Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

before leaving

пe´рeд отъe´здом

before replying

прe´ждe чeм отвe´тить

(c)

indicating location: пe´рeд+ instr:

You see before you a list .

Bы ви´дитe пe´рeд собо´йспи´сок.

before the court

пe´рeд судо´м

(d)

in other expressions:

before long

ско´ро

before now

рa´ньшe

before witnesses

при свидe´тeлях

the day before yesterday

позaвчeрa´

BEHIND

(a)

indicating motion behind: зa+ aсс:

The sun went behind a cloud .

Cо´лнцe зaшло´ зa о´блaко.

He put his hands behind his back .

Oн зaложи´л ру´ки зa´ спину.

(b)

indicating location: зa+ instr:

She was walking behind me .

Oнa´ шлa зa мной.

He was hiding behind a tree .

Oн пря´тaлся зa дe´рeвом.

(c)

in other senses and expressions:

She is behind the other girls

Oнa´ отстaёт от други´х дe´вушeкв

in her class .

клa´ссe.

The team is behind the captain .

Комa´ндa поддe´рживaeткaпитa´нa.

What’s behind this?

что зa э´тим кроéтся?

BELOW/

(a)

indicating motion below: под+ aсс:

BENEATH

The swimmer dived below

Пловe´ц нырну´л под во´ду.

the water .

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10.4

Rendering of English prepositions in Russian

(b)

indicating location: под+ instr:

below ground

под зeмлëй

below the surface

под повe´рхностью

(c)

meaning lower than, inferior to: ни´жe+ gen:

below average

ни´жe срe´днeго

below a captain in rank

ни´жe кaпитa´нa по рa´нгу

beneath criticism

ни´жe вся´кой кри´тики

beneath my dignity

ни´жe моeго´ досто´инствa

BEYOND

= behind in the senses described in (a) and (b) above; also in certain expressions, e.g.

beyond belief

нeвeроя´тно

beyond one’s means

нe по срe´дствaм

beyond reach

внe досягaéмости

beyond one’s understanding

вы´шe понимa´ния

BY

(a)

indicating agent or instrument or means of transport: instrumental

case with no preposition:

The play was written by Chekhov .

Пьe´сa былa´ нaпи´сaнa чe´ховым.

The building was destroyed by

здa´ниe бы´ло уничто´жeно пожa´ром.

a fire .

by train

поéздом

Note:

in phrases of the following sort, which lack a verb, the genitive may be used: a play by Chekhov

пьe´сa чe´ховa

a speech by the president

рeчь прeзидe´нтa

(b)

meaning in accordance with , and also indicating means of

communication: по+ dat:

by nature

по приро´дe

by this clock

по э´тим чaсa´м

by television

по тeлeви´дeнию

(c)

meaning in the vicinity of : y+ gen; о´коло+ gen; во´злe+ gen; ря´дом c+ instr (= next to ); вдоль+ gen (= alongside ): to sit by the window

сидe´ть у/о´коло окнa´

She was standing by the bus-stop .

Oнa´ стоя´лa у/о´коло aвто´бусной

остaно´вки.

She was sitting by me .

Oнa´ сидe´лa во´злe мeня´.

The shop is by the theatre .

Maгaзи´н нaхо´дится ря´дом с

тea´тром.

a track by the river

доро´жкa вдоль рeки´

(d)

meaning past: ми´мо+ gen:

She went by the bank .

Oнa´ прошлa´ ми´мо бa´нкa.

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10

Prepositions

(e)

meaning by way of : чe´рeз+ acc:

She came in by the side entrance .

Oнa´ вошлa´ чeрeз боково´й вход.

(f )

meaning not after : к+ dat:

by Saturday

к суббо´тe

It always snows by Christmas .

Bсeгдa´ идёт снeг к Pождeству´.

(g)

indicating a margin of difference, and also expressing multiplication, division or combination of dimensions: нa +acc:

older by one week

стa´ршe нa одну´ нeдe´лю

They increased my salary by a

Увeли´чили мою´ зaрплa´ту нa

thousand pounds .

ты´сячуфу´нтов.

ten by five

дe´сять нa пять

(h)

after verbs meaning to take hold of : зa+ acc:

He took her by the hand .

Oн взял eё зa´ руку.

I seized him by the neck .

Я схвaти´л(a) eго´ зa шe´ю.

(i)

in miscellaneous other expressions:

by chance

случa´йно

by means of

посрe´дством+ gen; путём+ gen

by no means

во´всe нe; отню´дь нe(R3)

by mistake

по оши´бкe

by the way

мe´жду про´чим/кстa´ти

to know sb by sight

знaтького´-н в лицо´

to learn sth by heart

вы´учитьчто´-н нaизу´сть

to pay by the month

плaти´ть/зaплaти´ть помe´сячно

one by one

оди´н зa одни´м

step by step

шaг зa шa´гом

DOWN

(a)

meaning along : по+ dat:

down the corridor

по коридо´ру