Thread: Pimsleur - Level 1

I'm beyond level 20 of the first Pimsleur program and I have a couple questions but it's a different release than the one in the topic.

What is the difference between мне and меня? I assumed they were the same word being enunciated differently at first.

скажите мне – say to me.
спросите меня – ask me.

How do I know whether to say

У нас в машине достаточно бензина?
У вас в машине есть бензин?

Does достаточно result in it changing forms?

If you are saying you want to go, do you put в in front of Санкт-Петербург? It doesn't sound like he does in the recording.

The word for car is машина, and I see that cars is машины, then do you pronounce the ы at the end? In the program I do not hear it. I guessed it was машин legitimately.

Originally Posted by ironfist

What is the difference between мне and меня? I assumed they were the same word being enunciated differently at first.

Мне - Indirect object.
Меня - Direct object.

Originally Posted by ironfist

How do I know whether to say

У нас в машине достаточно бензина?
У вас в машине есть бензин?

Does достаточно result in it changing forms?

This use of достаточно, as well as of many other similar adverbs, results in the noun taking the genitive form, which, in some contexts, is considered partitive. With the affirmative есть, such a change does not occur.

Originally Posted by ironfist

If you are saying you want to go, do you put в in front of Санкт-Петербург? It doesn't sound like he does in the recording.

Yes; a preposition is required for that purpose.

Originally Posted by ironfist

The word for car is машина, and I see that cars is машины, then do you pronounce the ы at the end? In the program I do not hear it. I guessed it was машин legitimately.

You will often read or hear that there is no English equivalent. To get a feel for the pronunciation, your best bet would be to visit Forvo and listen carefully to words ending in ы.