Thread: Looking for language exchange

Originally Posted by Helenej

Nope. How can he scare me? The more I’m not afraid of smart, intelligent and genuine people. I respect them.

Hey Lena....it looks like my last reply may not have been posted I don't remember what all was in it, and I don't have it saved!

Hi, Kevin. I'm gonna start with translation.

Сегодня я лучше почувствую. Я спал всю ночь. Сейчас я мало практиковаю в письме, затем работаю. - - Действительно, сейчас в работе... после того, что я пишу!
Today I feel better. I slept the whole night. Now I’ll practice in a letter, then work. - - Actually, got to go to work now…haha…after that, I’ll write!
Сегодня я чувствую себя лучше. (when it goes about health we say чувствовать себя) Я спал всю ночь. (!) Сейчас я попрактикуюсь в этом письме, а потом буду работать. Вообще-то, я сейчас должен идти на работу. А после работы я опять напишу.

Я закончил с работой. Простите, что я прежде вытянул с моим обяснением. Я постарался, что я был ясно с моими словами. Возможно в будушем, тоже, я мог бы решиться, что общаюсь по скайпу. Прежде этого похождения то, что мне нужен попрактиковать.
I finished with work. Forgive me that I dragged out my explanations. I tried to be clear with my words. In time, also, I could decide to communicate by Skype. Before that adventure it’s necessary for me to practice.
Я закончил работу. Простите, что я так растянул свои пояснения. Я попытался как можно яснее изложить свои мысли. Возможно, в будущем я тоже решу (решусь) общаться по скайпу. (решить = to make a decision, it’s neutral, while решиться = to make a decision after hesitation and indecision. So it’s up to you to choose, решу or решусь.)

Жаль, про вашего кота! Как вы поживали? Мне не нравиться коты. По крайней мере вам возможно то, что вы его удалили. Страшно Об собак моей сестры, мне нравиться один, а другой нет. Она просто упрямая собака.
A pity about your cat! How did you survive it? I don’t like cats… At least it’s possible for you to send it away. Frightful! About my sister’s dogs, I like one, but the other I don’t. She’s simply a stubborn dog.
Грустно слышать про вашего кота. (Actually I didn’t quite get your thought. My version implies that you feel pity for me. If you feel pity for the cat it should be Мне жаль вашего кота.) Как вы это вытерпели? Мне не нравятся коты. (Я не люблю котов. This is more flat and lively. Не нравятся implies that you are not so resolutively against them.) По крайней мере, вы можете увезти его куда-нибудь. Это страшно. Что касается собак моей сестры, то одна мне нравится, а другая нет. Она просто упрямая собака. (!)

Did I answer your question about “general conversation”?
I must be stupid, Kevin, but I still don’t understand “general conversation”. I know the meaning of “conversation” – обсуждение, разговор. General has a few meanings. Can you give me a synonym (I remember, thx) to this word in that particular meaning, maybe from ABBY.

I found it interesting your comment about “кажется”. Again, in English, the word “it” would be implied if omitted. By your explanation, in Russian it is not, and I have to specify to who it “seems”.
I must have stated my point of view in a wrong way. I’ll try to put it as follows. Generally we say Мне (ему, ей, нам, моей матери, Наташе, всем людям) кажется (казалось, покажется) and do not omit мне, ей, ему, им and so on. It’s true of expressing both someone’s opinion and sensation. Ему кажется, что он разбирается в живописи (opinion, he thinks). Ему показалось, что он слышит ее голос (sensation, he felt). Only the word “мне” can be omitted if кажется expresses sensation. Eму кажется, что он слышит ее голос. Мне кажется, я слышу ее голос. or Кажется, я слышу ее голос. But: Мне кажется, что она неправа.
There is one more case standing apart. In the author’s speech in fiction the person is omitted, too, and “I (the author)” is implied. Казалось, он больше не сможет подняться.

