{"id":13322,"date":"2020-12-04T09:51:39","date_gmt":"2020-12-04T09:51:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=13322"},"modified":"2020-12-04T09:51:39","modified_gmt":"2020-12-04T09:51:39","slug":"russian-phrases-homophones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-phrases-homophones\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian phrases-homophones"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might have seen a post or a meme of the \u201cgood luck non-native speakers\u201d nature before, and not necessarily about Russian grammar ( think of “Who’s on first” by Abbott and Costello). The internet is full of them and, frankly, some are a hoot and a half. But while I\u2019m also guilty of \u201csharing\u201d and \u201cliking\u201d grammar and language memes, I would like to take my time today to dissect one of those \u201cRussian is so confusing\u201d memes.<\/p>\n

\"Russian_language_meme\"

Image from okayno<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

1. \u0418 \u0434\u0438\u0301\u043a\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>vs<\/strong> \u0438\u0434\u0438\u0301 \u043a\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0418 \u0434\u0438\u043a\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u2013 it\u2019s odd to me<\/p>\n

\u0418 \u0434\u0438\u0301\u043a\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0442\u044b\u0301 \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u043e \u043c\u043d\u043e\u0301\u0439. <\/em>It\u2019s odd to me that you\u2019re not with me.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u0438\u0434\u0438\u0301 \u043a\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u2013 come to me<\/p>\n

\u201c\u0418\u0434\u0438\u0301 \u043a\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435, \u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u0443\u0301\u0448\u0430\u201d \u0441\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430\u0301\u043b\u0430 \u043e\u043d\u0430\u0301 \u043b\u0430\u0301\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e. \u201cCome to me, my darling\u201d she said sweetly.<\/em><\/p>\n

2. \u041f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0301\u0447\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c <\/strong>vs<\/strong> \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u0301 \u043b\u0435\u0447\u0438\u0301\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0301\u0447\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u2013 injured oneself (fem.)<\/p>\n

\u0418 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430\u0301 \u0442\u044b \u0442\u0430\u043a \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0301\u0447\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c? And when did you injure yourself like this?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u0301 \u043b\u0435\u0447\u0438\u0301\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u2013 while I\/she\/you (fem.) was\/were undergoing medical treatment or while I\/she\/you (fem.) was\/were recovering<\/p>\n

\u042f \u0436\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u0443 \u0431\u0430\u0301\u0431\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0438 \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u0301 \u043b\u0435\u0447\u0438\u0301\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u043e\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0443\u0301\u0434\u044b. I stayed at my grandma\u2019s while I was recovering from a cold.<\/em><\/p>\n

3. \u0417\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0301\u043b\u043e \u2013 \u0437\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u043b\u043e<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0417\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0301\u043b\u043e \u2013 (this) got under one\u2019s skin<\/p>\n

\u0422\u043e, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0410\u043d\u0442\u043e\u043d \u0441\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430\u0301\u043b \u0435\u0439 \u0432\u043e \u0432\u0440\u0435\u0301\u043c\u044f \u0441\u0441\u043e\u0301\u0440\u044b \u0437\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0301\u043b\u043e \u0435\u0451. What Anton said during their fight got under her skin.<\/em><\/p>\n

On its own \u201c\u0437\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0301\u043b\u043e\u201d means \u201clet\u2019s get to work\u201d though the collocation \u201c\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043d\u044f\u0301\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0437\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0301\u043b\u043e\u201d as in \u201cto get started on something\/on this task\u201d is also used frequently.<\/p>\n

\u0417\u0430 \u0434\u0435\u0301\u043b\u043e, \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437\u044c\u044f\u0301! Let\u2019s get to work, my friends!<\/em><\/p>\n

4. \u041d\u0435\u0441\u0443\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0437\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0301\u0449\u0438 <\/strong>vs<\/strong> \u043d\u0435\u0441\u0443\u0301 \u0440\u0430\u0301\u0437\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0301\u0449\u0438<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041d\u0435\u0441\u0443\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0437\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0301\u0449\u0438 \u2013 absurd things<\/p>\n

\u0412\u043e \u0432\u0440\u0435\u0301\u043c\u044f \u0441\u0441\u043e\u0301\u0440\u044b \u043c\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u044b \u0432\u0441\u043f\u043e\u0301\u043c\u043d\u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0301\u0433\u0443 \u0441\u0430\u0301\u043c\u044b\u0435 \u043d\u0435\u0441\u0443\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0437\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0301\u0449\u0438 \u0438\u0437 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0448\u043b\u043e\u0433\u043e. The newlyweds recalled the most absurd things from the past about each other during their fight.<\/em><\/p>\n

(\u042f) \u043d\u0435\u0441\u0443\u0301 \u0440\u0430\u0301\u0437\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0301\u0449\u0438 \u2013 (I\u2019m) carrying a variety of things<\/p>\n

The next homophone phrases can be full sentences on their own and rely on “\u0436\u0435” (sometimes shortened to “\u0436”) that can either be a particle or conjunction.<\/p>\n

\"we-are-married\"

Image by nihan g\u00fczel da\u015ftan<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

5. \u041c\u044b<\/strong> \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044b <\/strong>vs<\/strong> \u043c\u044b \u0436\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u0442\u044b<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041c\u044b \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0442\u044b \u2013 we are married<\/p>\n

