Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

182

5.4

Modal particles

Bы то´жe живётe в цe´нтрe

So you live in the centre as well?

го´родa? Ha кaко´й жeу´лицe?

Which street do you live in?

Note 1

жe may be shortened to ж.

2

жe is generally placed immediately after the word or phrase which it highlights.

и

(a)

expresses emphasis, in which case it has the same function as и´мeнно

(see note at end of 4.2), e.g.

Oнa´ былa´ нa конфeрe´нции. Mы

She was at the conference. That’s

тaм ипознaко´мились.

where we met .

Mы подошли´ к кaфe´. ‘Bот тут и

We approached a cafe´. ‘This is where

пообe´дaeм’, скaзa´лa онa´.

we’re going to eat,’ she said .

(b)

may correspond to дa´жe, even , e.g.

Кa´жeтся, нa´шa комa´ндa

Apparently our side won, and I

вы´игрaлa, a я инe слы´шaл(a) об

didn’t even hear about it .

э´том.

(c)

may correspond to хотя´, although , e.g.

и тeпло´ нa у´лицe, a я нe хочу´

I don’t want to go out, although it’s

выходи´ть.

warm outside .

(d)

may increase uncertainty, e.g.

– Mо´жeт быть, вы читa´ли э´ту

‘You may have read this book.’

кни´гу?

– Mо´жeт быть, ичитa´л(a).

‘ I may have done.’

(e)

with an interjection, may intensify an exclamation, e.g.

Ox, иобо´рвыш ты!

God, you’re scruffy!

Oн умeéт игрa´ть нa скри´пкe.

He сan play the violin. Oh, and

Ox иигрaéт!

how he plays!

-кa

(a)

attached to imperative forms, produces gentle informal exhortation or friendly advice, e.g.

лe´ночкa, вы´йди-кaсюдa´ нa

Lenochka, come out here for a

мину´тку.

moment would you .

Посмотри´тe-кa, кaк онa´

Just look how pretty she’s become .

похорошe´лa.

Поди´тe-кaвы отдыхa´ть. Bы

Go and have a rest. You’ve worn

нaрaбо´тaлись.

yourself out with work .

(b)

attached to an imperative used in a conditional sense (see 11.9,

note 3), expresses a challenge to sb to do sth perceived as difficult, e.g.

Поговори´тe-кaс э´тим пa´рнeм –

You try speaking to this lad and

уви´дитe, кaко´й он тру´дный.

you’ll see how difficult he is .

183

5

Vocabulary and idiom

Посто´й-кaнa моро´зe бeз

You just try standing out in the frost

пeрчa´ток!

without gloves on .

(c)

attached to the first-person-singular form of a perfective verb, indicates irresolution in the speaker, e.g.

A пойду´-кaя нa рaбо´ту пeшко´м.

I think I might walk to work .

Куплю´-кaдо´чкe но´вую ю´бку.

Perhaps I’ll buy my daughter a new

skirt .

ли

(a)

with a perfective infinitive, expresses vague intention or hesitancy on the part of the speaker, e.g.

B тea´тр что лисходи´ть?

Shall we go to the theatre? I don’t

know .

Прeдупрeди´ть лимнe их?

Should I perhaps warn them?

He купи´ть ликонфe´т?

Shouldn’t we buy some sweets?

(b)

combined with нe, expresses a very polite request or suggestion (which may be ironical), e.g.

He скa´жeтe ливы мнe, кaк

Could you possibly tell me the way to

пройти´ нa Крa´сную пло´щaдь?

Red Square?

He мо´жeшь литы помолчa´ть?

You couldn’t possibly be quiet for a

bit, could you?

He потру´дитeсь ливы вы´йти?

Would you be so kind as to leave?

(iron)

ну

(a)

exhorts sb to say or do sth, e.g.

Hy, кaк дeлa´?

Well, how are things?

Hy, говори´, гдe ты побывa´л(a).

Cоme оn, tell us where you’ve been .

Hy, пойдёмтe.

Well, let’s be going .

(b)

reinforces the expression of attitudes such as objection, bewilderment, annoyance, frustration, e.g.

Hyчто мнe с тобо´й дe´лaть?

What on earth am I to do with you?

Cовсe´м нe слу´шaeшься.

You just don’t do what l say .

Hyско´лько рaз тeбe´ говори´ть,

However many times have I got to

что нa´до снять ту´фли?

tell you to take your shoes off ?

(c)

introduces expressive exclamations, e.g.

Hy, кaкa´я удa´чa!

Well, what a stroke of luck!

Hy, конe´чно!

But of course!

Hy, у´жaс!

But that’s terrible!

(d)

expresses qualified permission or acceptance (see also дa (b)), e.g.

– Я устa´л(a).

‘I’m tired.’

– Hy, пeрeдохнём.

‘Let’s take a breather then.’

– Mо´жно, я посмотрю´ нa вaш

‘Can I have a look at your

мотоци´кл?

motor-bike?’

– Hу, посмотри´тe.

‘All right.’

184

5.4

Modal particles

(e)

in D, precedes a verb in the infinitive to stress the intensity of an action, e.g.

Haчaлся´ спор, a он ну´ кричa´ть!

An argument broke out, and did

he shout!

(f )

in D, with the accusative form of a personal pronoun, expresses strong disapproval, e.g.

A ну´ тeбя´!

Get lost!

– Принимa´й лeкa´рство.

‘Take the medicine.’

– Hуéго´!

‘To hell with it!’

(g)

also acts as a filler when the speaker is trying to collect her or his thoughts, e.g.

He знa´ю. Hy . . . что скaзa´ть?

I don’t know. Well . . . What can I

Попытa´юсь узнa´ть.

say? I’ll try to find out .

тaк

(a)

introduces a suggestion in response to a setback, in which case тaк

often corresponds to English then , e.g.

– здeсь нeт мы´лa.

‘There’s no soap here.’

– Taкпринeси´!

‘Then bring some.’

Eго´ нe бу´дeт? Taкмы обойдёмся