On a few occasions I’ve written the phrase “спасибо болшой”, and have been corrected to say “болшой спасиба”. My question is that I have always heard it on television as the former…even heard it this morning. Definitely “спасибо болшой”. So is it improper to say it that way, and should I ignore it?
When I express my gratitude with these two words only, I always say Большое спасибо, as in Russian we generally use this word order: adjective-noun. I’d say that Спасибо большое or Спасибо огромное is common, too. But for me, Спасибо большое sounds a little bit sloppy, as if someone said Спасибо only but then was like, “Oh, I hate to pronounce two words instead of one, but ok, let him think that my gratefulness is bigger.” At the same time I don’t feel absolutely comfortable saying Большое спасибо also because it sounds some pompous. You know I always remember the origin of the word cпасибо. It’s a strange word. It derives from “Спаси (тебя) бо(г)” which means “Save you god” literally or rather “May god save you”. So, спасибо is not a noun yet is combined with adjectives and it makes me feel awquard. Actually I think that combining of cпасибо with adjectives is only a 20th century invention, so... But if one expresses his gratitude in more that these two words like in “Большое спасибо за ваш подарок”, then the opposite word order “Cпасибо большое за ваш подарок “ sounds ok for me and even warm and hearty. It’s only my perception of the use of спасибо in speech, I may be be wrong.

I’m still very appreciative of the time you spend to help me.
Don’t mention my time spent on this thread. I’m practicing and acquiring knowledge from you. I’m the one who ought to thank you.

You know, Kevin, I’ve never in my life immersed myself into the Russian grammar so deep. And now, after refreshing a tiny part of it in my mind, I am like, “OMG, how can it all be learned by a foreigner?” I am deeply impressed by the huge amount of knowledge to be acquired and by the necessity of learning to think a different way. It’s not that I’m trying to discourage you, no way. I’m just trying to imagine how much the person should be resolute to succeed.

Originally Posted by Helenej

Hi, Kevin. I'm gonna start with translation.

Sorry my last letter was so long Lena…lol…I’m still mindful of your time in all this. Sometimes I can really ramble on. It seems to me from your corrections that I’m still not specifying enough, such as using “этого письмa” instead of just “письмо”. If I said, “I’m still incorrect,” would I say “Я ещё неправильно,” or “Я себя ещё неправильно”?

I like your use of some phrases, like the message where you said you’d do it “standing on your head”…lol. After I learn some more about proper sentence structure, I’ll try and pick up some of the Russian phrases you use.
Lol…well, I was saying I felt pity for you about the cat incident…ha ha. How did you survive it? Sometimes we poke fun by exaggerating a circumstance. It’s just American humor. That’s another thing I want to look at in the future, is the Russian sense of humor.

Сейчас я слушаю русскему телеканалу. Этого разговаривания так быстро! Вы чувствуете себя такой про английского? Я понимаю, что в течение время блекнет этого ощущения. Я этого ожидаю с не терпением.

Right now I’m listening to a Russian television station. This conversation is so fast! Do you feel the same about English? I understand that after a time this sensation will fade. I’m impatiently waiting for this.

Скажите мне Лена, вам нравиться кинофилм? Cloud Atlas последний филм, что я хочу посмотреться. Несколько филмы я посмотреть на DVD, а когда-то я хочу идтй в кинотеатре. У вас есть в киеве театра?

Tell me Lena, do you like movies? Cloud Atlas is the next movie that I want to see. Some films I watch on DVD, but sometimes I want to go to the movie theatre. Do you have a theatre in Kiev?

А на восточный берег США щёл огромный шторм. Вы послышали? Это страшное. У вас есть трудные зимы там в киеве? Я никогда не видал такой снег. А вы ли путешествовали? Я в японии поехал когда я был молодее. Я был в войске (US Marine Corps).

A huge storm came to the east coast of the USA. Did you hear? It was terrible. Do you have difficult winters there in Kiev? I’ve never seen such snow. Have you traveled? I went to Japan when I was younger. I was in the armed forces (US Marine Corps).

