{"id":3956,"date":"2012-10-15T08:00:58","date_gmt":"2012-10-15T08:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=3956"},"modified":"2014-07-17T18:55:25","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T18:55:25","slug":"theres-a-chill-in-the-air","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/theres-a-chill-in-the-air\/","title":{"rendered":"There’s a chill in the air…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u041e<\/span>\u0441\u0435\u043d\u044c \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448\u043b\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“fall has arrived”), at least officially, and at least for those of us \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0435\u0440\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0448\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0438<\/b> (“in the Northern hemisphere”). \u0414\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e \u0441\u0435\u043d\u0442\u044f\u0431\u0440\u044f<\/span> \u0431\u044b<\/span>\u043b\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0438\u0435<\/b> (“The 22nd of September was the equinox”).<\/p>\n

C\u043c\u043e\u0442\u0440\u044f<\/span> \u0433\u0434\u0435 \u0436\u0438\u0432\u0451\u0448\u044c, \u0435\u0449\u0451 \u043d\u0435 \u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0445\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e \u0434\u043d\u0451\u043c.<\/b> (“Depending on where you live, it’s still not very cold during the day.”) \u0410 \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0435 \u043e\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0438\u044f, \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0432\u0441\u0451 \u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u044c\u0448\u0435 \u0438 \u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u044c\u0448\u0435.<\/b> (“But after the autumn equinox, it gets dark earlier and earlier.”) And here in the Washington DC area, \u0434\u0435\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u044c\u044f \u0443\u0436\u0435<\/span> \u0436\u0435\u043b\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u044e\u0442<\/span><\/b> (“the trees are already turning color”).<\/p>\n

The seasonal change offers a good excuse to talk about some expressions that relate to the weather and the sun’s rising and setting. Quite early on, students of Russian learn that the verb \u0438\u0434\u0442\u0438<\/b> is often used when talking about precipitation: \u0418\u0434\u0451\u0442 \u0434\u043e\u0436\u0434\u044c<\/b> (“It is raining”), \u041f\u043e\u0448\u0451\u043b \u0441\u043d\u0435\u0433<\/b> (“It started snowing”), \u0428\u0451\u043b \u0433\u0440\u0430\u0434<\/b> (“It was hailing”). And you may also be familiar already with \u0421\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043d\u0446\u0435 \u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0442<\/b> (“The sun is shining”).<\/p>\n

But there are quite a few others — and the good news (sort of) is that a lot of the relevant verbs are used only<\/i> in impersonal constructions, at least in the context of weather. Which means that you’ve really only got three forms to worry about: the infinitive, the 3rd-singular imperfective present or perfective future, and the past neuter.<\/p>\n

For instance, let’s go back to \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0432\u0441\u0451 \u0440\u0430\u043d\u044c\u0448\u0435<\/b>. The verb \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“to become darker”) isn’t used in the 1st or 2nd persons at all, and when the context is the general lack of illumination, it doesn’t take a nominative subject<\/i> — so \u0422\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0442!<\/b> (“It’s getting dark!”) can be a complete sentence by itself. However, you can flesh out the sentence with adverbs or prepositional phrases expressing time and place: \u0412 \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0435 \u0432\u0434\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0433 \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u043e<\/b> (“It suddenly got dark in the room”).<\/p>\n

Just to be clear, \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> CAN indeed take a nominative subject when you’re not talking about the absence of light. For example:<\/p>\n

\u041e<\/span>\u043d \u0432\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043b \u0447\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u044b \u0432 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043d \u0432\u043e\u0434\u044b<\/span>, \u0438 \u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u043f\u043e\u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430.<\/b>
\nHe poured ink into a glass of water, and the water turned dark.<\/i><\/p>\n

And the word can also mean simply “to look\/appear dark,” as in \u041d\u0430 \u0444\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0435 \u0441\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0433\u0430, \u0438<\/span>\u0437\u0431\u044b \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u044e\u0442 <\/b> (“Against the background of snow, the cabins\/huts look dark”).<\/p>\n

The opposite verb is (\u043f\u043e)\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> — “to become light (as in less dark)”. Once again, it’s possible in some contexts for this verb to take a nominative subject, as in \u041b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043c \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044b \u0443 \u043d\u0435\u0451 \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u044e\u0442<\/b> (“Her hair gets lighter in the summertime”). But it’s used impersonally when you mean illumination:<\/p>\n

\u041c\u0430\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0448\u043b\u0430<\/span> \u0441\u043e \u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u043e\u0439, \u0438 \u0432 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u043e.<\/b> Maria came in with a candle, and it got brighter in the basement.<\/i><\/p>\n

But make sure not to confuse (\u043f\u043e)\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> with (\u043f\u043e)\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“to emit light; to shine”). Thus, \u0444\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u043a \u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0442<\/b> (“the flashlight is shining”), but \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0435<\/span> \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0442<\/b> (“it’s getting light outside”).<\/p>\n

And don’t confuse either of these with the related pair \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\/\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/span><\/b> — which means “to be dawning, to be daybreak”, and is used only impersonally:<\/p>\n

