Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

Oнa´ прeдстa´вилa мнe ивaно´вa,

She introduced Ivanov to me.

вводи´ть/ввeсти´

to bring in , e.g. ввeсти´ но´вый

зaко´н, to introduce a new law

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4

Problems of translation from English into Russian

вноси´ть/внeсти´

to incorporate , e.g. внeсти´ попрa´вку

в докумe´нт, to introduce a correction

in a document

INVOLVE

вовлeкa´ть/ вовлe´чь в+ acc

to draw in , e.g. Oн был вовлeчён в

мaнифeстa´цию, He got involved

in the demonstration .

впу´тывaться/ впу´тaться в+

to be drawn in (=passive of

acc

вовлeкa´ть/вовлe´чь)

учa´ствовaть(impf only) в+

to be involved in , i.e. take part in

prep

вмe´шивaться/ вмeшa´ться в+

to get involved in , i.e. interfere/meddle

acc

in

JOB

рaбо´тa

work, employment

до´лжность(f )

position held

обя´зaнность(f )

duty, responsibility

мe´сто

post

пост

post , e.g. высо´кий пост, good job

поручe´ниe

mission, assignment

зaдa´чa

task

LAST

послe´дний

last in series, e.g. послe´днee и´мя в

спи´скe, the last name in a list

про´шлый

most recently past, e.g. нa про´шлой

нeдe´лe, last week

LAW

зaко´н

rule, statute ; also scientific formula

прa´во

the subject or its study

прaвопоря´док

law and order

прa´вило

rule, regulation

профe´ссия юри´стa

the legal profession

юриди´чeский

in expressions such as юриди´чeскaя

шко´лa, law school ; юриди´чeский

фaкультe´т, law faculty

LEADER

ли´дeр

(political) leader

руководи´тeль(m)

director, manager

вождь(m; R3, rhet)

chief

пeрeдовa´я стaтья´

leading article (in newspaper)

LEARN

учи´ться/нaучи´ться+ dat of

to learn, study , e.g. учи´ться

subject learned

мaтeмa´тикe, to learn mathematics

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English words difficult to render in Russian

учи´ть/вы´учить+ acc

to learn, memorise

изучa´ть/изучи´ть+ acc

to study , e.g. изучa´ть мaтeмa´тику,

to learn mathematics ; pf изучи´ть

implies mastery

зaнимa´ться/зaня´ться+ instr

to study , e.g. зaнимa´ться ру´сским

языко´м, to learn Russian

узнaвa´ть/узнa´ть

to find out

LEAVE

выходи´ть/вы´йти

to go out

выeзжa´ть/выéхaть

to go out (by transport)

уходи´ть/уйти´

to go away

уeзжa´ть/уe´хaть

to go away (by transport)

улeтa´ть/улeтe´ть

to go away by plane, fly off

отпрaвля´ться/отпрa´виться

to set off

отходи´ть/отойти´

to depart (of transport), e.g. Поéзд

отхо´дит в по´лдeнь, The train leaves

at midday.

вылeтa´ть/вы´лeтeть

to depart (of plane)

удaля´ться/удaли´ться

to withdraw

остaвля´ть/остa´вить

to leave behind ; also to bequeath

покидa´ть/поки´нуть

to abandon, forsake

бросa´ть/бро´сить

to abandon, forsake , e.g. бро´сить

жeну´, to leave one’s wife

зaбывa´ть/зaбы´ть

to forget to take, e.g. Я зaбы´л

зо´нтик в aвто´бусe, I left my umbrella

on the bus.

LIGHT

свeт

general word

освeщe´ниe

lighting, illumination

просвe´т

shaft of light, patch of light

ого´нь(m)

on plane, ship; огни´ (pl; gen

огнe´й), lights (in buildings)

лa´мпa

lamp

фa´рa

headlight (on vehicle)

свeтофо´р

traffic light

прожe´ктор

searchlight

рa´мпa

spotlight (in theatre)

LINE

ли´ния

in various senses

ряд

row, series

вeрёвкa

cord, rope

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4

Problems of translation from English into Russian

лeсa´(pl лёсы, gen лёс; dimin

fishing-line

лe´скa)

строкa´

on page

LONG

дли´нный

spatial, e.g. дли´ннaя у´лицa, a long

street

до´лгий

temporal, e.g. до´лгоe врe´мя, a long

time

(A) LONG TIME

до´лго

a long time

зaдо´лго до+ gen

long before , e.g. зaдо´лго до концa´,

long before the end

нaдо´лго

for a long time , e.g. Oн уe´хaл

нaдо´лго, He went away for a long

time.

дaвно´

long ago ; also for a long time , in the

sense of long since , e.g. Я дaвно´

изучa´ю ру´сский язы´к, I have

been studying Russian for a long

time.

LOOK

смотрe´ть/посмотрe´ть

to look at, watch

нa+ acc

глядe´ть/поглядe´ть нa+ acc

to look/peer/gaze at

вы´глядeть(impf )