Thread: Valda - разные вопросы по глаголам

I have another question while I'm at it along a similar vein.

The phrase "I can't wait"... as in "I can't wait to meet him".

Does it work in Russian? Because in Hebrew it kinda doesn't :P

Originally Posted by Valda

Is it the difference between

Я не могу спрятать - I will not be able to hide
Я не могу прятать - I cannot hide


Google translate insisted on correcting my grammar from прятать to спрятать... but I've no clue why

("I wanted to write to my significant other "I can't hide the excitement of seeing you again")

this is perfective infinitive VS imperfective infinitive

я не могу спрятать - i can't hide

i can't hide my emotions - я не могу спрятать/скрыть свои эмоции

спрятать - hide once

я не могу прятать - i can't be hiding

i can't be hiding my purse every single time he comes over - я не могу прятать свой кошелёк каждый раз, как он к нам приходит

прятать is the act of repetitive hiding

so for the purpose of your sentence the perfective form is the appropriate one

Originally Posted by Valda

I have another question while I'm at it along a similar vein.

The phrase "I can't wait"... as in "I can't wait to meet him".

Does it work in Russian? Because in Hebrew it kinda doesn't :P

не могу дождаться, когда + future tense

Originally Posted by Valda

I have another question while I'm at it along a similar vein.

The phrase "I can't wait"... as in "I can't wait to meet him".

Does it work in Russian? Because in Hebrew it kinda doesn't :P

in Russian here you can say "Я с нетерпением жду встречи с ним",
lit. I don't have enough patience to wait to meet him, I am looking forward to meeting him....