Well that’s all for now, I’ll keep this short for you…lol.

Why thank you for the compliment Lena! I think you're a dynamic individual too

The ABBY reads that slow can be used both as an adjective and adverb. I don’t understand.
You’re correct, you could use “slower” as well, but I think “slowly” is more natural and makes the sentence able to stand on its own without further information if it were needed.

I’d rearrange that sentence: I’ve heard of Cloud Atlas and even tried a couple months ago to read the novel that it is based on. To think, I would never dare insert such an adverbial modifier inside the predicate!
The way the sentence was written previously, it made it sound like “a couple months ago” referred to “the novel that it is based on”, rather than the time frame of when one “tried”….”a couple months ago…”.

Ok, now I will remember. But if I meant something indecent what would you say?
The word “spicy” is very common when used to describe indecent subjects, such as “…the spicy details of last night’s date,” or “…the spicy
subject of their last romantic encounter.”

Most of the mistakes you’ve made along the way have been very minimal, Lena, so I haven’t been too quick to make note of them to you. I would say that articles are a common point of trouble that I hear from foreigners when they speak or write….when to use “the”, or “a”, or
when not to. I’ll be more diligent to point these out to you so that we can “polish” up your patterns.

I have a question for you Lena about using the genitive case for nouns…I’ve read before that the genitive case is often used as the subject of a sentence, and so often I’ve been doing that. Is this incorrect? If it is sometimes used, when would that be?

I noticed that most of the mistakes I made this time were very common mistakes. I’ve got to watch how I choose my cases. I still have trouble with choosing when to use perfective or imperfective.

Сегодня я с другом я обедал. Обед был очень вкусным и мы длинного времени разговаривали. Мой друг работает как дальнобойшиком. Она меня заходит в любое время она в городе.

Today I had lunch with a friend. Lunch was very tasty and we talked a long time. My friend works as a long distance truck driver. She drops in
whenever she’s in town.

Я бы хотел соединю с дискуссей на ветку про глаголы, но моё написание ещё слишком проким. Все будут выкликнут...ха ха. Я должен
допустить, что несколько возражения чём я пишу мне казалось необычным. Я использаваю много слов, которые я прочитаю. Я прочитаю веши, которые не старым. Я не знаю...это загадка.

I would like to join in the discussion on the thread about verbs, but my way of writing is still too poor. Everyone would cry out…haha. I have to admit that some objections to what I write seemed unusual. I use many words which I read. I read things which aren’t old. I don’t know…it’s a puzzle.

Лена, который слово вы предпочитаете использованием для английского «more»: «больше» или «более»? Я думаю, что тоже я бы хотел использовать больше предлогы с моими предложениями. Пожалуйста, мне обьясните перевод к английскему: «....но то, что....» и «....за то, что....». Можете их использовать с предложениями?

Lena, which word do you prefer with the use for English “more”: “больше” or “более”? I think that also I would like to use more prepositions
with my sentences. Please explain to me the translation to English: “….но то, что...” and “....за то, что....”. May you use them with sentences?

Originally Posted by kgcole

I have a question for you Lena about using the genitive case for nouns…I’ve read before that the genitive case is often used as the subject of a sentence, and so often I’ve been doing that. Is this incorrect? If it is sometimes used, when would that be?

The noun which is the subject of a sentence should only be put in the nominative. I think there are no exceptions. I'm sure there are no exceptions. We detect the subject by the nominative case.

Originally Posted by Helenej

The noun which is the subject of a sentence should only be put in the nominative. I think there are no exceptions. I'm sure there are no exceptions. We detect the subject by the nominative case.

Good...that solves that problem for me

Which word do you prefer with the use for English “more”: “больше” or “более”?

Only более is used to form the superlative of adjectives and adverbs. Он более грамотный, чем его сестра.

