Tag Archives: Russian language
Tea-kettles, Dummies and Dumplings Posted by yelena on Aug 13, 2010
«Честно признаться» [to be honest], I don’t have a favorite birthday cake or pie. Instead, I prefer «вареники» [dumplings] to any «выпечка» [baked goods] and not just any dumplings, but only «вишнёвые вареники» [cherry-filled dumplings]! After all, there are so many different fillings for «вареники» – with «творог» [farmer’s cheese], «печёнка» [liver], «капуста» [cabbage], «яблоки»…
Spy v Spy Posted by yelena on Aug 9, 2010
«Песня о далёкой Родине» [Song about a faraway Motherland] aka «Где-то далеко» [Somewhere far away] I chose the video because of a very good (IMHO) translation in the comments (by SoundofMusic777). It seems that hardly a day goes by without another Russian spy story in the news. First it was «горячая десятка» [the hot ten]…
«Ненастоящие друзья» [False friends]: part I Posted by josefina on Aug 5, 2010
If you think the Russian name of Moscow’s famous Red Square is «Красный сквер», then you may have fallen victim to what is known as ‘faux amis’ – false friends. I know I have been a victim of faux amis many, many times both while learning Russian as well as English. For several years while…
Reading «Мастер и Маргарита»: Chapter 9 Posted by yelena on Aug 2, 2010
What is «жилплощадь»? Ah, the wonderful or rather wonder-inspiring language of «Совдепия» [Sovietdom]! «Жиплощадь» is short for «жилая площадь», meaning «обитаемая, предназначенная для жилья площадь дома, квартиры» [floor space of a living areas of an apartment or a house]. So why not say «квартира» [apartment] or «комната» [room] when referring to one’s living quarters? Back…
You say it best when you say «ничего» [nothing] at all Posted by josefina on Jul 30, 2010
Let’s put an end to this kind of boring (and pointless and not to mention plainly weird) conversations frequently used in textbooks on Russian language! Wouldn’t it be much more fun if the policeman had said: «Ну что это?» [Well what is this?] and John at that had answered: «Я вообще не понимаю. Я типо…
5000 Words or Mission Impossible Posted by yelena on Jul 27, 2010
Do you remember Josefina’s post about all the English words that are widely used in Russia? I hope you read the comments as well because Neil, Colin, Steve, saint and Svetlana all provided more great examples and insights into these “lazy” words. I’m in NY now, «в гостях у моих родителей» [visiting my parents]…
Reading «Мастер и Маргарита»: Chapter 8 Posted by josefina on Jul 26, 2010
«Давайте принесём Булгакова на пляж!» [Let’s bring Bulgakov to the beach!] Russians – like most people that live in geographical regions where the longest season of the year is «зима» [winter] – can’t afford «пренебрегать летом: солнцем и теплом» [impfv. to neglect (also: to scorn; disdain; disregard; ignore) the summer: the sun and the warmth]…