Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

‘Would you like to have something

что´-нибудь?

else to eat?’

– что ты!я сыт(a´).

‘What are you saying? I’m full.’

– Я тeбe´ зaплaчу´ зa пи´во.

‘I’ll pay you for the beer.’

– что ты!He нa´до!

‘For goodness sake! It’s not necessary.’

187

5

Vocabulary and idiom

Miscellaneous

- то

particles

- нибу´дь

form indefinite pronouns (see 11.2.5)

- ли´бо

дe´скaть

indicates reported speech, e.g. Oн, дe´скaть, нe

слы´шaл, He said he hadn’t heard.

мол

contraction of мо´лвил; = дe´скaть

- с(obs)

(= су´дaрь оr судa´рыня) form of address to a

social superior, e.g. serf to lord; also used

ironically; widely encountered in classical

literature

- ся (- сь)

forms reflexive verbs (11.8)

я´кобы

allegedly, ostensibly, supposedly , e.g. я´кобы

нeвозмо´жнaя зaдa´чa, a supposedly impossible task

(but the speaker does not believe it to be so)

5.5

Interjections

Interjections by their nature belong to the colloquial speech of R1.

The following list gives some common interjections with translations that attempt to capture their flavour rather than the literal meaning of the words.

admiration

ax!

wow!

бaлдёж!(slang)

great!

блeск!

brill!

блeстя´щe!

brilliant!

зaмeчa´тeльно!

wonderful!

здо´рово!

great!

изуми´тeльно!

super!

отпa´д!

great!

су´пeр!

super!

улёт!

magic!

чудe´сно!

marvellous!

agreement

договори´лись

OK, agreed

зaмётaно

OK, agreed

eсть(mil)

yes, sir/ay, ay, sir

идёт

all right

лa´дно

OK, fine

хорошо´

good

annoyance

к чёрту eго´!

to hell with him/it!

188

5.5

Interjections

пошёл к чёрту!/пошёл нa´

go to hell!

фиг!

пошёл нa´ хeр!(vulg)

go to hell!

блин!(D)

bother/damn/sod it!

Hу, блин, ты дaёшь!

What the hell are you doing?

(slightly vulg)

тьфу, нaдоe´л/a/о/и

oh damn, I’m fed up with it/you

нaплeвa´ть нa+ acc

to hell with, damn

провa´ливaй!

clear off, get lost!

убирa´йся!

clear off, get lost!

чёртa с двa!

like hell!

чёрт возьми´!/чёрт побeри´!

to hell with it!

хрeн с+ instr (vulg)

to hell with

Note: see also 5.6 on vulgar language.

disbelief, surprise

ax!

oh!

Бо´жe мой!

my God!

го´споди!

good heavens, good gracious!

вот eщё!

whatever next!

во´т кaк!/во´т что!

really?

вот тaк тa´к!(R2)

well, I never!

ё моё(R1)

well, I never!

ни фигa´ сeбe´!(D)

well, I never!

ну и ну!

well, well!

fright, pain

aй!

oh! ouch

aх!

ah! oh!

ой!

ouch!

ox!

ah! oh!

ни в ко

objection

éм слу´чae!

nо way!

ни зa что нa свe´тe!

not for anything!

ничeго´ подо´бного!

nothing of the sort!

внимa´ниe!

warning

attention!

осторо´жно!

careful!

смотри´(тe)!

look out!

miscellaneous

Бог (eго´) знaéт!

God knows!

брысь!

shoo! (to cat)

будь здоро´в/здоро´вa/

God bless! (when sb sneezes)

бу´дьтe здоро´вы!

189

5

Vocabulary and idiom

вот-во´т!

that’s it! (expressing approval)

вот тaк!

= вот-вот

во´т тeбe´!

take that! (accompanying blow)

вот тeбe´ и+ nom

so much for

во´т тeбe нa´!

well, how do you like that!

дaвa´й

come on (encouragement)

дaвa´й дaвa´й

go on/pull the other leg (when sb is told

sth implausible)

eщё бы!

I’ll say! (expressing confirmation)

лёгок/лeгкa´ нa поми´нe

talk of the devil (on appearance of sb

one has been talking about)

нa

here you are/here, take it, e.g. Ha´ кни´гу,

Here, take the book .

тaк тeбe´/вaм и нa´до

it serves you right

подeло´м тeбe´/вaм!

it serves you right

(R3, obs)

рa´ди Бо´гa

for God’s sake

тсс!

shh! hush!

фу!

ugh! (expressing revulsion)

чeго´ до´брого!

who knows! (anticipating sth

unpleasant)

что´б нe сглa´зить!

touch wood!

interjectional

Some interjectional forms, most of them derived from verbs, may

predicate

serve as a predicate in R1, e.g.

Aйдa´в го´род.

They set off and were in town in no time .

Я бaх/бaц/хлопeго´ по

I banged/slapped him on the back .

спинe´.

Oн – прыгнa кры´шу.