In the meaning of “in bigger amount” or “to a bigger extent” we use both, более being more bookish. (What is the synonym to bookish?) I hardly ever use более in this meaning. Добавь больше муки в тесто.

Originally Posted by Helenej

Which word do you prefer with the use for English “more”: “больше” or “более”?

Only более is used to form the superlative of adjectives and adverbs. Он более грамотный, чем его сестра.

In the meaning of “in bigger amount” or “to a bigger extent” we use both, более being more bookish. (What is the synonym to bookish?) I hardly ever use более in this meaning. Добавь больше муки в тесто.

A synonym for bookish would be "erudite". It's not a word one often hears spoken, though; however, when I was young and in school I was taught by a teacher that valued a rich and comprehensive vocabulary, and passed it on to her students. So that comes easily to my mind. Does anyone else think of another word that would convey the meaning?

Originally Posted by kgcole

A synonym for bookish would be "erudite". It's not a word one often hears spoken, though; however, when I was young and in school I was taught by a teacher that valued a rich and comprehensive vocabulary, and passed it on to her students. So that comes easily to my mind. Does anyone else think of another word that would convey the meaning?

Possibly, "highbrow". I’m not a native speaker though.

Originally Posted by diogen_

Possibly, "highbrow". I’m not a native speaker though.

Thanks for the input diogen_....I dunno, I don't think "highbrow" really works in this context. I'd still stick with "erudite", Helene, or just "intelligent". Wait a minute.....ABBY listed "well-read". That's a possibility.

Please explain to me the translation to English “....за то, что....”.
I respect him for telling the truth in any situation. Я уважаю его за то, что он всегда говорит правду.

Here you use a simple sentence with the gerund as an object. There is no verbal form in Russian similar to the English gerund. To render its meaning we can use nouns, other verbals or clauses. “он всегда говорит правду” is an object clause. It is introdused to the main clause ending with the demonstrative pronoun “то” by the conjunction "что".

Please explain to me the translation to English: “….но то, что...”.
Но то, что он тебя обманул, вызывает мое негодование.
But his having deceived you causes my indignation.
Very much the same. I’m not sure if you need any comments on this.
And Eugene is right, it can be put like “Но тот факт, что он тебя обманул, вызывает негодование.”
Though it is not so compact, and, for me, sounds a bit bookish. If I were to speak with my daughter I’d go with “Но то, что он тебя обманул”.

It's similar to "for the fact that he tells the truth in any situation" where "the fact that" conveys the Russian "то, что ...".
You can also replace the word "fact" with anything that suits best, like "feature" or something like that, at the same time conveying the same sense.

Originally Posted by Eugene-p

It's similar to "for the fact that he tells the truth in any situation" where "the fact that" conveys the Russian "то, что ...".
You can also replace the word "fact" with anything that suits best, like "feature" or something like that, at the same time conveying the same sense.

This is how I've always thought of it in translation. Though I don't generally like to introduce new words in translation that aren't present in the original version. I think in that case it doesn't take one from the meaning.

kgcole

Though I don't generally like to introduce new words in translation that aren't present in the original version.

I don't think translating word by word is a good idea. In your studies you will definitely come across a hell of a lot of things that don't allow this kind of translation. You had better get prepared to it now.

Originally Posted by Eugene-p

kgcole

I don't think translating word by word is a good idea. In your studies you will definitely come across a hell of a lot of things that don't allow this kind of translation. You had better get prepared to it now.

I understand what you mean, Eugene. I guess I've just run into translation that I've read that change the meaning or intent by introducing new ideas, so I'm judicious about how I do it myself. But you know what they say: "Never say never"...lol

Сегодня я с другом я обедал. (Сегодня я обедал со своим другом) Обед был очень вкусным(,) и мы длинного времени (мы долго) разговаривали. Мой друг работает как (как is not needed) дальнобойшиком (дальнобойщиком). Она меня заходит (она заходит ко мне) в любое время она в городе (каждый раз, когда бывает в городе). A woman works as a long distance truck driver?

