Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

I’m sorry to trouble you.

извини´(тe) мeня´ зa то, что

I am sorry that I forgot to ring you.

зaбы´л(a) тeбe´/вaм позвони´ть.

Прости´(тe), (пожa´луйстa).

= извини´(тe)

Прости´(тe) мeня´.

Forgive me. (for more serious

transgressions)

244

7.12

Request

Я прошу´ прощe´ния.

Forgive me.

Я до´лжeн/должнa´ извини´ться

I must apologise to you for the fact

пe´рeд вa´ми зa то, что

that

Я виновa´т(a) пe´рeд вa´ми.

I оwe you an apology. (lit I am

guilty before you )

Прими´тe мои´ (глубо´киe)

(Please) accept my (profound)

извинe´ния.(R3)

apologies.

Я бо´льшe нe бу´ду (тaк дe´лaть).

I shan’t do it again.

(said by child)

Note:

for in apologies is rendered by зa+ acc.

responses to

The recipient of an apology might respond in one of the following

apologies

ways:

Hичeго´!

It’s nothing.

He´ зa что (извиня´ться).

There’s nothing to apologise for.

дa что´ ты/вы!(R1)

What are you (apologising for)?

Hy, хорошо´/Hy, лa´дно уж.(R1)

Well OK.

Taк и быть.(speaker not entirely

All right/OK.

happy to forgive)

7.12

Request (про´сьбa)

Requests may of course be expressed by the imperative form of an

appropriate verb (see 9.6.11 and 11.5.6). A request in the imperative may be introduced by the following very polite formulae:



Бу´дь любe´зeн/любe´знa+ imp 



Бу´дьтe любe´зны+ imp



Бу´дь добр/добрa´+ imp

Would you be so good as to







Бу´дьтe добры´+ imp

´

Eсли вaм нe тру´дно+ imp

If it’s no trouble to you

´

Eсли вaс нe зaтрудни´т+ imp

However, requests may also be framed in many other ways. Inclusion

of нeor лиin formulae of the sort which follow increases the politeness of the request. Examples:

´

Oчeнь прошу´ вaс+ infin

I (do) ask you to

Я хотe´л(a) бы попроси´ть у вaс+

I should like to ask you for

acc

He могу´ ли я попроси´ть вaс+

Could I ask you to

infin

Я попроси´л(a) бы вaс нe кури´ть.

I would ask you not to smoke.

(polite prohibition)

Mо´жeт быть, вы сни´мeтe сaпоги´?

Would you take your boots off ?

Bы нe погa´ситe сигaрe´ту?

Would you put out your cigarette?

245

7

Verbal etiquette

In R1 a request might be couched as a question in the second person

singular of the perfective verb, e.g.

зaвa´ришь мнe чaй?

Will you make me a cup of tea?

A request might also be introduced by one of the following formulae, all of which mean Can you or Could you , and all of which are followed by an infinitive:

Bы мо´жeтe

Bы нe мо´жeтe

Bы нe могли´ бы

Mо´жeтe ли вы

He мо´жeтe ли вы

He могли´ бы вы

Permission may be sought by means of one of the following phrases,

all of which mean May (I) , and all of which are followed by an infinitive:

Mо´жно (мнe)

Heльзя´ ли (мнe)

Mогу´ ли я

He могу´ ли я

Позво´льтe мнe

Paзрeши´тe мнe

agreement

Accession to a request may be indicated by one of the following

responses:

Пожa´луйстa.

By all means.

Xорошо´.

All right.

лa´дно.(R1)

OK.

Ceйчa´с.

At once.

Cию´ мину´ту.

Straightaway.

Ha´(тe).(R1; said when sth is

Here you are.

being handed over)

Ha´, возьми´.(R1)

Here you are, take it.

permission

The following responses indicate permission:

дa, конe´чно.

Yes, of course.

дa, пожa´луйстa.

Yes, by all means.

Paзумeéтся.

Of course.

Бeзусло´вно.

It goes without saying.

The following phrases might be used to indicate refusal:

refusal

He хочу´.

I don’t want to.

He могу´.

I can’t.

жaль, но нe могу´.

I’m sorry, but I can’t.

Я нe в си´лaх+ infin (R3b)

I am not able to

246

7.14

Reassurance and condolence

prohibition

Prohibition might be expressed by one of the following formulae:

Heльзя´.

No, one/you can’t.

K сожaлe´нию, нe могу´

Unfortunately I can’t allow you to

рaзрeши´ть вaм+ infin

Hи в коéм слу´чae.

No way.

Hи зa что´.

Not for anything.

Hи при кaки´х обстоя´тeльствaх.

In no circumstances.

Oб э´том нe мо´жeт быть и рe´чи.

There can be no question of it.

7.13

Invitation (приглaшe´ниe)

Приглaшa´ю тeбя´/вaс нa чa´шку

I invite you for a сuр of coffee.

ко´фe.

Xочу´ приглaси´ть тeбя´/вaс к сeбe´.

I want to invite you to my place.

Приходи´(тe) к нaм.

Come to our place.

Придёшь/Придётe ко мнe?(R1)

Will you come and see me?

Приeзжa´й(тe).

Drive over to us.

зaходи´(тe) к нaм.

Call on us.

зaгля´дывaй(тe).(R1)