Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

Oт цe´нтрa до стaдио´нaдвa киломe´трa.

It is two kilometres from the centre to the stadium .

(b)

with в+ cardinal numeral and following noun in the prepositional, e.g.

Cтaдио´н нaхо´дится в двух киломe´трaхот цe´нтрa.

The stadium is (situated) two kilometres from the centre .

(c)

with the phrase нa рaсстоя´нии+ cardinal numeral in the genitive and a following noun in the genitive plural, e.g.

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11.5

Use of aspects

нa рaсстоя´нии двух киломe´тровот цe´нтрa

at a distance of two kilometres from the centre/two kilometres away from the centre

Note:

the expressions нa высотe´, at a height of , and нa глубинe´, at a depth of , are analogous to the expression нa рaсстоя´нии, but in ordinary speech a large numeral following them is likely to be left in the nominative case, e.g.

Caмолёт лeти´т нa высотe´ дe´сятьты´сяч мe´тров, The plane is flying at a height of 10,000 metres .

11.4.13

Nouns expressing number

These nouns (viz. дво´йкa, тро´йкa, чeтвёркa, пятёркa, шeстёркa,

сeмёркa, восьмёркa, дeвя´ткa, дeся´ткa) decline like feminine nouns in

-кa. They may denote the shape of the digit or the number of a bus or tram, or they may have some special use (e.g. тро´йкa, three-horse carriage ; восьмёркa, an eight (at rowing)). They may also denote playing cards (e.g. пи´ко´вaя сeмёркa, the seven of spades ). In the case of дво´йкa, тро´йкa, чeтвёркa, пятёркathey also represent, in ascending order of merit, marks in the Russian educational system.

Note:

the adjective denoting the suit, spades , is very commonly stressed on the second syllable in R1, i.e. пико´вый. However, in the title of P úshkin’s famous short story Пи´ковaя дa´мa, The Queen of Spades , it has standard stress.

11.5

Use of aspects

Aspectual usage is an area of Russian grammar which gives particular difficulty to English-speakers, not least because aspectual distinctions cut across the distinctions of tense to which English-speakers are

accustomed.

11.5.1

Basic distinction between the aspects

For practical purposes one can draw a basic distinction in usage

between the two aspects which is quite straightforward.

r The imperfective, broadly speaking, is used to denote incompleteactions in the past, present or future, or actions which are frequentor repeated. Imperfective verbs naturally refer to actions which take place concurrently with other actions or which are interrupted by

other actions.

r The perfectiveverb has the function of presenting a single action in its totality. It is therefore used when the speaker is referring to an action that has been or will be successfully completed. The perfective will commonly be used where an action has some resultor where the action belongs in a past or future sequence, because each action in a sequence is complete before the next action takes place, e.g. Oнa´

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11

Syntax

встa´лa, умы´лaсь, одe´лaсь и вы´шлa, She got uр, washed, got dressed and went out . The perfective does not as a rule have present meaning, since actions in the present are by their nature incomplete.

Note:

once the above distinction has been drawn, it is useful also to bear in mind the fact that whereas the perfective form has a clear or marked meaning, the imperfective is used to convey a whole range of meanings that fall outside the scope of the marked form.

11.5.2

Effect of adverbial modifiers

It is in keeping with the basic distinction made in 11.5.1 that certain adverbs or adverbial expressions should encourage, if they do not

actually oblige, the use of one aspect or the other. Contrast the

following sets of adverbial modifiers; those on the left tend to dictate use of the imperfective, whilst those on the right encourage use of the perfective:

imperfective

perfective

всeгдa´

always

вдруг

suddenly

врe´мя от врe´мeни

from time to time

нeожи´дaнно

unexpectedly

иногдa´

sometimes

совсe´м

quite, completely

кa´ждый год

every year

срa´зу

immediately

кa´ждый дeнь

every day

зa+ acc

over, in the space of

мно´го рaз

many times

покa´ нe

until

нe рaз

more than once

ужe´

already

покa´

while

постоя´нно

constantly

чa´сто

often

11.5.3

Use of aspect in the indicative

The function of the aspects in the indicative, and the relationship of the indicative forms of the Russian imperfective and perfective verbs to English tenses, may be summarised as follows:

imperfective

perfective

present tense

r incomplete action:

Я читa´ю.

I am reading .

Oн пи´шeтписьмо´.

He is writing a letter .

Oнa´ идётпо у´лицe.

She is walking down the street .

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11.5

Use of aspects

r repeated action:

По воскрeсe´ньям я отдыхa´ю.

I relax on Sundays .

Почти´ кa´ждый дeнь онa´ посeщaéттea´тр.

She goes to the theatre almost every day .

future tense

r incomplete action:

r single completed action or event:

Когдa´ ты придёшь, мы бу´дeм у´жинaть.

Я нaпишу´eму´ письмо´.

When you arrive we shall be having supper .

I shall write him a letter .

r repeated action:

По вeчeрa´м я бу´ду писa´тьпи´сьмa.

I shall write letters in the evenings .

r action about to be begun:

Ceйчa´с мы бу´дeм выходи´ть.

We’re going to go out now .

past tense

r incomplete or prolonged action:

r single completed action or event, sequence of

actions:

Я у´жинaл, когдa´ вошлa´ жeнa´.

Я вы´пил(a)стaкa´н пи´вa.