\u0412\u0435\u0441\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439, \u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442.<\/b>
\nIt dawns early in the springtime.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u041c\u044b<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u043c \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0451\u0442, \u0438\u0437-\u0437\u0430 \u0432\u0430\u043c\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432.<\/b>
\nWe won’t set out until the dawn comes, on account of vampires.<\/i><\/p>\n

Of course, if you happen to be a vampire, then your alarm clock goes off not \u043d\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0435<\/b> (“at sunrise”), but \u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435<\/b> (“at sunset”). After the sun has gone down, but before it’s totally dark, then it’s \u0441\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u0435\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/b> (pl. only, gen.<\/i> \u0441\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043a<\/b>) — “twilight.” And there’s even a specific verb for the falling of dusk\/twilight: \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0440\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\/\u0441\u043c\u0435\u0440\u043a\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/b>. Yet again, you use it impersonally: \u0415\u0449\u0451 \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0440\u043a\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044c<\/b>, “It’s not full twilight yet.”<\/p>\n

Besides the shorter days and earlier sunsets, autumn also means the gradual arrival of cold weather — and of course there’s an impersonal verb for this: (\u043f\u043e)\u0445\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b>. For instance, \u041d\u0430 \u0434\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0435<\/span> \u0445\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 — \u0442\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u043e \u043e\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043f\u043e-\u0442\u0435\u043f\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0435.<\/b> (“It’s getting cold outside — you’d better dress a bit more warmly.”)<\/p>\n

As the nights are getting colder, \u044f \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u0430\u044e \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0446\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0443\u0441\u044b \u0441 \u0431\u0430\u043b\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0430 \u0432 \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0443<\/b>, “I’m thinking about moving my citrus plants inside from the balcony.” (I have a lime tree that’s over 9 years old, plus two small kumquats.) For now, they’re okay, but they could die \u0435<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u044c\u044e \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0438\u0442<\/b> (“if it’s below the freezing point at night”), because \u0446\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0443\u0441\u044b \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u044b\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0436\u0438\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0442 \u0438\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u044f<\/b> (“citruses do not tolerate frost”).<\/p>\n

That verb \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/b> is a bit different from some of the others I’ve mentioned because it can also be used transitively, suggesting “freeze someone\/something to the point of damage.”<\/p>\n

\u041e\u0439, \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437, \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437 — \u043d\u0435 \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u044c \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span>!<\/b>
\n“Oy, frosty weather — don’t chill me so bitterly!”<\/i><\/p>\n

Indoors, my plants will be safe from \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437<\/b> (“freezing weather”), but \u0412 \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0435\u043c \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0435 \u0446\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u043e\u0442\u0435\u043f\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0435\u0449\u0451 \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u043a\u043b\u044e\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438<\/b> (“they haven’t turned on the central-heating yet in our building”), and I often have to wear sweaters at home, \u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e\u043c\u0443<\/span> \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0432 \u0441\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0435 \u0441\u043a\u0432\u043e\u0437\u0438<\/span>\u0442<\/b> (“because it’s drafty in the bedroom”). You may already know the preposition \u0441\u043a\u0432\u043e\u0437\u044c<\/b> (+ acc.), which means “through,” especially with emphasis on squeezing through a tight opening. So how appropriate that the verb \u0441\u043a\u0432\u043e\u0437\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> — when it’s impersonal, with no subject — means “to be drafty, to have a draft.” An approximate synonym would be a construction such as \u0412 \u0441\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0435 \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u043e\u0442 \u043e\u043a\u043d\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“In the bedroom it is blowing from the window”). In that example, \u0434\u0443\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“to blow”) is impersonal, but you can also use it with subjects: c\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u0440 \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0441 \u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0430<\/b> (“a strong wind is blowing from the east”), or \u044f<\/span> \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0443<\/span>\u043b \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0443<\/span>\u043f<\/b> (“I blew on my soup a bit”).<\/p>\n

Finally, if you forget any of the specific verbs discussed here, remember that in most cases it’s perfectly okay to use the generic verb \u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\/\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“to become”) followed by a comparative adjective. Thus, \u041d\u0430 \u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0446\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0435<\/b> (“It’s becoming more dark outside”) is a synonym for \u041d\u0430 \u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0446\u0435 \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u0442<\/b> (“It’s darkening outside”).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

\u041e\u0441\u0435\u043d\u044c \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448\u043b\u0430 (“fall has arrived”), at least officially, and at least for those of us \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0435\u0432\u0435\u0440\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0448\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0438 (“in the Northern hemisphere”). \u0414\u0432\u0430\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0441\u0435\u043d\u0442\u044f\u0431\u0440\u044f \u0431\u044b\u043b\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0438\u0435 (“The 22nd of September was the equinox”). C\u043c\u043e\u0442\u0440\u044f \u0433\u0434\u0435 \u0436\u0438\u0432\u0451\u0448\u044c, \u0435\u0449\u0451 \u043d\u0435 \u043e\u0447\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0445\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e \u0434\u043d\u0451\u043c. (“Depending on where you live, it’s still not very cold during the day.”)…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":3963,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8,7828],"tags":[12030,481,3395,111747,169],"class_list":["post-3956","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","tag-autumn","tag-impersonal-verbs","tag-seasons","tag-useful-russian-phrases","tag-weather"],"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