Svetlana Flemming - Colloquial Russian - The Next Step in Language Learning

proble´mu s bol;wi´m trudo´m. 3 Nakoneć, dire´ktor podpisaĺ 5

kontra´kt. 4 My osvoíli mno´gie komp;[

´ ternye progra´mmy. 5 Ona´

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perevelaŕomań Tolsto´go. 6 Fiŕma otkryĺa speciaĺ;nyj sajt.

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7 Sotru´dniki rekomendovaĺi ee¨, kak otli´hnogo specialiśta.

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8 Predpriq´tie opublikovaĺo ob#qvleńie v gaze´te. 9 Ona prislaĺa 9

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rez[me´ po fa´ksu. 10 Kri´tiki oceniĺi fil;m, kak sla´byj.

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11 Pravi´tel;stvo vvelońo´vyj zakoń ob immigraćii.

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12 Kita´jskie sportsmeńy zavoevaĺi sa´mye presti´'nye priźy.

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The labour market

Language points ♦

Preposition corner

Za + accusative / instrumental

A reminder of some familiar uses of za + instrumental meaning

‘behind’ or ‘beyond’ in relation to place:

za do´mom

behind the house

za gora´mi

beyond the mountains

za reko´j

over the river

za voro´tami

outside the gate

za uglo´m

round the corner

za granićej

abroad (over the border)

za´ gorodom

out of town

za dveŕ;[

outside / behind the door

But remember: idti´/ e´xat; / vy´jti za´ dom; za´ gory; zaŕeku; za voro´ta; zaúgol; za graniću; za´ gorod; za dveŕ;. Note not only the use of the accusative case after verbs of motion but also that the stress moves to za´ before certain nouns.

In the dialogue you will notice the phrase: za komp;[´terom ‘at the computer’.

Note some similar examples:

za rule¨m

at the wheel

za obe´dom

at lunch

za stolo´m

at the table

All the above examples relate to za used as a preposition of place.

There are also examples in the dialogue of za + accusative used as a preposition of time, meaning ‘during the course of’:

Za \´ti dva go´da q mno´gomu nauhiĺas;.

During these two years I learnt a lot.

Za tri go´da q osvoíla mno´go progra´mm.

In three years I mastered a lot of programmes.

Za is used with do to mean ‘before’:

za has do nahaĺa interv;[

´ .

an hour before the start of the interview.

Rynok truda

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Note, however, the following examples of za + instrumental: 2

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den; za dne¨m

day after day

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za iskl[heńiem

with the exception

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Za + accusative may also be used to mean ‘for’ after verbs referring 6

to payment, reward, thanks, criticism:

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blagodari´t; (po-) za

to thank for

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xvali´t; (po-) za

to praise for

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plati´t; (za-) za

to pay for

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kritikova´t; za

to criticise for

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golosova´t; (pro-) za

to vote for

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4

After nouns and adjectives related to these verbs za + accusative is 5

also used:

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blagodaŕnyj / blagodaŕnost; za

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grateful / gratitude for

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pla´ta za proeźd

fare

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Note also za (+ accusative) i pro´tiv ‘for and against’.

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‘For’ in the sense of ‘to fetch’ is translated by za + instrumental: 5

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posyla´t; / posla´t; za vraho´m

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to send for the doctor

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zaxodi´t; / zajtiźa dru´gom

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to call for a friend