Ha and not нa

[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

When you're talking about being somewhere "for a couple of days," how do you know whether or not to use нa?

For example:
Он уехал на два года. vs.
Он жил два года.

A bit bleak, but bear with me.

Comments

[ex-fractaliz864.livejournal.com]

Use 'на' when you plan/planned something.

[sofa-m.livejournal.com]

Он жил два года - sounds like someone's only lived for two years and then died. Like an animal or baby who has only lived for two years.
Он уехал на два года - he left for two years
Now if you would've said 'Он жил (где-то - в Сибири, в Америке, в космосе) два года', that'd be fine

[padruka1988.livejournal.com]

As I understand, you're trying to compare, "He went somewhere for two years OR He was gone for two years" vs. "He lived somewhere for two years".

Both are probably right, but you could also use what you'd say in English. For example, if someone went to the Iraq war for two years, he didn't live in Iraq (well, he did, but you wouldn't say "He lived in Iraq for two years"). However, if you want to say that someone went to another city/state/country for the purpose of doing non-military work (military jobs seem to be the only job I can think of that you should say "went to ::country::" instead of "lived in ::country::".

It just depends on the context, but either one (granted you say Он жил в ____ два года, not Он жил два года because it sounds like he died!) will probably work. :))

[belacane.livejournal.com]

when you want to separate the verb from the time duration you use 'на'

for example in the sentence Он уехал на два года , he left for two years, but he wasn't in the process of leaving for two years (i.e the verb is separted from the time duration) as Он уехал два года would imply.

[oryx_and_crake]

Он уехал два года is not a correct phrase in Russian.
You can say Он был в отъезде два года or Он жил в другом городе два года or Его не было два года.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

>Он уехал два года is not a correct phrase in Russian.

I daresay it's just nonsense :)

Его не было два года sounds OK.
Anyway, what's so wrong with Он уехал на два года? It is absolutely correct.

[borodator.livejournal.com]

IMHO.
Maybe difference is like "Он уехал на два года (но вернулся только через три)" [He left for two years (but come back after thrird year)] and "Он был в Америке два года (и вернулся назад)" [He come to USA for two years (and come back)].
In other words "Он уехал на..." doesn't imply exact time spent (and maybe is past imperfect?) and "Он отсутствовал..." meat exact time and past perfect.

[dpigo.livejournal.com]

Use "на" with the verbs of moving - уехать на 2 года, убежать на 2 года, спрятаться на 2 года, e.g. when you change the place of location.
And do not use "на" when you speak about stative verbs - жить 2 года, лежать 5 минут, сидеть 3 часа.

NOTE: плыть 2 дня, ехать 5 часов... we do not use "на" though we use wit the verbs of moving...