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Thread: from 8.12 to approx. 8.30

  1. #1
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    from 8.12 to approx. 8.30

    Are either of these good translations of 'from 8.12 to approx. 8.30'?

    с двенадцати минут девятого до примерно (or часов?) половины девятого
    с восьми двенадцати до примерно половины девятого

    Basically, I don't know if, after 'с', all of the time expression should be in genitive.

    Also, how would you say 'from 8.48 to approx. 8.30'? I don't think it would be 'с вез двенадцати девять...' etc.
    Antonio1986 likes this.

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    "с двенадцати минут (девятого) до примерно половины девятого"
    good. "девятого" can be omitted.
    "с восьми двенадцати до примерно половины девятого"
    it's ok. a little bit worse, but a very little bit.
    direct numering of minutes: "8:12=восемь-двенадцать", "8:30=восемь-тридцать", "8:49=восемь-сорок девять" sometimes called "military" ("по военному", "по армейски"). no need to think, just say/listen numbers and follow orders.
    "Citizen way" is "12 минут девятого", "пол-восьмого", "без одиннадцати минут девять".
    fortheether likes this.

  3. #3
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    Thanks Alex. I'll stick to 'civilian' method; I don't look good in green.

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    So how would I say 'from 8.48 to approx. 8.30', using the 'no-military' method?

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    > I'll stick to 'civilian' method
    Oh, there is nothing wrong in "military" method. Moreover it can be preferebale in many situations. It is naturally more convenient in computations/comparisons or processing massive data. Even civillian will switch to it under train schedule table, for example.
    It is a little bit unnatural in everyday speech, but very very little bit (as I said before).
    > So how would I say 'from 8.48 to approx. 8.30', using the 'no-military' method?
    This is another good example. We can say:
    "с без двенадцати девять до примерно пол девятого".
    But "с без" - two particles in a row without vowel between them sounds and looks even ugly.
    "с восьми-сорока восьми до примерно пол девятого" sounds good.
    In fact "civillian method" works better with round numbers.

  6. #6
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    Thanks Alex.
    So really, in constructions like 'from...until...', it's good form to avoid those messy pairs of particles, like 'с + без'. So if the 'from' time is after half past the hour, use 'military' method. Is that right?

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by grafrich View Post
    Is that right?
    It's not a strict rule, but more like "If I were a writer I never put 'c+без' together". Real speech can be ugly sometimes.
    I think it's better to say in the way I told.

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