Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

headache .

и´з-ПOд

(a)

out from under :

и´з-подпостe´ли

out from under the bed

торго´вля и´з-под прилa´вкa

under-the-counter trade

(b)

to indicate the purpose for which an object is designed:

бa´нкa из´-под вaрe´нья

a jam-jar

бо´чкa из´-под пи´вa

a beer-barrel

КP ´

OME

except, apart from :

Oнa´ ничeго´ нe e´лa кро´мe

She didn’t eat anything apart from

бу´лочки.

a bun .

M ´

EждУ

between ; used with the genitive only in a few phrases:

читa´ть мe´жду строк

to read between the lines

мe´жду двух огнe´й

between the devil and the deep blue sea

(lit between two fires )

Mи

´ MO

past :

проходи´ть/пройти´ ми´мо до´мa to go past the house

HAПP ´

OTиB

opposite :

Mы договори´лись встрe´титься We agreed to meet opposite the church .

нaпро´тив цe´ркви.

HACчЁT

about, as regards :

Кaк нaсчёт вa´шeго доклa´дa?

What about your report?

´

OКOлO

(a)

near or by :

Oн сидe´л о´коло своeго´ другa´.

He was sitting by his friend .

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10

Prepositions

(b)

around, about or approximately :

о´коло полу´ночи

around midnight

о´коло миллио´нa

about a million

OT (OTO)

(a)

away from :

Поéзд отхо´дит от плaтфо´рмы. The train is moving away from the platform .

(b)

to indicate distance from:

в двух киломe´трaх от цe´нтрa

two kilometres from the centre

в пяти´ мину´тaх ходьбы´ от

five minutes’ walk from the station

вокзa´лa

(c)

to indicate the source of sth:

узнaвa´ть/узнa´ть от кого´-н

to find out from sb

Я получи´л(a) от нeёписьмо´.

I received a letter from her .

(d)

to indicate the date of a letter:

eго´ письмо´ от пe´рвого мa´ртa

his letter of 1 March

(e)

to indicate the purpose for which sth is intended:

ключ от двe´ри

the door key

пу´говицa от рубa´шки

a shirt button

(f )

to indicate that sth may be used to counter sth else:

стрaховa´ниe от огня´

fire insurance

тaблe´тки от головно´й бо´ли

headache tablets

(g)

to indicate that sth is prompted by a certain cause:

Cтол ломи´лся от eды´.

The table was groaning with food .

(h)

to describe the emotional state a person is in, when the feelings that prompted an action are being defined:

кипe´ть от нeгодовa´ния

to seethe with indignation

дрожa´ть от стрa´хa

to tremble with fear

(i)

in miscellaneous common phrases:

нe/дaлeко´ от

not/far from

врe´мя от врe´мeни

from time to time

от всeй души´

with all one’s heart

от и´мeни кого´-н

оn behalf of sb

OTHOCи

´ TEлЬHO

concerning ; formal, used mainly in R3:

вопро´сы относи´тeльно

questions concerning procedure

процeду´ры

340

10.1

Valency of prepositions

ПOMи

´ MO

besides, apart from :

поми´мо всeго´ про´чeго

apart from everything else

П ´

OCлE

after :

по´слe у´жинa

after supper

ПOCPEди

´

in the middle of :

Oн стоя´л посрeди´ пло´щaди.

He was standing in the middle of the

square .

ПOCP ´

EдCTBOM

by means of, by dint of :

посрe´дством усe´рдной рaбо´ты

by means of hard work

ПP ´

OTиB

against :

про´тив тeчe´ния

against the current

выступa´ть про´тив си´льного

to take on [lit come out against ] a strong

оппонe´нтa

opponent

ПУ TЁM

by means of, by dint of :

путём хи´трости

by means of cunning

P ´

Aди

for the sake of :

рa´ди сeмьи´

for the sake of the family

C (CO)

(a)

off the surface of sth, down from :

снимa´ть/снять со столa´

to take off the table

приходи´ть/прийти´ с рaбо´ты

to come home from work

Note:

ctranslates away from or out of when the following noun is one of those nouns that require нarather than вto translate in(to) or at/on to (see 10.1.6, нa (b–e)).

(b)

since in a temporal sense:

c нaчa´лaянвaря´

since the beginning of January

(c)

from in the sense of as a result of :

умирa´ть/умeрe´ть с го´лодa

to die of hunger/starve to death

co стыдa´

from shame

(d)

with in the sense of on the basis of :

c вa´шeго рaзрeшe´ния

with your permission

(e)

from :

Oн зa´пил с го´ря.

He took to drink from grief .

Note:

in this sense cis synonymous with (though a little more colloquial than) отas a preposition describing the emotional state that causes some action.