(no subject)

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

Mostly for Native speakers, but I'm sure anyone else can answer:

If you heard the phrase "я не скажу ни слова", would you immediately think (NOT which is the correct form grammatically):

1) I don't say a word
2) I'm not saying a word
3) I won't say a word
or
4) I haven't said a word

or something else?

ETA: General consensus seems to fall with the third option, but why is that? It was my first reaction too I guess, but that's only because I was thinking about it from an English-speaking point of view and no one would ever really say 1 or 2 (they might, but even in the present tense the third would be more natural). So now it becomes a question of tense: Unless I'm mistaken (which I probably am, so please let me know) skazhit' is a present tense verb... so why would it be translated into the future tense?

Comments

[crunge.livejournal.com]

#3

[funbit.livejournal.com]

This phrase means "I will not say a word", or "I will say nothing!"

[scriabingirl.livejournal.com]

I, too, would think of the third option.

I have just started learning Russian, but I understand the basic sentences since I'm Slovene and both languages are constructed (in most cases) very similarly.

I have another question regarding your phrase... if I'm not wrong, there is a double negation - я не скажу ни слова. Is it possible to make this sentence with one negation only? And if it is, does double negation (like in this case) mean even stronger negation, like 'I won't say even one word about it.'?

[amoniak.livejournal.com]

3

[portugalist.livejournal.com]

which Slavonic language do you speak?

without double negation???

hm... я не скажу даже слова (with double negation it sounds more natural and stronger)

[portugalist.livejournal.com]

oh, sorry, sure you speak Slovene :)))) First I read "I'm Slavic" :))) that's why I asked you

[seraph6.livejournal.com]

"Скажу" is a future tense verb. The present tense would be "говорю".

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

Oh I thought they were completely different verbs, to say and to speak. Same general meaning, but different usage and exact meaning like in English.

[mymus.livejournal.com]

#3

[portugalist.livejournal.com]

not skazhit' but skazat'

Future tense:
скажу
скажешь
скажет
скажем
скажете
скажут

[snopova.livejournal.com]

"I won't say a word" - as a spontanеous decision taken at the moment of speech.

3 is the one

[stas]

I think the misuderstanding here lies in the fact that there are two verbs for describing speaking (in broader sense, there are more, but for the matter the two are closely related :) - говорить and сказать, the former meaning incomplete, continuing act but the latter meaning the complete act. While the former can appear in all three tenses - я говорил, я говорю, я буду говорить, the latter - сказать - does not form a present tense verb - you can only say я сказал (I have said) or я скажу (I will say), but to describe "I am saying" you have to use "я говорю" and you have no form of сказать verb to express the same. I'm not sure if it even possible to express the difference between 1) and 2) using "говорить" - it probably would be the same in Russian.

[scriabingirl.livejournal.com]

спасибо :)

[padruka1988.livejournal.com]

You understand wrong - сказать is a future/perfect verb.

Скажу - I will say. vs Говорю - I say/I am saying.

[noser.livejournal.com]

Verbs of perfective aspect, like сказать, don't have the present tense. What you think is the present tense form is actually the future tense form for perfective verbs.

[mangiami.livejournal.com]

I immediately thought, "I will not tell ANY words," but I'm not sure that's how you translate "ni."

The reason skazhu is translated like future is because it's perfective and has no present tense. Also, it's not from skazhit', but from skaZAT'. It conjugates like piSAT' with consonant mutation throughout.

[bukina.livejournal.com]

#2 would be perfect in some context. cross-examination for example.

- где вы были вчера вечером? where were you last night?
- я ни скажу ни слова без своего адвоката. i'm not saying a word without my lawyer.

crosspost from useless questions

[please-not-yet.livejournal.com]

Когда мы слышим иностранные имена, созвучные русским словам, мы невольно отмечаем это подобие, типа - президент Буш (типа, ну, чо, бушь по маленькой?). Любопытно, работает ли это и в другую сторону, например, раскладывается ли фамилия Путин в сознании англоязычного человека на put in?

[sinee-solnce.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but "Я не скажу ДАЖЕ слова" sounds terrible)) Doesn't it?

[portugalist.livejournal.com]

not so terrible, but awkward...

but such frases -

И слова не скажу!
Не скажу и слова!

sound OK.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Сказать and говорить WERE different werbs. In modern Russian, they substitute for each other in different tenses and aspects. Сказать is perfective, while говорить is imp. So, сказать has no present tense form, and говорить substitutes for it.
Я сказал (I have said; I have told)
Я говорил (I was speaking; I was talking)
Я говорю (I say; I speak/I am speaking; I talk/I am talking)
Я скажу (I will say; I will tell)
Я буду говорить (I will speak, on and on and on :))

Re: crosspost from useless questions

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

I would love to remind tha the working language of this community is English. It is OK to comment or post in Russian, but you are expected to provide a comprehensive English translation. Many learners of Russian here on a very early stage of their study, so they simply cannot understand what you write, however valuable your comment may be.

Re: crosspost from useless questions

[llill.livejournal.com]

He said: Do English speakers see the words 'put in' inside the name of Mr. Putin?

[podzemkin.livejournal.com]

As a native speaker... "I won't say a single word"

[ex-eugzol340.livejournal.com]

no, it doesn't =)
i think that phrase means that one who says it is quite раздражён (irritated?).