Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: the word 'его'

  1. #1
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    8

    the word 'его'

    how do i say 'let him carry it in his car'?
    is this correct?
    пусть возит его в его машине.

  2. #2
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    138
    Rep Power
    9
    If we speak about the human, we usually use word "на".
    Пусть возит его на машине. But "в" is also correct.

    If we speak about some inanimate subject - use only "в".

  3. #3
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    138
    Rep Power
    9
    And, "его в его машине" is correct, yep.

  4. #4
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    865
    Rep Power
    29
    Quote Originally Posted by dondublon View Post
    And, "его в его машине" is correct, yep.
    No, no! It may be correct, but only in some specific situations.

    Quote Originally Posted by tiudavidharris View Post
    how do i say 'let him carry it in his car'?
    is this correct?
    пусть возит его в его машине.
    "Let him carry it in his car" is ambiguous, there is not enough context. We do not know what "it" refers to, who is "he", and whose car it is.

    First, what is "it"? If "it" refers to something mentioned before, its translation depends on grammatical gender of that noun (mentioned before).

    Masculine:
    Мне надоел этот рюкзак. Пусть Джон возит его. - I am pestered with this rucksack. Let John carry it. (Рюкзак is masculine, so carry it = "возит его").
    Neuter:
    Мне надоело это корыто. Пусть Джон возит его. - I am pestered with this wash-tub. Let John carry it. (Корыто is neuter, so again carry it = "возит его").
    Feminine:
    Мне надоела эта труба. Пусть Джон возит её. - I am pestered with this pipe. Let John carry it. (Труба is feminine, so carry it = "возит её").

    If "it" refers to something not mentioned before, but just assumed or maybe shown, it can be translated with the indefinite "это":
    Мне надоело вот это (and I am showing that thing to you). Пусть Джон это возит. - I am pestered with this one. Let John carry it.

    To sum it up, "Let John carry it" can be "Пусть Джон возит его/её/это" depending on the context.

    Now, let's consider "Let him (1) carry the bag in his (2) car".
    The translaton depends on:
    If "he" (1) and "he" (2) are the same person (logically, it is the most likely situation, isn't it?), you should use "свой" (one's own) rather than "его" (his).
    Пусть он (i.e. John) возит сумку в своей (i.e. John's) машине.

    If "he" (1) and "he" (2) are different persons (which is less likely), then yes, you use "его":
    Пусть он (i.e. John) возит сумку в его (i.e. Dave's) машине.

    Summary:
    Пусть он возит его в его машине. - is possible within the following context:
    Let him (person 1) carry it (something mentioned before, masculine or neuter) in his (person's 2) car. Assuming person 1 and person 2 are different.

  5. #5
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    138
    Rep Power
    9
    This phrase seems inelegant in the real speech, but it's correct from grammatical point of view.

  6. #6
    Завсегдатай it-ogo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Ukraine
    Posts
    3,048
    Rep Power
    29
    In English "Let" is imperative so word-by-word translation is "Позволь(те) ему (от)везти это в своей машине." And in some contexts this translation will do the job.

    But construction with "Пусть" is the most common.
    "Россия для русских" - это неправильно. Остальные-то чем лучше?

  7. #7
    Завсегдатай maxmixiv's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Omsk, Russia
    Posts
    1,545
    Rep Power
    28
    Боб Уайтман gives comprehensive explanation, as always.
    But I still have something to add :

    Мне надоели эти лыжи. Пусть Джон их возит. - I am pestered with (these?) skis. Let John carry (them?).
    "Невозможно передать смысл иностранной фразы, не разрушив при этом её первоначальную структуру."

  8. #8
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    865
    Rep Power
    29
    Agree! I did not mention plural just because there was "it" (not "them") in the original English phrase.

Similar Threads

  1. A word! My cottage for a word!
    By radomir in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: August 14th, 2009, 10:53 AM
  2. Word to Word translation
    By penguinhead in forum Getting Started with Russian
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: April 12th, 2009, 10:39 PM
  3. Help .... one word ....
    By emeraldeyez in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: March 26th, 2009, 01:39 AM
  4. What is this word?
    By strawberryfynch in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: February 28th, 2008, 10:46 AM
  5. seven O in one word!
    By Leof in forum Fun Stuff
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: February 18th, 2006, 07:38 AM

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