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Adverbal-Conjunctions

Conjunction Modifiers

In addition to pure conjunctions there are a few common words and phrases that often occur in compound sentences whose grammatical category vacillates between that of conjunctions and that of conjunction modifiers (adverbs). Some are clearly adverbs, some modify conjunctions, others are sometimes conjunctions, sometimes adverbs. Because they are so commonplace in colloquial Russian, you should be familiar with them and their usage. Мало того "let alone" This adverb is used often between the clauses of a compound sentence in the sense of "let alone", "not only", "not to mention"; in other words, when the subordinate clause adds information to that in the main clause, information which is considered more important than that in the main clause. Мало того, что он взял мою сумку, ещё и врал о краже. Not only did he steal my purse, he lied about the theft. Мало того, что он пригласил мою подругу, он ей предложил брак. Bad enough he invited my girlfriend, he proposed to her. Тем не менее "nonetheless" "Nonetheless" implies that something was done despite the event or state described in the main clause and often intensifies но or хоть. Notice that the literal translation, "no less by that" is very similar to that of the English correlate. Лена пришла в шортах, но её тем не менее пропустили в ресторан. Lena arrived in shorts but they nonetheless let her in the restaurant. Хоть очень занят, я тем не менее приду. Although I'm quite busy, I'll come. Книга была скучна, но он тем не менее дочитал ее до конца Although the book was boring, he nonetheless read it to the end. Всё-таки "all the same" Всё-таки "all the same, anyway" emphasizes contradiction or contrast and hence also often accompanies the conjunction а. It can usually be used interchangeably with тем не менее. Лена пришла в шортах, но ее всё-таки пропустили в ресторан. Lena arrived in shorts but they let her in the restaurant all the same. Хотя было холодно, Марко всё-таки пошёл на работу. Though it was very cold, Marko went to work all the same. Было много движения на улице, но Марко все-таки ехал быстро. Traffic was heavy but Marko drove fast anyway. Сверх того, кроме того "moreover" These two conjunctive modifiers indicate the addition of whatever is described in the subordinate clause to what is mentioned in the main clause. They also imply that the addition may be more important than the content of the main claus. They translate English "moreover", "not to mention the fact that", "in addition". Дарья упрекла Игоря, a сверх того, она отняла ключи от машины. Darya told Igor off and, in addition, she took away his car keys. Боря купил жене подарок а, кроме того, испёк ей торт на именины. Borya bought his wife a present and, in addition, baked her a cake for her nameday (birthday). К тому же "besides" This conjunction indicates that the clause it introduces will describe an addition to whatever is mentioned in the main clause. Another translation which often works is "in addition to" or "additionally". Он слишком занят, чтобы поехать в Россию; к тому же, он не говорит по-русски. He's too busy to go to Russia; besides he doesn't speak Russian. Я не люблю выходить в кафе; к тому же, сегодня очень холодно. I don't like to go out to cafes; besides, its very cold today.

The Russian Conjunction

The Russian Conjunction

The Coordinating Conjunctions Russian conjunctions are similar to those in English. Their function is to conjoin various parts of sentences in such a way as to tell the relationship of those parts. Conjunctions are small function words that conjoin nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases and the clauses of compound sentences, like and, or, but in English. Coordinating conjunctions indicate certain relations between clauses of equal status in a compound sentence, such as inclusivity (A and B), exclusivity (A or B), and contradistinction ([not] A but B). Subordinating conjunctions mark relations between a primary and a dependent or subordinate clause, such as causality (A because B), purpose (A so that B) and result (A if B). A and B must belong to the same class, e.g. two nouns, two adjectives, two verb phrases or two clauses. Conjunctions do not agree, decline or conjugate (Hurray!) The relative pronoun который, which is also a conjunction of sorts, does agree (which is why it is called a 'pronoun' rather than a conjunction). The Inclusive и and да "and" The Russian particle и may be used either as an adverb or as a conjunction, so beware! In the following sentences it functions as an adverb meaning either "too" or "also", or "even", as in "even more". Пришёл и этот высокий мальчишка с загаром. The tall guy with the suntan came, too. Маша сказала и Саше об этом. Masha even told Sasha about it. The particle и is used as often as an inclusive coordinating conjunction. As such, it may coordinate virually anything: two or more nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases or clauses. Я видел Машу и Петю. I saw Masha and Petya. Михаил Степанович был богат и счастлив. Mikhail Stepanovich was rich and happy. The conjunction и may be doubled, и . . . и, in order to express the sense of the English compound conjunction "both . . . and". In this sense, и . . . и has an antonym: ни . . . ни "neither . . . nor". И Соня и Боря читали об аварии в газете. Both Sonya and Borya read about the accident in the paper. Ни Соня ни Боря не читали об аварии в газете. Neither Sonya nor Borya read about any accident in the paper. Я и увиделся с ним и говорил с ним потом по телефону. I both saw him and talked to him later by telephone. Я ни увиделся с ним ни говорил с ним по телефону. I neither saw him nor talked to him by telephone. Occasionally you will still hear Russians using the inclusive coordinating conjunction unaccented да in colloquial speech. Да is used mostly by older speakers and is generally disappearing in the language. Щи да каша, пища наша. Shchi and kasha are our staples. Сосны лишь да ели/Вершинами шумели. (Пушкин) Only the crowns of the pine trees and fir trees rustled. (Pushkin) The Exclusive или "or" Russian also has an exclusive coordinating conjunction или "or" excludes one of the clauses it conjoins as a possibility. It offers a choice rather than including all items in the list it conjoins (as does и and да) and behaves otherwise very much like English or. Андрей купил телефон или телевизор? Did Andrei buy a telephone or television set? Серёжа купил или продал пейджер? Did Seryozha buy or sell a pager? This conjunction may also be doubled, или . . . или, to mean "either . . . or". Поставьте пиво или в холодильник или на балкон. Put the beer either in the refrigerator or on the balcony. Лина едет или в Голландию или в Париж. Lina is going either to Holland or to Paris. Дина или быстро работала или кто-то помог ей. Dina either worked fast or someone helped her. The Compounds like то...то "first...then" This conjunction indicates an alternation of things, states, and actions. Remember that both of these particles are unaccented and so are pronounced [ta]. The closest correlate of this conjunction in English is first . . . then, as the following examples demonstrate. Это не Ваня, а Толя. That isn't Vanya but Tolya. Он продолжал стоять, а жена села. He continued to stand but his wife sat down. The conjunction но is used in all other situations, as exemplified in the following table. Это не Ваня, но он очень похож на него. That isn't Vanya but he looks a lot like him. Он продолжал стоять, но был очень усталнй. He continued to stand though he was dead tired. Finally, да is sometimes used in the sense of но: Я давно хотел написать тебе, да позабыл адрес. I've been meaning to write you for a long time but I forgot your address.