Thread: Birthday???

Hi All,

Can someone translate the following for me, using both cyrillic characters and then Latin ones so I can see the proper pronunciation?

"Happy Birthday!
I wish you nothing but joy and peace on this day and for the coming year." (for a male)

Thank you!!!

This is how I would say it. Best to wait and let the Russians correct me before you actually send it off, though.

С Днём Рождения! Желаю тебе только радость и мир на этот день и будующий год.

Using dates 24 hours and less = В + accusative
More than 24 hours = на + prepostional
(exeption is Неделя which is на + accusative)

Long story short.

на этот день

В этот день

Is that really a rule? I've never heard it before, but it sure makes sense...

Check out this website on the infamous Bucknell Russian site about expressions of time. It's proved invaluable to me.

Oops! I guess I didn't bookmark it. You'll find it by looking around, though. I think Jasper made a post where he detailed it.

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

Using dates 24 hours and less = В + accusative
More than 24 hours = на + prepostional
(exeption is Неделя which is на + accusative)

Long story short.

на этот день

В этот день

It's a good rule of thumb, but it's not entirely correct. Fot this sentence, yes, I would use "в": желаю счастья в этот день... However, "на этот день" is correct, but it means slightly different thing: up to this day, or until, or by... I.e.: На этот день мы собрали 1000 р. means We raised 1000 roubles by this day.

Yes. на Answers the question of "how long "? While В answers the questions of when ?

When is the birthday ? this day.
Когда день рождения ? В этот день.

how long is a birthday ? Only (for) one day
как дальго день рождения ? Всего (на) один день

here НА can be left out, but it is the only example i could think of using birthdays. How about like.

Я еду в россию на пять дней. -
I will be in russia for five days.

Bucknell link = http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/russian/language/

You can probly learn just about everything you need to know awhile there.

Ok, that's like, the best website I've seen in a long time. More useful, less confusing Russian grammar than anything I've ever learned from. Why, oh, why did I not go to Bucknell University???

After all the беда, I wonder if Angie will ever come back ! =P.

I thought that Желать took genative for the thing being wished and dative for to whom. Например: Я желаю тебе радости.

smartdude, you are truly smart.

Yes, genitive after "желаю" IS required, and I fixed "будующий":

С Днём Рождения! Желаю тебе только радости и мира на этот день и будущий год.

You flatter me so.

I would say also
в этот день и в наступающем году.
Personally I think в is better here. Never heard the rule about +- 24 hours
.
P.S.
Well, "наступающий" is rather used when they say about "the coming year" in the New Year celebration. So, I think, it better be "следующий" or "будущий" год.