Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

346

10.1

Valency of prepositions

(c)

in or at in certain expressions of time (to indicate the month, year, decade, century, or period of one’s life, or stage in a period in which an event took place):

в янвaрe´

in January

в про´шлом году´

last year

в двaдцa´тых годa´х

in the 1920s

в двaдцa´том вe´кe

in the twentieth century

в дe´тствe

in childhood

в нaчa´лeго´дa

at the beginning of the year

в концe´войны´

at the end of the war

(d)

at half past an hour:

в полови´нeпe´рвого

at half past twelve

(e)

to describe what sb is wearing:

Oнa´ в крa´сной блу´зкe.

She’s got a red blouse on .

Oн был в чёрном костю´мe.

He was wearing a black suit .

HA

(a)

on, in or at to define location, the place where sth is situated; cf. use of accusative when movement is involved:

Кни´гa лeжи´т нa столe´.

The book is on the table .

(b)

on, in or at before many common nouns, where English-speakers might expect вto be used; many of these nouns denote some sort of occasion, or refer to both the place and the event or activity associated with it:

вe´чeр, party (reception)

нa вe´чeрe

войнa´, war

нa войнe´

вокзa´л, station

нa вокзa´лe

вы´стaвкa, exhibition

нa вы´стaвкe

зaво´д, factory

нa зaво´дe

зaсeдa´ниe, meeting, session

нa зaсeдa´нии

кa´фeдрa, department (in higher

нa кa´фeдрe

educational institution)

конфeрe´нция, conference

нa конфeрe´нции

концe´рт, concert

нa концe´ртe

куро´рт, resort

нa куро´ртe

курс, year (of course in higher

нa ку´рсe

educational institution)

лe´кция, lecture

нa лe´кции

о´пepa, opera

нa о´пeрe

пло´щaдь, (f ) square

нa пло´щaди

по´чтa, post-office

нa по´чтe

рaбо´тa, work

нa рaбо´тe

ры´нок, market

нa ры´нкe

свa´дьбa, wedding

нa свa´дьбe

собрa´ниe, meeting, gathering

нa собрa´нии

347

10

Prepositions

стa´нция, station

нa стa´нции

съeзд, congress

нa съe´здe

у´лицa, street

нa у´лицe

уро´к, lesson

нa уро´кe

фa´брикa, factory

нa фa´брикe

фaкультe´т, faculty (of higher

нa фaкультe´тe

educational institution)

фронт, front (mil)

нa фро´нтe

шa´хтa, mine

нa шa´хтe

экзa´мeн, examination

нa экзa´мeнe

(с)

in with points of the compass, islands, peninsulas, mountainous regions of the former USSR, and the names of streets and squares, e.g.

нa зa´пaдe

in the west

нa ю´гe

in the south

нa сe´вeро-восто´кe

in the north-east

нa о´стровe

оn the island

нa Ки´прe

in Cyprus

нa Ку´бe

in Cuba

нa Caхaли´нe

in Sakhalin

нa Aля´скe

in Alaska

нa Кaмчa´ткe

in Kamchatka

нa Кaвкa´зe

in the Caucasus

нaУ рa´лe

in the Urals

нa Aрбa´тe

in the Arbat

нa He´вском проспe´ктe

in Nevskii Prospect

нa Крa´сной пло´щaди

in Red Square

Note 1

Formerly нawas also combined with Укрaи´нa, (the) Ukraine . However, now that Укрaи´нa is used to denote an independent country rather than a space, region or mere republic the preposition вis generally combined with it instead.

This usage puts Ukraine on a par linguistically with other former Soviet republics that have become independent countries (e.g. в Кaзaхстa´нe, in Kazakhstan ). Omission of the definite article in English (i.e. in Ukraine ; cf. the older expression in the Ukraine ) achieves a similar purpose. It should be added that use of вrather than нawith Укрaи´нa helps to dissociate the word from the etymologically related word окрa´инa, outlying districts, borderland, which combines with нa.

2

With names of mountain ranges outside the former Soviet Union, on the other hand, в+ prep is more usual, e.g. в ´

Aльпaх, in the Alps ; в ´

Aндaх, in the Andes ;

в Гимaлa´ях, in the Himalayas .

(d)

in with certain nouns (especially nouns denoting means of transport, e.g. aвто´бус, aвтомоби´ль, мaши´нa, поéзд) when presence in the place in question is associated with the activity for which the place is designed:

гото´вить нa ку´хнe

to cook in the kitchen

e´хaть нa aвто´бусe

to go by bus

cf. читa´ть гaзe´ту в aвто´бусe,

to read a newspaper on the bus

348

10.1

Valency of prepositions

(e)

in miscellaneous expressions of place or time, e.g.

нa моро´зe

in the frost

нa сквознякe´

in a draught

нa со´лнцe

in the sun

нa рaссвe´тe

at dawn

нa пe´нсии

retired (on a pension)

нa откры´том во´здухe

in the open air

нa свe´жeм во´здухe

in the fresh air

нa бу´дущeй нeдe´лe