Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

He is going down the road .

Oн идёт по доро´гe.

(b)

meaning descending along : вниз по+ dat; c+ gen: I am going downstairs .

иду´ вниз (по лe´стницe).

downstream

вниз по тeчe´нию

They came down the hill .

Oни´ спусти´лись с горы´.

DURING

(a)

meaning at some point in : во врe´мя+ gen:

He died during the war .

Oн у´мeр во врe´мя войны´.

I left during the interval .

Я ушёл/ушлa´ во врe´мя aнтрa´ктa.

(b)

meaning throughout, in the course of : в тeчe´ниe+ gen; нa протяжe´нии

+ gen; these expressions are used mainly with nouns which have

temporal meaning:

During the 80s the USSR

B тeчe´ниe восьмидeся´тых годо´в

was collapsing .

CCCP рaспaдa´лся.

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10.4

Rendering of English prepositions in Russian

During the last century Russian

Ha протяжe´нии про´шлого вe´кa

literature flourished .

процвeтa´лa ру´сскaя литeрaту´рa.

(c)

meaning in the reign/rule/time of : при+ prep:

censorship during the reign

цeнзу´рa при Hиколaé

of Nicholas

the terror during Stalin’s rule

тeрро´р при Cтa´линe

EXCEPT FOR

кро´мe +gen; зa исключe´ниeм+ gen (= with the exception of ); исключa´я+ acc (= excepting ; R3):

Everybody left except me .

Bce ушли´ кро´мe мeня´.

All the students passed the exam

Bce студe´нты, зa исключe´ниeм

except for one .

одного´, сдa´ли экзa´мeн.

All the conditions were agreed

Bсe усло´вия бы´ли соглaсо´вaны

except for one .

исключa´я одно´.

FOR

(a)

indicating benefit, purpose, suitability or unsuitability: для+ gen: a present for you

подa´рок для тeбя´

clothes for big people

одe´ждa для людe´йбольши´х

рaзмe´ров

The book is useful for foreigners .

Учe´бник полe´зeн для инострa´нцeв.

Polluted air is bad for one’s health .

зaгрязнённый во´здух врe´дeн для

здоро´вья.

Note:

with verbs, or when a verb is understood, the person benefiting may be in the dative, e.g.

She bought a tie for me.

Oнa´ купи´лa мнeгa´лстук.

There’s a letter for you .

Baмписьмо´. (R1)

(b)

expressing duration, time spent doing sth or distance covered:

accusative case with no preposition; в тeчe´ниe+ gen:

He lay for a week in hospital .

Oн пролeжa´л нeдe´лю вбольни´цe.

I have been living here for a year .

Я здeсь живу´ оди´н год.

I ran ( for) a mile .

Я пробeжa´л(a) ми´лю.

for a month

в тeчe´ниe мe´сяцa

(c)

indicating the amount of time action is expected to last, or that sth is arranged for a certain time or intended for a certain purpose: нa+

acc:

He has gone to Moscow for a week . Oн поe´хaл в Mоскву´ нa нeдe´лю.

closed for the winter

зaкры´то нa´ зиму

for a long time

нaдо´лго

forever

нaвсeгдa´

a meeting arranged for two o’clock

встрe´чa, нaзнa´чeннaя нa двaчaсa´

dinner for two

обe´д нa двои´х

a house for sale

дом нa продa´жу

for example

нaпримe´р

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10

Prepositions

(d)

meaning in return for , and also indicating support for sb or sth: зa+

aсс:

I paid the cashier for the book

Я зaплaти´л(a) кaсси´ршe зa кни´гу.

We thanked them for their

Mы поблaгодaри´ли их зa

hospitality .

гостeприи´мство.

an eye for an eye

о´ко зa о´ко

He is voting for me .

Oн голосуéт зa мeня´.

(e)

meaning in search of : зa+ instr:

I sent for a doctor .

Я послa´л(a) зa до´ктором.

(f )

after many nouns indicating attitude: к+ dat:

love for one’s country

любо´вь к ро´динe

a passion for music

стрaсть к му´зыкe

respect for foreigners

увaжe´ниe к инострa´нцaм

(g)

in miscellaneous other expressions, e.g.

for and against

зa´ и про´тив

for certain

нaвeрнякa´

for the first time

в пe´рвый рaз/впeрвыé

for hours on end

цe´лыми чaсa´ми

for this reason

по э´той причи´нe

for God’s sake

рa´ди Бо´гa

as for me

что кaсaéтся мeня´

known for

извe´стный+ instr

once for all

рaз нaвсeгдa´

There were no houses for miles

Ha мно´гиe ми´ли вокру´гнe´ было

around .

домо´в.

to cry for joy

плa´кaть от рa´дости

to get married for love

жeни´ться по любви´

He is tall for his age .

Oн высо´к нe по лe´тa´м.

to ask for

проси´ть/попроси´ть+ aсс or gen оr

о +рreр

to long for

тосковa´ть по+ dat

to look for

искa´ть+ aсс оr gen

to be sorry for sb

жaлe´тького´-н

to wait for

ждaть/подождa´ть+ aсс

or gen

FROM