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[nadyezhda.livejournal.com]

A couple of grammatical questions for you; hope you can help. I don't understand the "то есть" structure, as in the following sentences:

Через полчаса, тó есть без четверти восемь, я уже в поликлинике. Обычно я прихожу в приёмную без десяти минут восемь, то есть за десят минут до начала работы.

How would you translate this? Is уже serving as an emphatic indicator (i.e., I'm already at the clinic)?

Secondly, I'm having trouble with a couple of time indicators, especially the "quarter to" structure. Does "Четверть восьмого" mean "quarter to 8"?

Спасибо большое.

Comments

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

То есть means "that is." Через полчаса, то есть без четверти восемь means after thirty minutes, that is, quarter to eight.

Четверть восьмого means 7.15, i.e. quarter past seven (literally, one quarter of the eight hour.) Без четверти восемь means 7.45, i.e. quarter to eight (literally, eight without one quarter.)

[nadyezhda.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I appreciate your help!

[ta-kun.livejournal.com]

"то есть" in english is "i.e." :)

[nadyezhda.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Very useful to know!

[verushka.livejournal.com]

"То есть" you may translate as "I mean"

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Don't misguide people :) То есть has a conventional translation: "that is." Why invent diversion routes when there's the straight main road?

[verushka.livejournal.com]

I wrote may be translated and not should be translated if you didn't notice. In some contexts it's rather helpful.

[nbuwe.livejournal.com]

"то есть" == "that is" == "id est" verbatim.

"that is" may mean "I mean", but I guess the native speaker already knows that :).

[cema.livejournal.com]

Четверть восьмого 7:15, без четверти восемь 7:45.