\u041c\u044b \u0436\u0435 \u043d\u0430 \u201c\u0442\u044b\u201d? \u2013 we are on informal terms, aren\u2019t we? (lit. we address each other using the informal \u201c\u0442\u044b\u201d pronoun, don\u2019t we?) This one can be both a question and a declaration, depending on the speaker\u2019s intonation.<\/p>\n

6. \u0422\u044b \u0436\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0431\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u043a <\/strong>vs<\/strong> \u0442\u044b \u0436\u0435 \u0440\u0435\u0431\u0451\u043d\u043e\u043a<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0422\u044b \u0436\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0431\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u043a \u2013 you are a foal (foal = a young horse)<\/p>\n

\u0422\u044b \u0436\u0435 \u0440\u0435\u0431\u0451\u043d\u043e\u043a \u2013 you are a child. This one also can be both a question and a declaration.<\/p>\n

\"a-boy-and-a

Image by Bruce Detorres<\/a> from Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

7. \u0415\u043c\u0443\u0301 \u0436\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0301\u0434\u043e \u0431\u0443\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>vs<\/strong> \u0435\u043c\u0443\u0301 \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0301 \u0434\u043e\u0431\u0443\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0442<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0415\u043c\u0443\u0301 \u0436\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0301\u0434\u043e \u0431\u0443\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u2013 he will need it<\/p>\n

E\u043c\u0443\u0301 \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0301 \u0434\u043e\u0431\u0443\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u2013 his wife will provide it for him<\/p>\n

8. \u041d\u0430\u0301\u0434\u043e \u0436 \u0434\u0430\u0442\u044c <\/strong>vs<\/strong> \u043d\u0430\u0301\u0434\u043e \u0436\u0434\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041d\u0430\u0301\u0434\u043e \u0436 \u0434\u0430\u0442\u044c \u2013 It needs to be given<\/p>\n

\u043d\u0430\u0301\u0434\u043e \u0436\u0434\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044c\u2013 (We) need to wait<\/p>\n

Russians have already availed themselves of the power of homophones by employing their attention-grabbing magic in music. Here are two exceptional and popular Russian songs with well-played homophones. The first one is from the song by \u0418\u0433\u043e\u0440\u044c \u0421\u0430\u0440\u0443\u0445\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0432 (Igor Sarukhanov) \u201c\u0421\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043f\u043a\u0430-\u043b\u0438\u0441\u0430\u201d<\/a> that literally translates to \u201cviolin-fox\u201d but is often labeled as \u201c\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043f \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0441\u0430\u201d (\u201csqueak of the wheel\u201d).<\/p>\n

And while some sources claim that the chorus goes:<\/p>\n

\u0421\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043f\u043a\u0430-\u043b\u0438\u0441\u0430,<\/em><\/p>\n

\u041b\u0443\u0436\u0438 \u0438 \u0433\u0440\u044f\u0437\u044c \u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433.<\/em><\/p>\n

[Violin-fox<\/em><\/p>\n

Puddles and road mud]<\/em><\/p>\n

Many people say it makes more sense for the words to be:<\/p>\n

\u0421\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043f \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0441\u0430,<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u041b\u0443\u0436\u0438 \u0438 \u0433\u0440\u044f\u0437\u044c \u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433.<\/em><\/p>\n

[Squeak of the wheel,<\/em><\/p>\n

Puddles and road mud]<\/em><\/p>\n

\"violin\"

Image by Niek Verlaan<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Another great and more modern Russian hit is by Zivert and \u0411\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0430 called \u201c\u043d\u0435 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0439<\/a>\u201d. While the song title appears to simply mean \u201cstay well\u201d (lit. \u201cdon\u2019t be ill\u201d) the chorus interplays the phrase with \u201c\u0441 \u043d\u0435\u0431\u0430 \u043b\u0435\u0439\u201d which means “pour from the sky”:<\/p>\n

\u0421 \u043d\u0435\u0431\u0430 \u043b\u0435\u0439, \u0441 \u043d\u0435\u0431\u0430-\u043d\u0435\u0431\u0430-\u043d\u0435\u0431\u0430-\u043d\u0435\u0431\u0430 \u043b\u0435\u0439
\n\u0414\u043e\u0436\u0434\u044c \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f \u0442\u044b \u0436\u0434\u0435\u0448\u044c
\n\u041d\u0435 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0439, \u043d\u0435\u0431\u043e-\u043d\u0435\u0431\u043e-\u043d\u0435\u0431\u043e-\u043d\u0435 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0439
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

[Pour rain from the sky<\/em><\/p>\n

While you wait for me<\/em><\/p>\n

Stay well]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

What other Russian homophones or homophone phrases do you know?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Russian_language_meme\"

You might have seen a post or a meme of the \u201cgood luck non-native speakers\u201d nature before, and not necessarily about Russian grammar ( think of “Who’s on first” by Abbott and Costello). The internet is full of them and, frankly, some are a hoot and a half. But while I\u2019m also guilty of \u201csharing\u201d…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":13329,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8,7828,1],"tags":[13334,385640,541422,385643,1696],"class_list":["post-13322","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","category-uncategorized","tag-learning-russian-is-fun","tag-russian-for-beginners","tag-russian-homophones","tag-russian-song-lyrics","tag-1696"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t