Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

нaблюдa´ть Юпи´тeр, to observe Jupiter , but прогнe´вaть Юпи´тeрa, to anger Jupiter .

2

Usage is less clear-cut when the direct object denotes a low or as yet unborn form of life, e.g. бaктe´рия, bacterium ; бaци´ллa, bacillus ; зaро´дыш, foetus ; личи´нкa, larva, grub ; микро´б, microbe ; эмбрио´н, embryo . In everyday speech such objects tend to be treated as inanimate, e.g. изучa´ть бaктe´рии, to study bacteria , but in scientific parlance they may be treated as animate ( бaктe´рий).

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11

Syntax

11.1.4

Basic uses of the genitive

(a)

To express possession, origin, relationship of part to whole, the nature, quality, measurement, or quantity of sth, e.g.

кни´гa моeго´ брa´тa

my brother’s book

стихи´ Пу´шкинa

Pushkin’s poetry

пe´рвый вaго´н поéздa

the first coach of the train

мужчи´нa большо´го ро´стa

a man of large stature

зa´пaх цвeто´в

the scent of flowers

мeтр ткa´ни

a metre of fabric

литр винa´

a litre of wine

Note:

the genitive case is not used in a number of contexts where English has of (see

10.4, of (b)).

(b)

After words indicating quantity, e.g.

мa´ло врe´мeни

little/not much time

мно´го цвeто´в

many/a lot of flowers

нeмно´го студe´нтов

not many/a few students

нe´сколько пe´сeн

a few/some/several songs

Cко´лько винa´?

How much wine ?

Cто´лько впeчaтлe´ний!

How/So many impressions !

(c)

To denote a certain quantity, some of a given object (cf. Fr du pain, de l’eau , etc.), e.g.

нaли´ть молокa´

to pour some milk

Oнa´ ничeго´ нe e´лa, то´лько

She didn’t eat anything, she just

вы´пилa чa´я.

drank some tea .

Note 1

The accusative case in such contexts would denote not some of the object but the object, e.g. нaли´ть молоко´, to pour the (i.e. some specific) milk , perhaps the milk left in the bottle, the milk on the table.

2

A genitive form with partitive meaning is often found after verbs bearing the prefix нa- in its meaning of a certain quantity of (see 8.3, нa- (b)), e.g. нaкупи´ть

книг, to buy up a number of books .

(d)

To express lack or absence of sth or sb in constructions with нeт, there is/are not ; нe´ было, there was/were not ; and нe бу´дeт, there will not be .

These three Russian expressions, when they have the meanings given

above, are invariable.

Xлe´бaнeт.

There is no bread .

Eго´здeсь нeт сeго´дня.

He is not here today .

Cнe´гaнe´ было.

There was no snow .

дождя´нe бу´дeт.

There will not be any rain .

Note:

in the past or future tense absence may also be expressed by using a nominative form of the noun or personal pronoun: Oнa´нe былa´ до´мa, She wasn’t at home ; Oни´тaм нe бу´дут, They won’t be there .

(e)

To express sufficiency or insufficiency after the impersonal verbs

хвaтa´ть/хвaти´ть, to suffice (+ y+ gen of person who has enough/not 380

11.1

Use of the cases

enough of sth) and нeдостaвa´ть/нeдостa´ть, to be insufficient/not to have enough (+ dat of person who is short of sth):

У нaс врe´мeнинe хвaтaéт.

We don’t have enough time .

Eму´ нeдостaёт о´пытa.

He doesn’t have enough experience .

Note:

the genitive has a similar meaning of sufficiency after certain reflexive verbs bearing the prefix нa- which mean to do sth to satiety or to excess (see 8.3,

нa- (c)), e.g. Oнa´ нae´лaсь икры´, She ate a great deal of caviare ; Oни´ нaпи´ли´сь

воды´, They drank a lot of water (as much as they wanted ).

(f )

After short comparative adjectives, e.g.

бо´льшe го´дa

more than a year

ни´жe нуля´

below zero

(g)

After cardinal numerals (provided that the numeral itself is in the

nominative or accusative case), except one and compound numbers in which one is the last component (see 11.4.2).

(h)

The genitive case of an ordinal numeral is used without a preposition to express on a certain date, e.g.

трe´тьeгоa´вгустa

оn 3 August

двa´дцaть шeсто´гооктября´

оn 26 October

11.1.5

Verbs governing the genitive

(a)

Many verbs which express fear, avoidance or apprehension, e.g.

боя´ться(no pf as a rule)

to fear, be afraid of

избeгa´ть/избeжa´ть

to avoid

опaсa´ться(no pf )

to fear, shun, avoid

пугa´ться/испугa´ться

to be afraid of

стeсня´ться/постeсня´ться

to be shy of

стыди´ться/постыди´ться

to be ashamed of

Note:

in R1 these verbs may now be found with the accusative of animate nouns (i.e. of those animate nouns that have a distinct accusative form), e.g. Oн

бои´тся тётю, He’s afraid of his aunt .

(b)

Miscellaneous other verbs, e.g.

aлкa´ть(impf only; R3)

to hunger for, crave

дeржa´ться(no pf in this sense)

to keep to, hold on to

добивa´тьсяa (impf )

to strive for

доби´тьсяa (pf )

to get, procure

достигa´ть/дости´гнуть

to attain, achieve

зaслу´живaть(impf )

to deserve

кaсa´ться/косну´ться

to touch, concern

лишa´ть/лиши´ть

to deprive (sb of sth)