Thread: Случайные вопросы по грамматике и конструкции предложений

1. I do not confidently understand the use of "дело" in this context, is it correct to translate this as "But the concern is that I know for sure you speak English very well?"

Но дело в том, что я знаю хорошо, что вы говорите отлично по-английски

2. I do not understand ''То есть," and if this is translated as "my aunt took me to the tutor" why does it not employ a preposition such as "моя тетя взяла мне в/к репетитор-a/y?" I am confused here...

То есть моя тетя взяла мне репетитора....

3. Is this translated as "but after, the tutor could not study further, something happened to her at her house and so fourth?" If that is a correct translation could this be written as "но затем репетитор не смогла дальше заниматься, потому что что-то случилось ей в ней доме и так далее?"

но затем репетитор не смогла дальше заниматься, что-то у неё там случилось дома и так далее...

Спасибо вам

1. Yes, «дело в том, что…» or «дело состоит в том, что…» is a set phrase analogous to “the concern is that…”.
2. «То есть» (often abbreviated as «т. е.») means “that is”, “i.e.”
3. The translation is correct.
«Что-то случилось ей в ней доме и так далее» is incorrect. You can not place the instrumental case (ей) after случилось without a preposition. You can say «случилось у неё дома» (happened in her house) or «случилось с ней» (happened with her).

Originally Posted by M.Vonok

1. I do not confidently understand the use of "дело" in this context, is it correct to translate this as "But the concern is that I know for sure you speak English very well?"

Но дело в том, что я знаю хорошо, что вы говорите отлично по-английски

"Дело" here means "cause, problem, matter, keypoint". "Дело в том, что..." is something like "the matter is...".

Originally Posted by M.Vonok

2. I do not understand ''То есть," and if this is translated as "my aunt took me to the tutor" why does it not employ a preposition such as "моя тетя взяла мне в/к репетитор-a/y?" I am confused here...

То есть моя тетя взяла мне репетитора....

No, it is not translated "my aunt took me to the tutor". It is "my aunt took me a tutor", here "репетитор" is in accusative. So, it is like "she took (hired) a tutor (for) me".

If you want to say "my aunt took me to the tutor", it would be "Моя тетя взяла меня к репетиторy". Note: it would be "меня" (accusative), not "мне" (dative). The preposition "в" is impossible with persons, since "в" means "into", "to the point inside something".

Originally Posted by M.Vonok

Но дело в том, что я знаю хорошо, что вы говорите отлично по-английски

well we do have sort of an idiomatic thing for this, "the thing is that" => "But the thing is that I know very well (that) you speak excellent English."

"the point is that" or 'the issue is that' or 'the concern is that' similar.

Originally Posted by Soft sign

«случилось у неё дома» (happened in her house)

The way the addition of н is taught in grammar books, is that н is added for her(him, them ...) but not for the possessive (her his their). So I have a question about this. By textbook: «случилось у её дома», is this wrong? Seeing «случилось у неё дома» makes me think of a different meaning.

Likewise, we can see «у них дома» and «у их дома» in internet search. And for его.

у неё дома (to whom? where?),
here "дома" = at home just refines where she got the problem:
У неё дома обвалился потолок.

у её дома (where?) = close to her house, just location, she can be even unaware that something happened.
У её дома поймали грабителя.

The preposition "в" is impossible with persons, since "в" means "into", "to the point inside something".

It means "into" only when in Accusative.
"В этом человеке удивительным образом уживались две личности." в + Person = good

But later the tutor could not give lessons any more, something happened to her at her house and so forth?

"Что-то случилось у неё дома" means "something happened to her family". Somebody fell ill for example.

Originally Posted by Полуношник

"Что-то случилось у неё дома" means "something happened to her family". Somebody fell ill for example.

It doesn't mean that, it may but it may not. It depends on the context. but the phrase itself means this:

Something happened at her home (TV blew up, combusture, and etc.)

That doesn't directly refer to her family

Originally Posted by iCake

It doesn't mean that, it may but it may not. It depends on the context.

Right. But the context does imply that it means that.