Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

(a)

meaning out of (i.e. the opposite of в+ acc); originating from, made of : из+ gen:

We went from Moscow to

Mы поe´хaли из Mосквы´в

Minsk .

Mинск.

from afar

издaлeкa´

fruit from Spain

фру´кты из испa´нии

sausages made from pork

соси´ски, сдe´лaнныe из свини´ны

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10.4

Rendering of English prepositions in Russian

(b)

meaning away from (i.e. the opposite of дооr к); expressing distance from ; indicating person from whom sth originates; indicating protection, freedom, concealment, separation, difference from ; meaning by reason of : от+ gen:

The train is drawing away from

Поéзд отхо´дит от плaтфо´рмы.

the platform .

from here/there

отсю´дa/отту´дa

two minutes from the centre

в двух мину´тaх от цe´нтрa

a present from my mother

подa´рок от моe´й мa´тeри

protection from the gale

зaщи´тa от урaгa´нa

exemption from taxation

освобождe´ниe от нaло´гов

cut off from civilisation

отрe´зaнный от цивилизa´ции

Russian architecture differs from

Pу´сскaя aрхитeкту´рa отличaéтся от

ours .

нa´шeй.

He collapsed from exhaustion .

Oн свaли´лся от изнeможe´ния.

(c)

meaning off, down from (i.e. the opposite of нa+ acc; therefore used to mean from before nouns in 10.1.6, нa (b–e)); meaning by reason of in R1; and also since : c+ gen:

The book fell from the shelf .

Кни´гa упa´лa с по´лки.

from east to west

c восто´кa нa зa´пaд

from the Urals

cУ рa´лa

from above/below

свe´рху/сни´зу

from boredom

со ску´ки

from 1 April

c пe´рвогоaпрe´ля

from childhood

c дe´тствa

(d)

indicating removal of sth that belongs to sb else: y+ gen:

She took the toy away from the

Oнa´ отнялa´ у рeбёнкaигру´шку.

child .

He borrowed a mower from his

Oн зa´нял гaзонокоси´лку у сосe´дa.

neighbour .

(e)

preceding a gerund: infinitive form of verb:

You are preventing me from working . Tы мeшaéшь мнe рaбо´тaть.

(f )

in many other expressions:

from bad to worse

всё ху´жe и ху´жe

from behind

из´-зa+ gen

from generation to generation

из поколe´ния в поколe´ниe

from time to time

врe´мя от врe´мeни

from under

из´-под+ gen

change from a pound

сдa´чa с фу´нтa

The town dates from the tenth

Го´род отно´сится к дeся´тому вe´ку.

century .

a year from now

чeрeз го´д

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10

Prepositions

IN

(a)

indicating location; indicating a point in a month, decade, year,

century, time of life, or in the past, present or future; also describing attire: в+ prep:

in the garden

в сaду´

I read it in a newspaper .

Я читa´л(a) э´то в гaзe´тe.

in March

в мa´ртe

in 1994

вты´сячa дeвятьсо´т

дeвяно´сто чeтвёртом году´

in the last decade of the century

в послe´днeм дeсятилe´тиивe´кa

in the twentieth century

в двaдцa´том вe´кe

in old age

в стa´рости

in the future

в бу´дущeм

in a blue shirt

в си´нeй рубa´шкe

(b)

indicating motion into or duration of an action or period: в+ acc: She went in the canteen .

Oнa´ вошлa´ в столо´вую.

in that age

в ту эпо´ху

(c)

expressing in with periods of the day and seasons of the year; expressing in in some adverbial phrases of manner; indicating material used in some action; also indicating method of arranging people or

things: instrumental case with no preposition:

in the morning

у´тром

in winter

зимо´й

in a loud voice

гро´мким го´лосом

to write in ink

писa´ть чeрни´лaми

in small groups

нeбольши´ми гру´ппaми

in rows

рядa´ми

(d)

meaning in with certain nouns listed in 10.1.6, нa (b–e); defining time in relation to the beginning of a certain period; also in certain set phrases: нa+ prep:

in the street

нa у´лицe

in Cuba

нa Ку´бe

in the north

нa сe´вeрe

in the war

нa войнe´

in the kitchen (in order to cook)

нa ку´хнe

in the first minute of the second half нa пe´рвой мину´тeвторо´го тa´ймa in my lifetime

нa моём вeку´

in old age

нa стa´рости лeт(R1)

(e)

indicating time taken to complete an action or meaning over a period: зa+ acc:

Five centimetres of rain fell in one

зa оди´н дeньвы´пaло пять

day .

сaнтимe´тров дождя´.

(f )

indicating time after a certain interval: чe´рeз+ acc:

I’ll come back in a week .

Я вeрну´сь чeрeз нeдe´лю.

364

10.4

Rendering of English prepositions in Russian

(g)

meaning on the subject of : по+ dat:

an exam in geography

экзa´мeн по гeогрa´фии

research in electronics