Thread: "На" против "Для"

Maybe you find the following link useful:
Saying 'for' in Russian

There are also some exercises for the prepositions. But I have to admit some sentences in the exercises do not sound Russian at all, it seems they were composed by a non-native speaker. Although the explanation is good enough.

Originally Posted by Боб Уайтман

Maybe you find the following link useful:
Saying 'for' in Russian

There are also some exercises for the prepositions. But I have to admit some sentences in the exercises do not sound Russian at all, it seems they were composed by a non-native speaker. Although the explanation is good enough.

Well, I think I have to point out what is wrong in the exercises, otherwise the link is not so useful.

Sentence 1 suggests:

Пишите сочинение о мире на пятницу. - No one would ever say "пишите сочинение на пятницу". Everything is odd in this phrase: the imperfective aspect ("напишите" is expected as a task given by a teacher), the imperative mood (if it has to be done in the future, not now, then imperative does not work), and "на пятницу".

A proper sentence would be: "В пятницу вы будете писать сочинение о мире" (You will write it on Friday), but it leaves no place to use "for".

And if you like to keep "for", it can be: "На пятницу нам задали написать сочинение о мире" (We have an assignment for Friday to write a composition).
Or: "Сочинение о мире запланировано на пятницу" ((writing) The composition is planned for Friday).

If a teacher gives an assignment to write a composition, it would sound as
Напишите сочинение о мире к пятнице. ("by Friday", not "for Friday") - so, no place to use "for" again.

Sentence 2.
Won't you work for (instead of) me today?'
The Russian phrase they propose starts with "Ты не работаешь ..."

1. Why "сегодня" is missing in the translated Russian sentence? It is as logical to add it in Russian, as it is in English. Otherwise it is not clear how long one should work for them.

2. The major mistake: it should be "поработаешь" (Future). Even if it is "today", the action has not started yet. It has to be in the Future for the same reason as in the original English phrase (won't = will you not).

BTW, just noticed. "For the same reason" - "по той же причине". The preposition "for" is really overloaded in English!

Sentence 4.
I'll give you my flat for the car.

Nothing is wrong in the Russian translation. Just the original English phrase seems very odd. What is "flat for the car"?

Sentence 5.
A comma is missing before "а".

Sentence 11.
Do you know what the job for tomorrow is?'
The Russian phrase they propose starts with "Ты знаешь, что будет работа ..."

That's not in Russian again.

1. "Ты знаешь, что ..." is used to mean "Do you know that ... (some fact)".
Here, "что" does not work. "What job" - "what" is an attribute of "job". In Russian, it might be "какая работа" (adjective) or "что за работа" (a set expression which is understood as a request to specify a job).

2. If you ask "What job will be tomorrow" there is no place to use "for": Ты знаешь, что за работа (какая работа) будет завтра?
If you want to keep "for", it has to be rephrased somehow: "Do you know what job we have for tomorrow" or "Do you know what job is planned for tomorrow".

My suggestion for this exercise: "Ты знаешь, что за работа у нас ..." or "Ты знаешь, какая работа запланирована ..."

The rest of examples look good.