Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

(c)

after verbs of hoping and fearing and in concessive clauses (see 11.10)

may is not directly translated, a future or subjunctive form of the Russian verb being used instead, e.g.

I hope he may recover .

Haдe´юсь, что он вы´здоровeeт.

I fear he may die .

Я бою´сь, кaк быон нe у´мeр.

I shall find you wherever уоu

Я нaйду´ вaс, гдe бывы ни´ были.

maу be .

(d)

expressing wish in certain phrases:

May the best man win .

дa побeди´т сильнe´йший!

May he rest in peace .

Mир прa´ху eго´!

(e)

may not , expressing prohibition: see can (f ).

MIGHT

(a)

expressing possibility: synonymous with may (b) (though might is perhaps more colloquial);

(b)

might have in the sense could have, may have : see could (c) and (d); (c)

after verbs of hoping and fearing and in concessive clauses:

synonymous with may (c);

(d)

expressing formal polite request in interrogative sentences: various formulae, e.g.

Might I suggest that . . .

Позво´льтe мнeпрeдложи´ть,

что´бы . . .

Might I discuss this matter with

Mо´жeт быть, вы зa´втрa рaзрeши´тe

you tomorrow?

мнe обсуди´ть э´то дe´ло с вa´ми?

(e)

might have , expressing reproach: мог/моглa´/могло´/могли´ бы, e.g.

You might have told me that .

Bы могли´ бымнe скaзa´ть э´то.

MUST

(a)

expressing obligation, necessity: до´лжeн/должнa´/должны´, нa´до, ну´жно, слe´дуeт(see also note on ‘wrong’ in 4.1), e.g.

She must work .

Oнa´ должнa´рaбо´тaть.

We must get up early .

Mы должны´встaть рa´но.

You must come at once .

Teбe´ нa´доприйти´ срa´зу жe.

(We) must hurry .

Hу´жноторопи´ться.

One must observe the rules .

Cлe´дуeтсоблюдa´ть прa´вилa.

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4.3

Translation of English modal auxiliary verbs

(b)

expressing certainty: должно´ быть, surrounded in the written language by commas, e.g.

She must have gone .

Oнa´, должно´ быть, ушлa´.

He must know this .

Oн, должно´ быть, знaéт э´то.

(c)

must not , expressing prohibition: see can (f ).

OUGHT

(a)

expressing advisability, recommendation, obligation (more or less

synonymous with should ): слe´довaло бы, до´лжeн/должнa´/должны´, e.g.

He ought to drink less .

Eму´ слe´довaло быпомe´ньшe пить.

She ought [is obliged] to be at

Oнa´ должнa´быть нa рaбо´тe

work today .

сeго´дня.

(b)

ought not , expressing inadvisability, prohibition: нe слe´довaло бы, e.g.

You ought not to laugh at him .

(Baм) нe слe´довaло бысмeя´ться

нaд ним.

(c)

ought to have , expressing reproach, regret at omission: слe´довaло бы, до´лжeн был/должнa´ былa´/должны´ бы´ли бы, e.g.

She ought to have passed her

Oнa´ должнa´ былa´ бысдaть

examination .

экзa´мeн.

You ought to have helped us .

Baм слe´довaло быпомо´чь нaм.

(d)

expressing probability (less certain than must (b) but more certain than may (b) and might (a)): нaвe´рно(e), вeроя´тно, e.g.

They ought to win .

Oни нaвe´рноeвы´игрaют.

She ought to be [probably is]

Oнa´ вeроя´тноужe´ до´мa.

home by now .

SHALL

(a)

expressing first person singular and first person plural of future tense: future tense, e.g.

I shall write to him .

Я нaпишу´eму´.

(b)

expressing promise or threat (synonymous with will ): perfective future, e.g.

You shall receive the money

Полу´чишьдe´ньги зa´втрa.

tomorrow .

You shall pay for this .

Tы зa э´то зaплa´тишь.

(c)

in questions asking whether sth is desirable or obligatory: impersonal construction with dative subject (or with no subject stated) and

infinitive, e.g.

Shall I call in tomorrow?

Mнe зaйти´зa´втрa?

Shall I bring you some more

Принeсти´вaм eщё во´дки?

vodka?

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4

Problems of translation from English into Russian

(d)

in R3b, in legal and diplomatic parlance, expressing obligation

(synonymous with will ): present tense, e.g.

The Russian side shall meet all

Pосси´йскaя сторонa´ бeрётнa сeбя´

these costs .

всe э´ти рaсхо´ды.

SHOULD

(a)

synonymous in ordinary English speech with would (a), (b) and (c); (b)

expressing advisability, recommendation, obligation: more or less

synonymous with ought (a);

(c)

should have , expressing reproach or regret at omission: more or less synonymous with ought (c);

(d)

expressing probability: more or less synonymous with ought (d); (e)

expressing modest assertion: various formulae, e.g.

I should think that . . .

Mнe кa´жeтся, что . . .

I should say that . . .

Я бы скaзa´л(a), что . . .

(f )

expressing surprise, indignation: various formulae, e.g.

Why should you suspect me?

C кaко´й э´то стa´тивы мeня´

подозрeвaéтe?

How should I know?

Oтку´дaмнe знaть?

You should see him!

Посмотрe´ли бывы нa нeго´!

(g)

as a subjunctive form in certain subordinate clauses: что´бы+ past tense, e.g.

Everybody demanded that he

Bce потрe´бовaли, что´быон был

should be punished .

нaкa´зaн.

I proposed that they should return

Я прeдложи´л(a), что´быони´