Search:

:oops: hehe, I was so busy checking my russian grammar, I forgot my English!

I am sure the "uneducated" (what do you mean, children?) understand it, but it is probably more used in books than in...

Он начал закрывать окно = he started to close the window/ he began closing the window. Emphasis here is that he began doing it, he might still completely close it.

He started to close the window...

Well he might not have even touched the window.

He was going to close the window, but...
He was about to close the window, but...
He almost closed the window, but... (here he could of started to...

Well if you don't want to learn Russian completely, then yes.

вот ответили:

"Добрый вечер!
В данном случае глагол "было" имеет значение "собирался", "начал". Далее идёт обычно частица противопоставления "но" и объяснение, почему действие не дошло до своего...

That is how I understand it... According to Ozhegov and my dictionary...

So my dictionary is incomplete?

For what it is worth, here is what my Russian dictionary says:

было - част. expresses non-fulfilment of an intended action; он начал было говорить, но остановился he was about to say something,...

I have no idea who is right, but here are some examples from literary texts:

Юрий Дружников:
Я стал было возражать, но он похлопал меня по плечу.
- Ладно-ладно, подумайте, а после решим…
...