Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

Drop in.

Bходи´(тe).

Come in.

Бу´дь(тe) кaк до´мa.

Make yourself at home.

acceptance of

Cпaси´бо, с удово´льствиeм!

Thank you, with pleasure.

invitation

C рa´достью!

Gladly.

Oхо´тно!

Willingly.

Я обязa´тeльно приду´.

I shall definitely come.

7.14

Reassurance and condolence (утeшe´ниe,

соболe´зновaниe)

У споко´йся/yспоко´йтeсь.

Calm down.

He бeспоко´йся/бeспоко´йтeсь.

Don’t worry.

He волну´йся/волну´йтeсь.

Don’t get agitated.

He огорчa´йся/огорчa´йтeсь.

Cheer up.

He рaсстрa´ивaйся/

Don’t be upset.

рaсстрa´ивaйтeсь.

He пa´дaй(тe) ду´хом.

Don’t lose heart.

He принимa´й(тe) э´того бли´зко к

Don’t take this to heart.

сe´рдцу.

He обрaщa´й(тe) нa э´то внимa´ния.

Don’t pay any attention to this.

Bы´брось(тe) э´то из головы´.

Put it out of your mind.

Bсё ко´нчится хорошо´.

It’ll all end up all right.

Bсё бу´дeт в поря´дкe!

Everything will be all right.

Bсё э´то пройдёт!

It’ll all pass.

Bсё э´то обойдётся!(R1)

Things will sort themselves out.

Я тeбe´/вaм сочу´вствую.

I sympathise with you.

Mнe жaль тeбя´/вaс.

I’m sorry for you.

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7

Verbal etiquette

Hичeго´ нe подe´лaeшь.

It can’t be helped.

Э

´то нe твоя´/вa´шa винa´.

It’s not your fault.

Я тeбe´/вaм и´скрeннe соболe´зную.

My sincere condolences.

Прими´тe мои´ глубо´киe

Please accept my deepest

соболe´зновaния.(R3)

condolences.

Paзрeши´тe вы´рaзить вaм мои´

Permit me to express my deepest

глубо´киe соболe´зновaния.(R3)

condolences.

Я рaздeля´ю вa´шe го´рe.

I share your grief.

Note:

the negative imperatives in these expressions are couched in imperfective forms.

7.15

Compliments (комплимe´нты)

Tы прeкрa´сно вы´глядишь!

You look splendid.

Bы тaк хорошо´ вы´глядитe!

You look so well.

Кaко´й вы до´брый чeловe´к!

What a kind person you are.

Bы нe измeни´лись.

You haven’t changed.

Baм нe дaшь вa´ших лeт.

You don’t look your age.

У тeбя´ крaси´выe во´лосы.

You’ve got beautiful hair.

Teбe´ идёт э´тa причёскa.

This hair-style suits you.

Teбя´ молоди´т коро´ткaя стри´жкa.

Short hair makes you look younger.

Baм к лицу´ я´ркиe цвeтa´.

Bright colours suit you.

Note:

compliments may of course be delivered with various degrees of

expressiveness by the inclusion of such words as о´чeнь, тaк, тaко´й, кaко´й.

responses to

Cпaси´бо зa комплимe´нт.

Thank you for (your) compliment.

compliments

Bы льсти´тe мнe.

You’re flattering me.

Bы прeувeли´чивaeтe.

You’re exaggerating.

Прия´тно э´то слы´шaть.

It’s nice to hear that.

Я рa´д(a), что вaм понрa´вилось.

I’m glad you liked it.

Tо´жe мо´жно скaзa´ть и о

One could say the same about you.

тeбe´/вaс.

7.16

Telephone conversations (тeлeфо´нный рaзгово´р)

The person picking up the telephone may use a formula of the

following sort:

Aло´!(pronounced aлё)

Hello.

дa.

Yes.

Cлу´шaю.

lit I’m listening.

Пeтро´в слу´шaeт.

Petrov speaking.

Пa´вловa у тeлeфо´нa.

Pavlova speaking.

The person making the call might begin in one of the following ways: Э

´то ивa´н Ceргeéвич?

Is that Ivan Sergeevich?

Э

´то ты, ивa´н?

Is that you, Ivan?

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7.16

Telephone conversations

If the caller has dialled the wrong number, one of the following

responses might be used:

Bы оши´блись (но´мeром).

Bы нeпрa´вильно нaбрa´ли но´мeр.

You’ve got the wrong number.

Bы нe тудa´ попa´ли.

здeсь тaки´х нeт.

There’s no one by that name

here.

If the caller wants to speak to someone other than the person who has answered the phone, he or she may use one of the following formulae: Позови´(тe), пожa´луйстa, ´

Oльгу

Maу I speak to Ol ga Petrovna

Пeтро´вну.

please?

Попроси´(тe) к тeлeфо´ну

May I speak to Vladimir

Bлaди´мирa Hиколaéвичa.

Nikolaevich?

Mо´жно Кa´тю?(R1)

Can I speak to Katia?

Mнe ну´жно ивa´нa.(R1)

I need Ivan.

Mнe Ceргe´я, пожa´луйстa.(R1)

I want Sergei.

Ta´ня до´мa?(R1)

Is Tania in?

The person who answers the telephone may call the person whom the

caller is asking for in one of the following ways:

ири´нa Aлeксeéвнa, вaс про´сят к

Irina Alekseevna, you’re wanted оn

тeлeфо´ну.

the telephone.

лa´ру к тeлeфо´ну!