Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: a phrase

  1. #1
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    В тумане моря голубом.
    Posts
    132
    Rep Power
    14

    a phrase

    How would you translate "where have you been?" into Russian? It would be something you ask someone when they are late, or if they haven't been around for a while.

  2. #2
    JJ
    JJ is offline
    Властелин
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Ural, Russia
    Posts
    1,390
    Rep Power
    15
    Где ты был/вы были? - lit. where you were?
    Gib immer 100% bei der Arbeit: 12% am Montag, 23% am Dienstag, 40% am Mittwoch, 20% am Donnerstag, 5% am Freitag ...

  3. #3
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    В тумане моря голубом.
    Posts
    132
    Rep Power
    14
    That just seems kind of narrow in meaning. I don't want to ask "where were you", because that is to literal of a question. I fell like there should be an imperfective verb for this or something. Myabe "где ты находился"?

  4. #4
    JJ
    JJ is offline
    Властелин
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Ural, Russia
    Posts
    1,390
    Rep Power
    15
    No, i see no narrowing there. You can say "где ты находился" it's correct and understandable but natives always say "где ты был". In present tense we use "где ты находишься" but I guess more common is "где ты сейчас" or even "где ты".
    Gib immer 100% bei der Arbeit: 12% am Montag, 23% am Dienstag, 40% am Mittwoch, 20% am Donnerstag, 5% am Freitag ...

  5. #5
    Почтенный гражданин
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Siberia Krasnoyarsk
    Posts
    714
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: a phrase

    Quote Originally Posted by Geoduck
    How would you translate "where have you been?" into Russian? It would be something you ask someone when they are late.
    Где ты был?

    Quote Originally Posted by Geoduck
    or if they haven't been around for a while.
    Где ты пропадал?

  6. #6
    JJ
    JJ is offline
    Властелин
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Ural, Russia
    Posts
    1,390
    Rep Power
    15
    Где ты пропадал is where have you been lost.
    Gib immer 100% bei der Arbeit: 12% am Montag, 23% am Dienstag, 40% am Mittwoch, 20% am Donnerstag, 5% am Freitag ...

  7. #7
    Почтенный гражданин
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Siberia Krasnoyarsk
    Posts
    714
    Rep Power
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by JJ
    Где ты пропадал is where have you been lost.
    Never doubting about that

  8. #8
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    My Time & Space
    Posts
    6,555
    Rep Power
    19
    Где ты шлялся / шлялась? (very nformal). The verb reminds of 'linger'.
    «И всё, что сейчас происходит внутре — тоже является частью вселенной».

Similar Threads

  1. a phrase
    By Lt. Columbo in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: November 15th, 2006, 07:14 PM
  2. phrase pls
    By Lt. Columbo in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: August 20th, 2006, 02:18 PM
  3. a phrase
    By Chuvak in forum Learn English - Грамматика, переводы, словарный запас
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: August 9th, 2006, 10:18 AM
  4. a phrase
    By Chuvak in forum Learn English - Грамматика, переводы, словарный запас
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: June 27th, 2006, 04:09 AM
  5. Help with a phrase
    By tdk2fe in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: March 15th, 2006, 07:54 PM

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