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[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

Ok, I am really confused about when to use the perfective or imperfective aspect in the conditional.

Я хотел бы поесть мясo.
Я захотел бы поесть мясo.

How would the second sentence translate into Russian? Would it be "I would be liking to eat meat?"

*On a side note, I had my first Russian private tutor class today. 'Twas super awesome (AND she said that I had a real great Russian voice and am on an advanced level. Not bad for the first class)

Comments

[oscar-6.livejournal.com]

Both sentences are correct. Your guess about translation of the second sentence is also correct. As you may have already guessed, the second one shouldn't be used all alone -- only as a dependent clause in a conditional sentence (e.g.: Если бы у меня не болел живот, я захотел бы поесть мясо -- If I haven't a stomach-ache, I would be liking to eat meat).

By the way, a Russian would use there a genitive case of "мясо" -- "мяса", but your version is technically correct.

[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

Why would you use the genitive case and not the accusative? I would like meat. Meat is the direct object, isn't it?

[oscar-6.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely right.

[-parmesan.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely not. In Russian, genetive for direct object can be used any time in negative sentenses (and sometimes is preferable to accusative from stylistic point of view) - я не выношу громких звуков/я не выношу громкие звуки and so on.

[noser.livejournal.com]

Think of it as a difference between present indefinite and present perfect in English (present, because it's the subjunctive mood, "бы"). This is how I would translate the sentences:

I'd like to eat meat.
I would have wanted to eat meat.

And I think "I would be liking" is somewhat wrong, because захотеть means "to start to want ", a completed change of state, while "to be liking" is a continuous thing and does not hint at a change of state.

[mooze.livejournal.com]

actually, it would sound the following way:

I would've wanted to eat some meat or I would've liked to eat some meat.

That's some pretty complicated stuff you're studying...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_teemon_/]

Oscar is right.

"Я хотел бы поесть мясo." = I would like some meat.
"Я захотел бы поесть мясo". It's some sort of a different case. I don't know much about russian grammar, but I guess there must be controversal after "мясо". Example: "я захотел бы поесть мясо if it wasn't badly cooked. I don't want it"

"мясо" - meat. I see meat, I eat it.
"мяса" - some meat. There is meat, but I don't know how much can I eat. I'll just eat some.

"Devil in details".