{"id":413,"date":"2009-10-02T01:23:52","date_gmt":"2009-10-02T05:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=413"},"modified":"2009-10-02T01:23:52","modified_gmt":"2009-10-02T05:23:52","slug":"perplexing-prepostions-when-to-say-%c2%ab%d0%b2%c2%bb-and-when-to-say-%c2%ab%d0%bd%d0%b0%c2%bb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/perplexing-prepostions-when-to-say-%c2%ab%d0%b2%c2%bb-and-when-to-say-%c2%ab%d0%bd%d0%b0%c2%bb\/","title":{"rendered":"Perplexing Prepostions: When to Say \u00ab\u0432\u00bb and When to Say \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Isn’t Russian language a most confusing language? And wouldn’t you agree that the most perplexing part of it all is \u00ab\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [pl. prepositions<\/a>]? If you don’t think so, then take a close look at the picture above (you might have to sneak a peak under the leaves) and read what’s written on the sign: \u00ab\u041f\u0440\u0438\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0448\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u043c \u0432\u0430\u0441 \u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u044f \u0432 \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0438 \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0446\u0438\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [(We) invite you to classes in our sections]. Why must one use the preposition \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> together with the word \u00ab\u0437\u0430\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong>, while \u00ab\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> goes together with \u00ab\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0446\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong>? And things become even more perplexing when you put these two words in the same case – \u00ab\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u00bb<\/strong> [prepositional case} – and receive \u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0438\u00bb <\/strong>[in class] and \u00ab\u0432 \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0446\u0438\u0438\u00bb <\/strong>[in section] and realize that in translation there’s no difference at all…<\/em><\/p>\n

When finding something in a foreign language that’s different from one’s native language, like the case with \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> and \u00ab\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> in Russian language, BOTH of which can be translated into English as \u2018on’<\/em>, \u2018in’<\/em> or \u2018at’<\/em>, one tends to search for a logical rule to help one tell them apart. Now if this had been Swedish language<\/a> I would have been able give you such a logical rule (\u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Swedish \u2018p\u00e5’] is used when the location is a public space)<\/em> but I’m afraid it is not. This is Russian and we’ll just have to learn when to say \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> and when to say \u00ab\u0432\u00bb<\/strong>. Today’s post will only discuss these two prepositions in the way they’re used \u00ab\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [in prepositional case, also known as locative case<\/a> (did you see how I just placed the case itself in its OWN case? \u00ab\u0425\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u043e!\u00bb<\/strong> [craftily, foxily; intricately!])<\/em>], even though we’ll remain aware of the fact that BOTH of them can be used \u00ab\u0432 \u0432\u0438\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [in accusative]. When followed by the accusative these two prepositions describe \u00ab\u0434\u0432\u0438\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>-\u0442\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [movement somewhere], like \u00ab\u0432 \u0431\u0438\u0431\u043b\u0438\u043e\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [to the library] and \u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [to a party] in the following sentence: \u00ab\u0423<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u043e\u043c \u043f\u043e\u0439\u0434\u0443<\/span> \u0432 \u0431\u0438\u0431\u043b\u0438\u043e\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0443, \u0430 \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0440\u043e\u043c \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [In the morning I’m going to the library, and in the evening to a party]. If you’re talking not about \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>-\u0442\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [direction somewhere] but want to express \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u0445\u043e\u0436\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0433\u0434\u0435<\/span>-\u0442\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [location somewhere] the case you must put to use is \u00ab\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u00bb <\/strong>[prepositional case]. As an easy example we can take the same sentence as above, just changing the verb to \u00ab\u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to be] and its tense to \u00ab\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0448\u0435\u0435 \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f\u00bb <\/strong>[past tense] and look what we have: \u00ab\u0423<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u043e\u043c \u044f \u0431\u044b<\/span>\u043b\/\u0430<\/span> \u0432 \u0431\u0438\u0431\u043b\u0438\u043e\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0435, \u0430 \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0440\u043e\u043c \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [In the morning I was in the library, and in the evening at a party]. Generally speaking, the question one must ask oneself in order to receive an answer \u00ab\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u00bb <\/strong>[in prepositional case] is \u00ab\u0433\u0434\u0435?\u00bb<\/strong> [where?]. And that’s the question we’ll try our best to answer today: \u00ab\u0433\u0434\u0435?\u00bb<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I began today’s post with the declaration that there’s no \u2018logical rule’<\/em> in Russian for when to use \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> and when to use \u00ab\u0432\u00bb<\/strong>, I might have been a little too harsh. There is no rule that works for ALL words in Russian, but there are some words that are logically united in a rule that they all need one and the same preposition when expressing location. All four cardinal directions<\/a> in Russian use the preposition \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the west].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the east].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0430 \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the north].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u044e<\/span>\u0433\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the south].<\/p>\n

