Verbs ending in «-я»
Dec. 11th, 2004 12:21 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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learn_russianWhat exactly does it mean when Russian verbs end in я?
Examples—говоря, зная, снясь
The translators tell me that these mean "speaking, knowing, dreaming," but when would this form of the verb be used?
Examples—говоря, зная, снясь
The translators tell me that these mean "speaking, knowing, dreaming," but when would this form of the verb be used?
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no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:34 am (UTC)for example, "knowing this, we can assume..."
or "speaking for myself, i can say i like it"
no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:59 am (UTC)But there is a few exceptions:
Когда мы приедем? - Смотря когда мы выедем.
When will we arrive? - Depends on when we'll leave (literally, while looking at when we'll leave - this is a widely used expression that can't be translated literally.)
correction
Date: 2004-12-11 11:01 am (UTC)Fat fingaz again. Sorry for typos, it's Saturday after all..
no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:43 am (UTC)Говоря с другом, я увидел красную птицу.
(While) Talking to a friend, I noticed a red bird.
Не зная броду, не суйся в воду.
Not knowing where the ford is, don't enter the water. (It's a proverb, суйся = venture).
A phrase with "снясь" is tough to construct, because it presupposes an action that someone performed to appear in someone else's dream. The literal English translation would be awkward.
Снясь Фродо, Саурон злобно улыбался.
Dreaming himself to Frodo, Sauron grinned maliciously.
I am not sure if the corresponding English entity ending in -ing is properly called a gerund or just a verb starting a dependent clause.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 11:05 am (UTC)Having brought the bread, Anny went to buy butter.
Принеся хлеб, Аннушка пошла за маслом.
Even an occasional gerund can be translated using деепричастия: names of English movies like "Changing channels" are translated "Переключая каналы". This usage always grated me, but it's not technically incorrect, and it's the shortest possible way of translating a gerund.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 11:25 am (UTC)Annushka went to buy oil, not butter :) though it's the same word in Russian, масло. Poor Berlioz :)
no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 11:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:55 am (UTC)(I just lllllllllllove this example :)))))))
no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 11:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 11:23 am (UTC)Anyway, we have to thank Peter Jackson for spreading LOTR's images system this wide :)
no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 10:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 02:00 pm (UTC)That's the example from the depths of my twisted mind.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-11 02:09 pm (UTC)Senatores bone virii, senatum autem mala bestia.
Oh dear
Date: 2004-12-11 11:03 am (UTC)If you're currently in a Russian class, and they haven't hit these yet, don't try to use them in your class assignments. Usage is *really* tricksy, and it's probably best to wait or ask your professor/teacher to give you some better explanations/exercises.
Re: Oh dear
Date: 2004-12-11 05:36 pm (UTC)