Thread: We're going to eat

Someone please translate this. (I'm a bit confused with whether I should use imperfective or perfective.)
I have to go now. We're going to eat.

Мне сейчас надо идти. Мы собираемся есть.

Ah, of course! Thank you!

I have to go now.

1) Теперь я должен идти
2) Теперь мне надо (or нужно) идти
3) Теперь я вынужден уйти

We're going to eat.

1) Мы собираемся есть (or поесть)
2) Мы собираемся кушать (or покушать)
3) Мы собираемся (по)завтракать (to have breakfast)
4) Мы собираемся (по)обедать (to have lunch or dinner)
5) Мы собираемся (по)ужинать (to have dinner or supper)

or
6) Мы собираемся хавать
7) Мы собираемся жрать
8 ) Мы собираемся перекусить

Hey! The first two are too informal! (6-7) Especially the second one. I'd rather you'd said to синичка that they're colloquial. The third one's good, IMHO.

Originally Posted by Vadim84

1) Мы собираемся есть (or поесть)
2) Мы собираемся кушать (or покушать)
3) Мы собираемся (по)завтракать (to have breakfast)
4) Мы собираемся (по)обедать (to have lunch or dinner)
5) Мы собираемся (по)ужинать (to have dinner or supper)

So when do I say Мы собираемся есть and when Мы собираемся поесть etc.?
And are есть and кушать exact synonyms?
Do обедать and ужинать have to do with the time when you eat it, or with the kind of food? In this example it seems to depend on when you eat it which word you use, but in my (Dutch-Russian) dictionary it seems to depend on the kind of food (warm meal or not). Can you have обед in the evening?

Originally Posted by kasper

or
6) Мы собираемся хавать
7) Мы собираемся жрать
8 ) Мы собираемся перекусить

Is перекусить not informal? What's the difference between this and есть and кушать?

So when do I say Мы собираемся есть and when Мы собираемся поесть etc.?

I think that the difference between the two is minuscule. поесть is more specific. I'd say it means that you're going to eat just a little.

And are есть and кушать exact synonyms?

Yes, they are. The difference between them is кушать is more formal than есть.

Do обедать and ужинать have to do with the time when you eat it, or with the kind of food? In this example it seems to depend on when you eat it which word you use, but in my (Dutch-Russian) dictionary it seems to depend on the kind of food (warm meal or not). Can you have обед in the evening?

As I see it, these expressions have to do with the time you eat. Though sometimes it's not obvious what a person is speaking about.

Is перекусить not informal? What's the difference between this and есть and кушать?

It largely depends on what you think the English expression 'to have a sneak' means. If you think that it is informal then you can follow this rule in Russian. And vice versa.

Are you clear on that?

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

And are есть and кушать exact synonyms?

Yes, they are. The difference between them is кушать is more formal than есть.

I always thought vice versa. In some situations "есть" sounds more formal and even rude. For example when you tell a kid "Eшь!" or "Kушай!"

Another difference between "есть" and 'кушать" is that it is/was considered incorrect to use "кушать" in first person (for example, you can't say "я кушаю"). Nevertheless people (me included) use it in first person too, so maybe this difference is considered archaic now, I don't know.
Also I think "кушать" is more likely to be used when talking to little children (personally I think this word sounds cute )

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

Is перекусить not informal? What's the difference between this and есть and кушать?

It largely depends on what you think the English expression 'to have a sneak' means. If you think that it is informal then you can follow this rule in Russian. And vice versa.

Are you clear on that?

I never heard about the expression "to have a sneak" So can you explain it in another way?

I'm sorry. I thought that expression means "to eat a little food" but I was mistaken. I probably mixed it up with something else but I can't remember the expression I mixed it up with now. I'm sorry for confusing you

Originally Posted by ReDSanchous

I'm sorry. I thought that expression means "to eat a little food" but I was mistaken. I probably mixed it up with something else but I can't remember the expression I mixed it up with now. I'm sorry for confusing you

It is but you just made a mistake. The expression is "to have a snack".

Oh yeah! My mind was far away at 3.29am to have a snack...yeah, now I've remembered that! Thank you very much indeed!

Never mind! My English isn't perfect, so if I don't know an expression, it doesn't automatically mean that it's wrong.
But yes, I think I would say "to have a snack" is informal, so that means I can use перекусить if I'd use "to have a snack" in English?

Never mind! My English isn't perfect, so if I don't know an expression, it doesn't automatically mean that it's wrong.
But yes, I think I would say "to have a snack" is informal, so that means I can use перекусить if I'd use "to have a snack" in English?

I wasn't positive that 'to have a sneak' was correct, so when you wrote that you didn't know the expression I thought that it was probably wrong and I decided look it up in a dictionary.

Yeah, you're right 'to have a snack' is pretty informal. You are also right that you could use it the way you use it in English.

Originally Posted by синичка

But yes, I think I would say "to have a snack" is informal, so that means I can use перекусить if I'd use "to have a snack" in English?

Yes, you are quite right. "Перекусить" is definitely your word in such case.
My dictionary confirms it:
"to have a snack" = перекусить or закусить/закусывать.