Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: By doing something

  1. #1
    JackBoni
    Guest

    By doing something

    How do you translate "by doing something" into Russian?

    I will pass my exams by studying hard.

    In French, I believe that the equivalent is "en + present participle", and in German "indem + clause", if that helps anyone.

    Je vais réussir mes examens en étudiant beaucoup.
    Ich werde meine Prüfungen bestehen, indem ich hart arbeite.

    Sorry about the rubbish French and German, if there are any natives of the two on here

    Thanks for the help.
    Jack

  2. #2
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Russland
    Posts
    9,874
    Rep Power
    22

    Re: By doing something

    Quote Originally Posted by JackBoni
    How do you translate "by doing something" into Russian?
    Никак. Мы просто строим предложение по-другому. В зависимости от контекста.

    "I will pass my exams by studying hard" можно перевести:

    Я сдам экзамены, усиленно занимаясь.
    Я сдам экзамены, потому что буду много/усиленно заниматься.
    Я сдам экзамены, так как буду много заниматься.
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

  3. #3
    JackBoni
    Guest

    Re: By doing something

    You've used three different variants of the same expression there, Оля. Is one preferred over the other two, or does it depend entirely on the context? Perhaps one is more natural than the others?

    Jack

  4. #4
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Russland
    Posts
    9,874
    Rep Power
    22

    Re: By doing something

    Quote Originally Posted by JackBoni
    You've used three different variants of the same expression there, Оля. Is one preferred over the other two, or does it depend entirely on the context? Perhaps one is more natural than the others?
    I always give only those sentences which sound natural

    Well, in this case, I'd say all the three sound a little bit bookish/formal. Except the second one maybe. But the context is sort of a bit formal too, isn't it?
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

  5. #5
    JackBoni
    Guest

    Re: By doing something

    Yes, I agree; the context in which we'd use these sorts of phrases is a bit formal. I am a little embarrassed to say, though, that I don't entirely understand the individual words you've used in your three examples. I don't have a dictionary with which to look them up, either, so could you give me a literal translation of the sentences, please?

    Your sentence in your last post sounds a little odd to me, Оля. To begin with, I wasn't sure why, but now I think that the two adverbs used so closely together sounds a bit odd.

    I always give only those sentences which sound natural

    Perhaps it would be better to say "I only suggest sentences which sound natural." - perhaps even the relative pronoun you've used is wrong. Maybe it should be "that you've used", although I'm not sure. I will read up on it, as this is an issue that confuses me, too. I'll get back to you on it, unless someone out there is very sure of the answer?

    Jack

  6. #6
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Russland
    Posts
    9,874
    Rep Power
    22

    Re: By doing something

    Quote Originally Posted by JackBoni
    I don't have a dictionary with which to look them up
    http://lingvo.yandex.ru/en
    http://www.wordreference.com/enru/

    усиленно
    потому что
    много
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

  7. #7
    JackBoni
    Guest

    Re: By doing something

    Thanks, Olya. I just had to look up усиленнo. Thanks for the help with the translations. I understand how it works now, I think.

    Jack

  8. #8
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Seventh
    Posts
    4,113
    Rep Power
    18

    Re: By doing something

    To clarify what Olya was saying;

    There isn't really an equivalent of the "by + VERBing" construction in Russian. So in order to express the meaning in Russian you will have to use a different contruction. Think about it in English, what does "by VERBing" mean, or what other ways are there to express the same thing but without using the exact construction. you could say:

    I will pass my exams studying hard / Studying hard I will pass my exams:
    Я сдам экзамены, усиленно занимаясь.*


    I will pass my exams because I will study a lot / hard.
    Я сдам экзамены, потому что буду много/усиленно заниматься.

    I will pass my exams since I will study a lot.
    Я сдам экзамены, так как буду много заниматься.

    *занимаясь is a gerund / adverbial participle , meaning "studying'
    Ingenting kan stoppa mig
    In Post-Soviet Russia internet porn downloads YOU!

  9. #9
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    My Time & Space
    Posts
    6,555
    Rep Power
    19

    Re: By doing something

    Quote Originally Posted by JackBoni
    How do you translate "by doing something" into Russian?

    I will pass my exams by studying hard.
    Just a couple of variants:

    Усиленно занимаясь, я сдам экзамены. (focus on the present)
    Я буду усердно заниматься и сдам экзамены. (focus on the future)
    «И всё, что сейчас происходит внутре — тоже является частью вселенной».

  10. #10
    Почтенный гражданин
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Tempe, AZ
    Posts
    653
    Rep Power
    12

    Re: By doing something

    Quote Originally Posted by JackBoni
    Your sentence in your last post sounds a little odd to me, Оля. To begin with, I wasn't sure why, but now I think that the two adverbs used so closely together sounds a bit odd.

    I always give only those sentences which sound natural
    The sentence works for me. “Those” makes it feel slightly bookish, but it makes perfect sense and has no grammatical errors. “Always” and “only” make it a bit more emphatic than usual, but that emphasis seems intentional here.

  11. #11
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    937
    Rep Power
    16

    Re: By doing something

    Quote Originally Posted by Оля
    Quote Originally Posted by JackBoni
    How do you translate "by doing something" into Russian?
    "I will pass my exams by studying hard" можно перевести:

    Я сдам экзамены, усиленно занимаясь.
    Так не надо переводить. It looks like you are studying during the exam.
    Налево пойдёшь - коня потеряешь, направо пойдёшь - сам голову сложишь.
    Прямой путь не предлагать!

  12. #12
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Russland
    Posts
    9,874
    Rep Power
    22

    Re: By doing something

    [quote=Полуношник]
    Quote Originally Posted by "Оля":3sjp4auy
    Я сдам экзамены, усиленно занимаясь.
    Так не надо переводить. It looks like you are studying during the exam.[/quote:3sjp4auy]
    Why not? I do not see that sense in the phrase.
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Russian Lessons                           

Russian Tests and Quizzes            

Russian Vocabulary