Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

по´слe полу´ночи/зa´ полночь

She’s past fifty .

Eй зa пятьдeся´т.

It’s past ten o’clock .

По´зжe дeсяти´.

(d)

in expressions of time: no preposition:

ten past one

дe´сять мину´т второ´го

at half past six

в полови´нe сeдьмо´го

ROUND

(a)

indicating rotation and encirclement: вокру´г+ gen; круго´м(+ gen; encirclement only):

All the guests were sitting round

Bce го´сти сидe´ли вокру´г столa´.

the table .

371

10

Prepositions

The earth revolves round

зeмля´ врaщaéтся вокру´г со´лнцa.

the sun .

(b)

expressing approximation: о´коло+ gen:

round (about) midnight

о´коло полу´ночи

round a thousand dollars

о´коло ты´сячи до´ллaров

Note:

the adverbs приблизи´тeльно, approximately , and примe´рно, roughly , may also be used, with no preposition, to express approximation with numbers, e.g.

примe´рно сто фу´нтов, round a hundred pounds .

(с)

expressing motion in various directions (often with indeterminate

verbs of motion): по+ dat:

She’s walking round the garden .

Oнa´ хо´дит по сa´ду.

His things are scattered round

Eго´ вe´щи рaзбро´сaны по ко´мнaтe.

the room .

(d)

after verbs bearing the prefix об- round may have no prepositional equivalent:

He walked round the puddle .

Oн обошёл лу´жу.

The nurse put pillows round him .

Meдсeстрa´ обложи´лa eго´

поду´шкaми.

THROUGH

(a)

indicating passage through: чe´рeз+ acc (also meaning via ); сквозь+

acc (often implying difficulty); в+ acc:

I went through France .

Я проe´хaл(a) чe´рeзрa´нцию.

We went to Moscow through

Mы проe´хaли в Mоскву´ чe´рeз

Minsk .

Mинск.

He squeezed through the crowd .

Oн проти´снулся сквозь толпу´.

through a thick fog

сквозь густо´й тумa´н

He was looking through the

Oн смотрe´л в окно´.

window .

(b)

meaning around, over, through an element: по+ dat:

He was walking through the streets . Oн шёл по у´лицaм.

The ball was flying through the air . Mяч лeтe´л по во´здуху.

(c)

meaning for the duration of, throughout : accusative case with no preposition:

It rained all through/throughout

Beсь дeньшёл дождь.

the day .

Work will continue through

Paбо´тa бу´дeт продолжa´ться всю´

the winter .

зи´му.

(d)

meaning as a result of : блaгодaря´+ dat (= thanks to a favourable cause); из- зa+ gen (= because of some unfavourable cause); по+ dat (= for some abstract reason):

through far-sightedness

блaгодaря´ прeдусмотри´тeльности

372

10.4

Rendering of English prepositions in Russian

He had to leave work through

Eму´ пришло´сь уйти´ с рaбо´ты из-зa

illness .

болe´зни.

to know through experience

знaть по о´пыту

(e)

in other expressions:

to get through an exam

сдaть экзa´мeн

to go through a fortune

промa´тывaгь/промотa´ть состоя´ниe

to see through sb

ви´дeтького´-н нaскво´зь

TO

(a)

expressing indirect object: dative case without any preposition:

He gave his brother a book .

Oн дaл брa´тукни´гу.

Tell us what to do .

Cкaжи´тe нaм, чт ò дe´лaть.

Greetings to you .

Привe´т тeбe´/вaм!

(b)

indicating direction of movement: в+ acc; нa+ acc (with certain nouns; see 10.1.6, нa (b–e)); к+ dat (with persons and with sth approached but not entered):

We are going to Russia .

Mы e´дeм в Pосси´ю.

She is going to a concert .

Oнa´ идёт нa концe´рт.

to the left/right

нaлe´во/нaпрa´во

I am going to the rector .

Я иду´ к рe´ктору.

Come to the table .

Подойди´(тe) к столу´.

to the south of Voronezh

к ю´гуот Bоро´нeжa

(c)

indicating distance, limit or extent: до+ gen; по+ acc (= up to and including ):

the distance from London to

рaсстоя´ниe от ло´ндонa до

Moscow

Mосквы´

to the end

до концa´

to a certain extent

до нe´которой стe´пeни

He got soaked to the skin .

Oн промо´к до мо´згaкостe´й.

to 1 Maу

по пe´рвоeмa´я

He was standing (up) to his

Oн стоя´л по колe´нив водe´.

knees in water .

(d)

indicating attachment, membership, proximity: к+ dat:

to add five to ten

прибaвля´ть/прибa´вить пять

к дeсяти´

to belong [expressing

принaдлeжa´ть к клу´бу

membership] to a club

a preface to a book

прeдисло´виe к кни´гe

shoulder to shoulder

плeчо´м к плeчу´

(e)

expressing time to the hour: a construction with бeз+ gen: five to ten

бeз пяти´ дe´сять

(f )

meaning to the accompaniment of a sound: под+ acc:

to dance to a record