Thread: лишь только translation

That's what I thought... it's so different from 'as soon as' which is the translation that makes sense in other contexts. When 'лишь только' means 'only', it gets confusing because 'только' means only, so why is 'лишь' there?! Is it an intensifier? Would it sound a bit bookish or even overdramatic if used in spoken russian? Now I know I'm not the only one who is confused on this one

Rich

Originally Posted by grafrich

Is it an intensifier?

Yes, it is.

Would it sound a bit bookish or even overdramatic if used in spoken russian?

I don't know exactly, but I mean, that would sound a little bit overdramatic. I've never heard it in spoken russian, I think. Or I just can not remember this.

Could 'Лишь Только Одна Она' be translated as 'she is the only one?' Or maybe 'the only one is she/her'?

I think, that it could be translated as second variant.