Thread: Chapter 22 questions

Thanks Hoax,

There's another exercise where I need to choose the imperfective or perfective aspect. This type of exercise is in each chapter and I'm still not sure about which is which. What about this one?
Даже если они долго (search for), они Вадима не найдут. Is it поищут, the perfective?

Z

Originally Posted by zorro

There's another exercise where I need to choose the imperfective or perfective aspect. This type of exercise is in each chapter and I'm still not sure about which is which. What about this one?
Даже если они долго (search for), они Вадима не найдут. Is it поищут, the perfective?

Z

It should be the imperfective form: "даже если они долго БУДУТ ИСКАТЬ, Вадима они не найдут".

Why "БУДУТ ИСКАТЬ"?
(1) The process of searching for Vadim will be ONGOING and, probably REPEATED:
they will look here and there and everywhere;
(2) They will fail to find him, the main sentence implies that the process of search will be unsuccessful.

Sorry, it should be "преступник НЕ избегнет наказания."

Thanks, Yulia for your detailed explanation. That helps.

Here are some more I'm not sure about from the same exercise:
--Можно (ask) ещё несколько вопросы?
--Пожалуйста, я люблю, когда студенты (ask) умные вопросы.
Is it perfective for the first and imperfective for the second? задать/задают?

Another:
--Почему здесь ещё не (they have cleaned up)?
--Одну минуточку. Я сейчас (will clean up). Горничная, которая обычно здесь (cleans up) сегодня больна.
Is it --убирали
--уберу/убирает?

One more:
--Кто (will be cleaning up) на этом этаже?
--Фёкла. Когда она кончит (cleaning) на четвёртом этаже, она придёт сюда к нам.
Is it будет убирать/убрать?

Thanks,
Z

Originally Posted by zorro

Thanks, Yulia for your detailed explanation. That helps.

Here are some more I'm not sure about from the same exercise:
--Можно (ask) ещё несколько вопросы?
--Пожалуйста, я люблю, когда студенты (ask) умные вопросы.
Is it perfective for the first and imperfective for the second? задать/задают?
Thanks,
Z

You are always welcome. Всегда пожалуйста!

You are quite right!

- Можно ЗАДАТЬ (perfective) еще несколько вопросОВ?

( the student here intends to ask his questions at one time, e.g. during the lecture he is attending, not over a period of time.
Therefore, his asking questions is viewed as a singe action that will be completed upon the professor's permission.)

- Пожалуйста, я люблю, когда студенты ЗАДАЮТ (imperfective) умные вопросы.

(Here the professor refers not to a single, specific one-time action, but rather to his habit of gladly answering the clever questions every time they are asked... Besides, characteristic, habitual and repetitive actions are expressed by the verb in its present tense-form, and present in Russian is imperfective only.)

Good job

Originally Posted by zorro

Another:
--Почему здесь ещё не (they have cleaned up)?
--Одну минуточку. Я сейчас (will clean up). Горничная, которая обычно здесь (cleans up) сегодня больна.
Is it --убирали
--уберу/убирает?

Thanks,
Z

Precisely so!

- Почему здесь ЕЩЕ НЕ УБИРАЛИ ? (Imperfective)
(Imperfective in negative sentences communicates that the action had not yet happened.
Here the Imperfective may also mean that nothing had been done yet to clean the area/room...
Perfective " еще не убрали?" is also appropriate, as it points to the fact that someone failed to do the action, or that the process of cleaning had not yet been finished).

- Минуточку, я сейчас УБЕРУ ( Perfective).
( Here the focus is on the one-time completed action, not on the process of cleaning, or on the habit/repetitiveness of cleaning).

- Горничная, которая ОБЫЧНО здесь УБИРАЕТ (imperfective), больна.
( here there are several hints to choose the imperfective: it is a habitual action for thr maid, she repetitively and regularly cleans this area/room. Besides, the verb is in the present, which is only in Imperfective in Russian).

Originally Posted by zorro

One more:
--Кто (will be cleaning up) на этом этаже?
--Фёкла. Когда она кончит (cleaning) на четвёртом этаже, она придёт сюда к нам.
Is it будет убирать/убрать?

Thanks,
Z

In both cases Imperfective should be used:

- Кто БУДЕТ УБИРАТЬ на этом этаже?
(you were right to pick up the Imperfective here, as the focus is not on the beginning or the completion/result of the action,
but on the doer of the action.)

-- Фекла. Когда она закончит (Perfective, to indicate the completion) УБИРАТЬ (Imperfective)...., она придет к нам.
( here the imperfective just names the PROCESS of cleaning, and the COMPLETION of this process is communicated by the verb " ЗАКОНЧИТ).