[identity profile] nadyezhda.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] learn_russian
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.

Date: 2005-03-17 09:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 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.)

Date: 2005-03-17 10:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ta-kun.livejournal.com
"то есть" in english is "i.e." :)

Date: 2005-03-18 07:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] verushka.livejournal.com
"То есть" you may translate as "I mean"

Date: 2005-03-18 07:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 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?

Date: 2005-03-18 07:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 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.

Date: 2005-03-18 10:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 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 :).

Date: 2005-03-18 11:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cema.livejournal.com
Четверть восьмого 7:15, без четверти восемь 7:45.
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