.

Я о´чeнь признa´тeлeн/

I am very grateful to you for

признa´тeльнa вaм зa цe´нныe

your valuable advice.

совe´ты.(R3b)

Я хотe´л(a) бы вы´рaзить свою´

I should like to express my

блaгодa´рность зa то, что(R3b)

gratitude for the fact that

Note:

for is rendered by зa+ acc in such expressions.

responses to thanks

The recipient of thanks routinely dismisses gratitude as unnecessary: Пожa´луйстa.

Don’t mention it. (cf. Fr de rien ; but

note that ничeго´is not used in

this sense)

He сто´ит/He´ зa что.

It’s nothing.

Hу что ты, кaкиé пустяки´!(R1)

Don’t be silly, it’s nothing.

Note:

the expression нa здоро´вьeis used as a response to some expression of thanks for hospitality such as Cпaси´бо зa угощe´ниe( Thanks for treating me/Thanks for the food and drink ). The expression is only used in this sense. It should not be confused with зa вa´шe здоро´вьe(see 7.9 above).

7.11

Apologising (извинe´ниe)

Apologies are most often framed with one of the verbs извиня´ть/

извини´ть, to excuse ; извиня´ться/извини´ться, to apologise ; or прощa´ть/

прости´ть, to forgive.

извини´(тe), (пожa´луйстa).

I’m sorry. (lit Excuse me )

извини´(тe) зa бeспоко´йство.