Today I had lunch with a friend. Lunch was very tasty and we talked a long time. My friend works as a long distance truck driver. She drops in whenever she’s in town.

Я бы хотел (хотел бы, it’s more neutral) соединю с дискуссей (присоединиться к дискуссии) на ветку (на ветке) про глаголы, но моё написание ещё слишком проким (но я еще слишком плохо пишу). Все будут выкликнут (все воскликнут)...ха ха. Я должен допустить (признать), что несколько возражения (некоторые возражения) (по поводу того), о чём я пишу(,) мне казалось необычным (показались мне необычными). Я использаваю (использую) много слов, которые я прочитаю (читаю). Я прочитаю (читаю) веши, которые не старым (современные вещи) (Я читаю современные вещи). Я не знаю...это загадка.

I would like to join in the discussion on the thread about verbs, but my way of writing is still too poor. Everyone would cry out…haha. I have to admit that some objections to what I write seemed unusual. I use many words which I read. I read things which aren’t old. I don’t know…it’s a puzzle.

Лена, который (какое) слово вы предпочитаете использованием (использовать) для английского «more»: «больше» или «более»? Я думаю (наверное), что (should be omitted) я тоже (также, тоже=также, but также has the additional meaning of besides) бы хотел (хотел бы) использовать больше предлогы (предлогов) с моими предложениями (в моих предложениях). Пожалуйста, мне обьясните (объясните мне) перевод к английскему (на английский): «....но то, что....» и «....за то, что....». Можете их использовать с предложениями? I didn’t understand the last sentence, why “may you use”?

Lena, which word do you prefer with the use for English “more”: “больше” or “более”? I think that also I would like to use more prepositions with my sentences. Please explain to me the translation to English: “….но то, что...” and “....за то, что....”. May you use them with sentences?

Ха ха....да, правда, что мой друг женского и работает дальнобойщиком. Разве это удивительным? Она очень любит это и была работала с тех пор к неё семьнадцать лет. Вообше-то в США есть шансов того, что кто-нибудь сделать какая-нибудь работу. Возможно из-за кризисы, а ешё она её работы любит.

Ha ha…yes, it’s true that my friend is feminine and works as a long-distance truck driver. Is it really surprising? She loves it a great deal and has worked from the time she was seventeen. Generally in the USA there are chances for anyone to do any kind of work. Possibly because of the crisis, but still she loves her work.

Скажите, вы порекомендуете какая-нибудь книгу, которая вы полюбили прочитать? По-вашему, какой они отличат английский писатели и русский? У вас есть какое-нибудь мнение? Пока читая, я думаю много об стиль и способностей автора. Я сам себе спросить: автор ли моё внимание схватит? Итак вы подумаете они отличат женский и мужской писатели?

Tell me, do you recommend any book which you loved to read. In your opinion, how do English and Russian writer differ? Do you have any opinion? While I read, I think a lot about style and abilities of the author. I ask myself: does the author grasp my attention? So do you think male and female writers differ?

Сегодня ночь мы поужинаем на гамбургер. Всегда на пятнице мы поготоваем гамбургер После ужина я буду смотрю на DVD и пишу и-майлы. DVD на котором я буду смотреть: Хроника. «Скоро после три подростоков споткнутся на неопознанное вещество, их начнут мощи выставлять дальше чем их бурных мечт.»

Tonight we dine on hamburger. Always on Friday we prepare hamburger After dinner I will watch a DV and write email. The DVD which I will watch: Chronicle. “Soon after three teens stumble upon an unknown substance, they begin to exhibit powers beyond their wildest dreams.”

I’m curious to see how you translate that last passage. My translation is so “word for word”, but I couldn’t think of any other way to express it. It’s good practice though. Tomorrow is the weekend for me. I’m getting rather sleepy now, so I guess I’ll hit the sack (if you’re not familiar with that phrase, it means go to bed). Hope you’re enjoying your Saturday!