In the same way some certain geographical places<\/em> within the Russian Federation are always connected with a particular preposition, either \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> like in…<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u041a\u0430\u0432\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0437<\/a>\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the Caucasus<\/a>].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0414\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0435\u043c \u0412\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0435<\/a>\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the Far East<\/a>].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0423\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the Urals].<\/p>\n

…or \u00ab\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> in the following:<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u041a\u0440\u044b\u043c\u0443<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the Crimea].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0421\u0438\u0431\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> – [in Siberia].<\/p>\n

Sometimes prepositions connected with geographical places in Russian language can mark a conscious political standpoint. Does that sound strange to you? Well, believe it or not, but I’m of course talking about whether you say \u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0435<\/a>\u00bb<\/strong> [in (the) <\/em>Ukraine<\/a>] or \u00ab\u0432 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [in Ukraine]. A simplified explanation of this way of expressing one’s political views is that \u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> makes Ukraine merely a province (this preposition was used predominantly \u00ab\u0432 \u0441\u043e\u0432\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0435 \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [in Soviet times])<\/em>, whereas \u00ab\u0432 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u00bb <\/strong>gives Ukraine the status of an independent, sovereign state.<\/p>\n

Other than this (let’s have an entire post of its own to discuss means of transportation in Russian and the fact that the preposition used for ALL of them is \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong>, now shall we?)<\/em> we all have to study each and every word of Russian language separately in order to find out which preposition is used with it. Usually, \u00ab\u0441\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0430 \u0411\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [thank God], this is marked in dictionaries. But just so you’ll have a head start, here are some of the most common words \u00ab\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u00bb <\/strong>[in prepositional case]. Pay attention!<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0448\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in school].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in class].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0443\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the university].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the faculty].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the institute].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u044f\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> – [in classes].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u043c\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0437\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the shop; store; magazine].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [at<\/em> work].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the office].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0437\u0430\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the factory; mill; plant; works].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u043c\u0443\u0437\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the museum].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0444\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the factory; mill; plant].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u043c\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the ministry; government department; office].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0442\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the post office].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0431\u0438\u0431\u043b\u0438\u043e\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the library].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0432\u043e\u043a\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [on the (railroad)<\/em> station].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0435\u00bb <\/strong>– [in the bank].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0446\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in a concert].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0442\u0435\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the theater].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u043a\u0438\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the movie theater; in movies; at the movies]<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432\u043e \u0434\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the courtyard].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> – [\u2018outside’<\/em>].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the motherland; one’s home and native land may also be spelled with a capital letter: \u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0420\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong>].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0440\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the restaurant].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in practice].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0442\u0435\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> – [in theory].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the \u2018kolkhoz’<\/em> – this word is short for \u00ab\u043a\u043e\u043b\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0445\u043e\u0437\u044f<\/span>\u0439\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u00bb <\/strong>meaning collective farm].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0432\u043e\u0439\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> – [in war].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u0434\u0435\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the village or<\/em> in the country].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in freedom].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0432 \u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [in the sky].<\/p>\n

Okay, so that was what I could come up with today. Now it’s your turn. What common words did I forget in my list above? Tell me! As always especially welcome are \u00ab\u043d\u0435\u0441\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0435\u043c\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u0443\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435\u00bb <\/strong>[indeclinable nouns], like \u00ab\u0432 \u043c\u0435\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong>, something that could mean \u2018to the metro\/subway’ <\/em>as well as \u2018in the metro\/subway’<\/em>…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Isn’t Russian language a most confusing language? And wouldn’t you agree that the most perplexing part of it all is \u00ab\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0438\u00bb [pl. prepositions]? If you don’t think so, then take a close look at the picture above (you might have to sneak a peak under the leaves) and read what’s written on the sign: \u00ab\u041f\u0440\u0438\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0448\u0430\u0435\u043c…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":414,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8,995],"tags":[507314,1140,1191,1192,1248,1447,1448,1600,1653,1654],"class_list":["post-413","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","category-soviet-union","tag-grammar","tag-locative-case","tag-prepositional-case","tag-prepostions","tag-russian-language","tag-1447","tag-1448","tag-1600","tag-1653","tag-1654"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}