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Thread: How to form a question with accent?

  1. #1
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    How to form a question with accent?

    Hi.

    In all the book I am reading, they mention how the russian

    'Do you understand English?' and 'you understand English' are written the same (apart from the question mark):

    vui gavareetye paruskee (dont have russian keyboard)

    Could someone please record the difference in how to make it a question, and how to make it a statement? As I am from England, I am finding it really hard not to have the higher bit of the voice raised at the end.

    If someone could demonstrate the above example, but also maybe show some other simple examples that a beginner would understand it would be a great help.

    When i get my mic, Im hope to record my attempt and see if it is an ok accent etc.

    Andy
    My new website is http://www.computer-tutorials.org/New_site/

    If anyone could help with translations or audio recording please email me!

  2. #2
    Почтенный гражданин Spiderkat's Avatar
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    Does it mean you're learning Russian only through books and without any records whatsoever at all?

    понимать = to understand
    говорить = to speak
    De gustibus et coloribus non disputandum.

  3. #3
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    понимать = to understand
    говорить = to speak
    I'm very tired, just got back from holidays...

    I am using some audio - I have the pimsleur cd's, but that is all. I find it hard to distinguish between questions and statements you see..

    Andy
    My new website is http://www.computer-tutorials.org/New_site/

    If anyone could help with translations or audio recording please email me!

  4. #4
    Почтенный гражданин Volk's Avatar
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    My CD course explains it this way:

    In Russian you simply raise the tone of your voice when you come to the main word of a question.

    For example,

    THE DOG IS SLEEPING is SABAKA SPEET

    IS THE DOG SLEEPING? is SABAKA SPEET?

    You raise the tone of your voice on SPEET.

    IS THE BEDROOM BIG? is SPALNYA BALSHAYA?, raising the tone of your voice on BALSHAYA.

    As you can see, it is usually towards the end of a question that you need to raise your voice.

    - Linkword languages Russian level 1
    For statements, you don't raise your voice.

    So in the sentence you gave, you would raise your voice on paruskee.

    I think that's right anyway, for all I know my course may not be very good compared to others. It doesn't work in cyrillic.

    Worth hearing it in audio still...
    Please correct any Russian language mistakes I make.

  5. #5
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    I know this is on old thread (ish) but would someone be able to help with this one?

    Thanks
    Andy
    My new website is http://www.computer-tutorials.org/New_site/

    If anyone could help with translations or audio recording please email me!

  6. #6
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    Re: How to form a question with accent?

    Quote Originally Posted by andrewsco
    vui gavareetye paruskee (dont have russian keyboard)
    You transliterate like this:

    Vy govorite po-ruski.
    Ingenting kan stoppa mig
    In Post-Soviet Russia internet porn downloads YOU!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by волк
    So in the sentence you gave, you would raise your voice on paruskee.
    No-no!
    Our sentence is: "Вы говорите по-русски?"
    If you raise your voice on "по-русски" that would mean "Is the language that you are talking in (right now) Russian?"
    And if you wanna say "Do you speak Russian?" you should raise your voice on "говорите".
    Please correct my mistakes if you can, especially article usage.
    My avatar shall be the author I'm currently reading.

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    If you raise your voice on "по-русски" that would mean "Is the language that you are talking in (right now) Russian?"
    Or it would mean that you are surprised that somebody can speak Russian.
    Though, I think, even with wrong intonation people will understand what you are trying to say.
    Please correct my mistakes if you can, especially article usage.
    My avatar shall be the author I'm currently reading.

  9. #9
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    I think the Pimsleur course does it in the very first lesson.

  10. #10
    Почтенный гражданин Volk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    Quote Originally Posted by волк
    So in the sentence you gave, you would raise your voice on paruskee.
    No-no!
    Our sentence is: "Вы говорите по-русски?"
    If you raise your voice on "по-русски" that would mean "Is the language that you are talking in (right now) Russian?"
    And if you wanna say "Do you speak Russian?" you should raise your voice on "говорите".
    Ah, I see. Thank you.

    *considers throwing CD course in the garbage*

    It's hard for me to picture how that would sound. Like Andrew, I'd still like to hear a spoken example of that sentence.
    Please correct any Russian language mistakes I make.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by волк
    Like Andrew, I'd still like to hear a spoken example of that sentence.
    Here it is. (too much noise I guess but I hope it will help nevertheless)
    "Happy new year, happy new year
    May we all have a vision now and then
    Of a world where every neighbour is a friend"

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vadim84
    Quote Originally Posted by волк
    So in the sentence you gave, you would raise your voice on paruskee.
    No-no!
    Our sentence is: "Вы говорите по-русски?"
    If you raise your voice on "по-русски" that would mean "Is the language that you are talking in (right now) Russian?"
    or a surprise at finding out that you can speak Russian.

  13. #13
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    or
    ВЫ говорите по-русски? I didn't know any stupid американецes spoke Russian.

    Not that different from English, you see.

    YOU speak english? same thing as above.
    You SPEAK english? in case you thought he was a mute or something.
    You speak ENGLISH? in case he was a Martian or something.

    Then comes the miracle of word order. It is my understanding that the most important idea of the question and/or statement usually goes last.

    Вы по-русски говорите?? If you can't tell whether he's speaking or writing or something else :P
    Corrupting young minds since May 6, 2004.

  14. #14
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    Here is my attempt to record this for you. The first part would be telling the person they understand English. The second part is asking if they understand English. I try to focus on понимаете in the question. I forget the word that is often referred to with this topic....hmmm

    like you want to ask if someone has a car, you would say....

    у вас ЕСТЬ машина?

    нет, нет.
    or
    у меня нет машины.

  15. #15
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    The O in по-английски is right, like an A. But your O in Понимаете sounds like a O. It should be an A. You sound like a Ukrainian or something.

    Also your T's sound hard, and at the speed you are speaking, I think your Es at the ends of words should be slightly more ye, and less И.

    Your stress is not heavy enough on английски. It almost sounds like you are stressing the A. The stress should be on the second sylable, with a good eeee sound.

    Regarindg Машина.

    У вас есть машина

    I THINK you'd say

    Машины нет.

    Чай будешь
    -(Не) буду

    Вы живете в Лондоне?
    (Да), в Лондоне

    Ты хочешь кофе?
    (не) Хочу.
    Ingenting kan stoppa mig
    In Post-Soviet Russia internet porn downloads YOU!

  16. #16
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    The first sentence sounds like "You understand English, don't you?". May be your "понимаете" shouldn't be so stressed here.

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