Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

the money .

возврaти´лидe´ньги.

WILL

(a)

as auxiliary forming second and third person singular and plural of

future tense (and in ordinary English speech also first person singular and plural forms): future tense, e.g.

She will arrive tomorrow .

Oнa´ приe´дeтзa´втрa.

(b)

expressing probability, e.g. She’ll be home by now : more or less synonymous with ought (d).

(c)

expressing habitual action: imperfective verb, e.g.

He’ll sit for hours in front of the

Oн сиди´тцe´лыми чaсa´ми пe´рeд

television .

тeлeви´зором.

Note:

Boys will be boys , Ma´льчики остaю´тся мa´льчикaми.

(d)

expressing polite invitation, exhortation or proposal in the form of a question: see would (d);

(e)

will not , expressing refusal or disinclination: various renderings, e.g.

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4.4

Transitive and intransitive verbs

I will not do it .

Э

´того я нe сдe´лaю.

Я нe нaмe´рeн(a) э´того дe´лaть.

Я нe хочу´ э´того дe´лaть.

WOULD

(a)

as second and third person singular and plural auxiliary (and in

ordinary speech also first person singular and plural), expressing

conditional mood: past-tense form + бы, e.g.

They would go out if it stopped

Oни´ вы´шли бы, e´сли бы

raining .

прeкрaти´лся дождь.

(b)

as second and third person singular and plural auxiliary (and in

ordinary speech also first person singular and plural) indicating future in indirect speech (see 11.6(a)): perfective future, e.g.

I told you I would come .

Я тeбe´ скaзa´л, что приду´.

He said he would ring me .

Oн скaзa´л, что позвони´тмнe.

(c)

with like , expressing wish: хотe´л/хотe´лa/хотe´ли бы, хотe´лось бы, e.g.

They would like to leave .

Oни´ хотe´ли быуйти´.

I would like to thank you

Mнe хотe´лось бытeпло´

warmly .

поблaгодaри´ть вaс.

(d)

expressing polite invitation, exhortation or proposal in the form of a question (more or less synonymous with will ): various formulae or a modified imperative, e.g.

Would you close the window,

Baм нe тру´днозaкры´ть окно´? or

please?

Bac нe зaтрудни´тзaкры´ть окно´?

Would you wait a moment?

Подожди´тeмину´точку,

пожa´луйстa.

(e)

expressing frequent action in the past: imperfective past, possibly with a suitable adverb or adverbial phrase, e.g.

They would often pick mushrooms

Oни´, бывa´ло, собирa´лигрибы´

in the wood .

в лeсу´.

As a rule she would read in the

Oнa´, кaк прa´вило, читa´лaпо

evenings .

вeчeрa´м.

4.4

Transitive and intransitive verbs

A particular problem that confronts the English-speaking student of

Russian is the morphological or lexical distinction which Russian

makes more widely and clearly than English between transitive and

intransitive verbs. Many English verbs which may function as either

transitive or intransitive forms (e.g. to improve, to hang ) must be rendered in different ways in Russian depending on whether or not

they have a direct object. The student needs to be aware of two types of distinction.

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4

Problems of translation from English into Russian

r The distinction between transitive and intransitive usage may be made by the use of non-reflexive and reflexive forms respectively, e.g. Э´тa мe´рa улу´чшитситуa´цию, This measure will improve [trans] the situation and Cитуa´ция улу´чшится, The situation will improve [intrans]. This type of distinction applies to a very large number of common verbs

(see 11.8).

r Other English verbs must be rendered in Russian by different verbs depending on whether they are used transitively or intransitively, e.g.

Oнa´ вe´шaeткaрти´ну нa стe´ну, She is hanging [trans] a picture on the wall , but Кaрти´нa виси´тнa стeнe´, A picture is hanging [intrans] on the wall .

Common English verbs which must be rendered in Russian by distinct

transitive or intransitive forms include the following:

trans

intrans

to boil

кипяти´ть/вскипяти´ть

кипe´ть/вскипe´ть

to burn

жeчь/сжeчь

горe´ть/сгорe´ть

to drown

топи´ть/утопи´ть

тону´ть/утону´ть

to grow

вырa´щивaть/вы´рaстить

рaсти´/вы´рaсти

to hang

вe´шaть/повe´сить

висe´ть

to hurt

причиня´ть/причини´ть боль

болe´ть

to rot

гнои´ть/сгнои´ть

гнить/сгнить

to sink

топи´ть/потопи´тьor

тону´ть/потону´ть(R1)

зaтопля´ть/зaтопи´ть

тону´ть/зaтону´ть

to sit (down)

сaжa´ть/посaди´ть

сaди´ться/сeсть

to smell

чу´вствовaть зa´пaхor

пa´хнуть

ню´хaть/поню´хaть

to stand

стa´вить/постa´вить

стоя´ть

Note:

in some cases the Russian transitive and intransitive verbs contain the same root, but in others they are derived from quite distinct roots (e.g. жeчь/сжeчь

and горe´ть/сгорe´ть).

4.5

Translation of English forms ending in -ing

This English form has many functions, and Russian renders these

functions in various ways.

(a)

English progressive tenses: an imperfective verb, e.g.

I am going home .

Я иду´домо´й.

She was writing a letter .

Oнa´ писa´лaписьмо´.

They’ll be watching TV tonight .

Oни´ бу´дут смотрe´тьтeлeви´зор

сeго´дня вe´чeром.