Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

воскрe´с из мёртвых, Christ rose

from the dead.

ROOM

ко´мнaтa

general word

но´мeр

hotel room

aудито´рия

auditorium, classroom

зaл

hall, assembly room ; зaл ожидa´ния,

waiting-room

мe´сто

space

RUBBISH

му´сор

refuse

сор

litter, dust

дрянь(f )

trash

ру´хлядь(f )

junk (old and broken things)

хлaм

junk (things no longer needed)

eрундa´

nonsense

чeпухa´

=eрундa´

вздор(more bookish)

nonsense

нeстиáхинe´ю(R1)

to talk rubbish

SAVE

спaсa´ть/спaсти´

to rescue

бeрe´чь(impf )

to put by, preserve , e.g. бeрe´чь свои´

си´лы, to save one’s strength

сбeрeгa´ть/сбeрe´чь

to put money by

остaвля´ть/остa´вить

to put aside (for future use), e.g.

остa´вить буты´лку молокa´ нa

зa´втрa, to save a bottle of milk for

tomorrow

избaвля´ть/избa´витького´-н

to spare sb sth , e.g. Э´то избa´вило

отчeго´-н

мeня´ от мно´гих хлопо´т, This saved

me a lot of trouble.

эконо´мить/сэконо´мить( нa+

to use sparingly, economise (on) , e.g.

ргeр)

эконо´мить врe´мя, труд, to save

time, labour

выгa´дывaть/вы´гaдaть

to gain , e.g. вы´гaдaть врe´мя, to

save time

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4

Problems of translation from English into Russian

SCENE

сцe´нa

in various senses

зрe´лищe

spectacle

явлe´ниe

part of drama

дeкорa´ция

set, dećor

скaндa´л

scandalous event, row

пeйзa´ж

landscape

мe´сто

place , e.g. мe´сто прeступлe´ния, the

scene of the crime

SERIOUS

сeрьёзный

in various senses

тяжёлый

grave , e.g. тяжёлaя болe´знь, a

serious illness

о´стрый

acute , e.g. о´стрaя проблe´мa, a

serious problem

SERVICE

слу´жбa

in various senses

услу´гa

assistance, good turn , e.g.

окa´зывaть/окaзa´ть ком´y-н услу´гу,

to do sb a service ; also facility , e.g.

коммунa´льныe услу´ги, public

services

служe´ниe(R3)

act, process of serving, e.g.

служe´ниe му´зe, serving one’s muse

обслу´живaниe

attention , e.g. in shop, restaurant;

also servicing, maintenance , e.g.

обслу´живaниe мaши´ны, of a car

сaмообслу´живaниe

self-service

сe´рвис

attention (from waiter, etc.)

сeрви´з

set of crockery

обря´д

rite, ceremony

подa´чa

at tennis, etc.

SHAKE

трясти´(impf; trans)

basic verb

трясти´сь(impf; intrans)

basic verb

потрясa´ть/потрясти´(trans)

to rock, stagger (fig), e.g. Oнa´ былa´

потрясeнa´ э´тим собы´тиeм, She was

shaken by this event.

встря´хивaть/встряхну´ть

to shake up, rouse ; встряхну´ть ко´сти,

to shake dice

встря´хивaться/встряхну´ться

to shake oneself

вытря´хивaть/вы´тряхнуть

to shake out , e.g. вы´тряхнуть

скa´тeрть, to shake out the table-cloth

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4.1

English words difficult to render in Russian

стря´хивaть/стряхну´ть

to shake off

дрожa´ть(impf; intrans)

to tremble, shiver , e.g. Oнa´ дрожи´т

от хо´лодa, She is shaking with cold.

подрывa´ть/подорвa´ть

to undermine , e.g. подорвa´ть чью´-н

вe´ру, to shake sb’s faith

грози´ть/погрози´ть+ instr

to make a threatening gesture with , e.g.

грози´ть кому´-н кулaко´м, пa´льцeм,

to shake one’s fist, finger at sb

кaчa´ть/покaчa´ть голово´й

to shake one’s head

пожимa´ть/пожa´тькому´-н

to shake hands with sb

ру´ку

SHINE

блeстe´ть(impf )

to glitter, sparkle , e.g. Eго´ глaзa´

блeстe´ли рa´достью, His eyes shone

with joy.

блeсну´ть(pf )

to sparkle, glint

блистa´ть(impf )

to shine (esp fig), e.g. блистa´ть нa

сцe´нe, to shine on the stage

свeркa´ть(impf )

to sparkle, glitter, gleam

свeркну´ть(pf )

to flash

сия´ть

to beam , e.g. Cо´лнцe сияéт, The sun

is shining (viewer’s subjective

impression).

свeти´ть

of source of light, e.g. лa´мпa

свe´тит я´рко, The lamp is shining

brightly (objective statement).

свeти´ться

to gleam, glint , esp when giving

light is not seen as the primary

function of the subject, e.g. Eё

глaзa´ свeти´лись, Her eyes were

shining.

горe´ть(impf )

to be on (of light)

мeрцa´ть(impf )

to twinkle, flicker , e.g. звeздa´

мeрцaéт, The star is shining.

SHOE

ту´фля

outdoor shoe