Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

ю´бкa в горо´шeк

a spotted skirt (larger spots)

рубa´шкa в поло´ску

a striped shirt

зA

(a)

behind or beyond , when movement into a position is involved: Cо´лнцe зaшло´ зa горизо´нт.

The sun went behind the horizon

[i.e. set ].

Mы поe´хaли зa´ город.

We went out of town [i.e. into the

country ].

This is the sense in which зa is used in certain phrases, e.g.

сaди´ться/сeсть зa стол

to sit down at table

e´хaть/поe´хaть зa грaни´цу

to go abroad [i.e. beyond the border ]

(b)

for , when some sort of exchange or reciprocity is involved:

блaгодaри´ть/поблaгодaри´ть

to thank sb for their hospitality

кого´-н зa гостeприи´мство

плaти´ть/зaплaти´ть зa кни´гу

to pay for a book

(c)

during, in the space of, over a period of time:

зa´ ночь

during the night

зa тридня вы´пaло двe

In the space of three days there was twice

мe´сячныe но´рмы осa´дков.

the usual monthly rainfall .

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10.1

Valency of prepositions

(d)

after a period of time , or over/beyond a certain age: дaлeко´ зa´ полночь

long after midnight

Eму´ ужe´ зa со´рок.

He is already over forty.

(e)

at a distance in space or time (especially in combination with отand до

respectively):

Э

´ то произошло´ зa сто

This happened 100 kilometres from here .

киломe´тров отсю´дa.

зa оди´н дeнь доeго´ смe´рти

a day before his death

HA

(a)

on to, on , when movement is involved:

клaсть/положи´ть что´-н нa´ пол to put sth on the floor

сaди´ться/сeсть нa стул

to sit down on the chair

(b)

to, into with those nouns listed in 10.1.6 (нa (b)) which require нa+

prepositional case for the translation of in or at , e.g.

нa вы´стaвку

to the exhibition

нa ры´нок

to the market

(c)

for a period of time, when one is defining what period an action is intended or expected to cover (cf. use of accusative without a

preposition; see 10.4 ( for ) and 11.1.2):

Oн e´дeт в Mоскву´ нa нeдe´лю.

He is going to Moscow for a week .

Oнa´ приe´хaлa к нaм нa´ год.

She came to us for a year .

(d)

for a certain purpose:

тaло´ны нa мяćо

(rationing) coupons for meat

обe´д нa пятьчeловe´к

dinner for five people

(e)

by a certain margin:

Oн нa двa го´дaстa´ршe брa´тa.

He is two years older than his brother .

Э

´ ти проду´кты подорожa´ли нa These products have become a thousand ты´сячупроцe´нтов.

per cent more expensive .

O

against in the sense of in contact with :

спотыкa´ться/споткну´ться o

to stumble against a stone

кa´мeнь

бок о´ бок

side by side

ПO

up to a certain point in space or time:

стоя´ть по шe´юв водe´

to stand up to one’s neck in water

Bи´зa дeйстви´тeльнa по

The visa is valid up to 20 May inclusive .

двaдцa´тоeмa´я.

ПOд

(a)

under , when movement into a position is involved:

Ко´шкa зaлe´злa под кровa´ть.

The cat went under the bed .

Я положи´л(a) кни´ги под стол.

I put the books under the table .

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10

Prepositions

(b)

towards, in a temporal sense, or just before :

под вe´чeр

towards evening

Eму´ под со´роклeт.

He is getting on for forty .

(c)

to the accompaniment of a sound:

тaнцeвa´ть под му´зыку

to dance to music

писa´ть под дикто´вку

to write to dictation

(d)

in imitation of :

кольцо´ под зо´лото

an imitation gold ring

писa´ть под Го´голя

to write in the style of Gogol

ПPO

(a)

about or concerning ; more or less synonymous with o + prep, but characteristic of R1; used only with the accusative:

говори´ть про Ma´шу

to speak about Masha

пeть про любо´вь

to sing about love

(b)

+ сeбя´, to in certain phrases:

ду´мaть про сeбя´

to think to oneself

читa´ть про сeбя´

to read to oneself

C

with nouns denoting measurement, distance, time, etc., in the sense of approximately, about :

вe´сить с килогрa´мм

to weigh about a kilogram

Mы прошли´ c ми´лю.

We walked about a mile .

Я про´был(a´) тaм с нeдe´лю.

I was there about a week .

CКBOзЬ

through , esp when passage through sth is difficult; used only with the accusative:

пробирa´ться/пробрa´ться

to force one’s way through a crowd

сквозь толпу´

смeх сквозь слёзы

laughter through tears

ч ÉPEз

(a)

across, through , or over when this preposition means across ; used only with the accusative:

пeрeходи´ть чe´рeз доро´гу

to cross (over) the road

пeрeлeзa´ть/пeрeлe´зть чe´рeз

to climb over the fence

зaбо´р

(b)

in (a certain amount of time from the time of speaking):

чe´рeз нeдe´люон вeрну´лся.

In a week he returned .