кабы

Hello,

I stumbled upon the word кабы in a text.
My dictionnary is saying it's a synonym for Эсли бы.

Ok. But I was wondering if it's used in everyday speech or just in fixed expression and aphorisms?

"Cловно, будто, кабы "as though"

"These conjunctions tell us that the subordinate clause is untrue, though someone believes it to be true. They all translate English conjunction "as
though" fairly accurately. All three Russian conjunctions mean the same thing. ..."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xewKe5cRSGU

Here "кабы" = если б = если бы = if


Кабы не было зимы
В городах и сёлах,
Никогда б не знали мы
Этих дней весёлых.

Не кружила б малышня
Возле снежной бабы,
Не петляла бы лыжня,
Кабы, кабы, кабы...
Не петляла бы лыжня,
Кабы, кабы, кабы...


Кабы не было зимы,
А всё время лето,
Мы б не знали кутерьмы
Новогодней этой.
Не спешил бы Дед Мороз
К нам через ухабы,
Лёд на речке б не замёрз,
Кабы, кабы, кабы...
Лёд на речке б не замёрз,
Кабы, кабы, кабы...

Кабы не было зимы
В городах и сёлах,
Никогда б не знали мы
Этих дней весёлых.

It is colloquial and a bit outdated. It is not used normally in contemporary everyday speech unless one plays countryman. But is widespread in folklore, set phrases and aphorisms.

So, the translation of "кабы не было зимы" is "if it weren't winter", "as if it was winter", or "if only it weren't winter"? I guess it's the first one, but since English is not my first language...

if we had no winter..., if it weren't for winter... ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lampada

if we had no winter..., if it weren't for winter... ?

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Based on the context, the second one is better, though both are good and work fine. :)