[identity profile] upthera44.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] learn_russian
I'd like to know more about the use of the word "который." Specifically, can I use it the same way I would use it in English to say something like, "Yesterday I was at the restaurant which we spoke about yesterday"? So, in Russian it would be "Вчера я был в ресторане о котором мы вчера разговорывали"?

Other English uses of "which" include

I ate the sandwich which you gave me yesterday.

We watched a film which I do not like very much.

Is Russian который applicable to these sentences as well? Thanks in advance.

Date: 2007-03-07 05:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] berillii.livejournal.com
Yes.
Yesterday I was at the restaurant which we spoke about yesterday - Вчера я был в ресторане, о котором мы вчера разговаривали.
I ate the sandwich which you gave me yesterday - Я съел сэндвич, который ты дал мне вчера.
We watched a film which I do not like very much - Мы смотрели фильм, который мне не очень нравится.

Date: 2007-03-07 05:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] miram.livejournal.com
Yes, it is.

Я [съ]ел бутерброд, который ты мне дал[а] вчера.
Мы смотрели фильм, который мне не очень нравится.

Date: 2007-03-07 07:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] whitest-owl.livejournal.com
There is at least one case where "which" is not equal to "который":
"Give me the ball"
"Which one?"
"The blue one"
Here the correct translation would be
- Дай мне мяч
- Какой?
- Синий.
BTW you can ask "который?", that would be very-very colloquial but people will understand your question.

Date: 2007-03-07 08:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kenny566.livejournal.com
well if there are a few balls of different colors, "который" might be used instead of "какой".

Date: 2007-03-07 11:41 pm (UTC)
oryx_and_crake: (Default)
From: [personal profile] oryx_and_crake
I don't agree that in this case "который?" would sound "very-very colloquial". To me it is absolutely normal.

Date: 2007-03-07 11:46 pm (UTC)
oryx_and_crake: (Default)
From: [personal profile] oryx_and_crake
I disagree. I think it is the other way round.

- Который мяч ты хочешь?
- Вот этот.
(He wants this particular ball.)

- Какой мяч ты хочешь?
- Красный. (Or: большой.)
(Here the meaning depends on context: he wants any red or big ball, if there is more than one.)

Date: 2007-03-08 01:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yozhevich.livejournal.com
You can also use it with animate nouns, when in English you might not use "which", but "who". For example

Я видел студента, который в нашей группе.
I saw the student who is in our group.
I saw the student that's in our group.

Oh, yes... be careful, though! If you're using тот or те, etc to mean some general person/people, connect those two sentences with кто:

Русский Дом: Для тех, кто любит Россию!
Russkij Dom: For those who love Russia!

Date: 2007-03-08 02:05 am (UTC)
oryx_and_crake: (Default)
From: [personal profile] oryx_and_crake
Я видел студента, который в нашей группе.
This sounds a little awkward - Я видел студента, который учится со мной (с нами) в одной группе is way better.

Date: 2007-03-08 07:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wolk-off.livejournal.com
BTW it's разговаривали, NOT разговорывали

Date: 2007-03-08 10:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] towarysc.livejournal.com
Вчера я был в ресторане, который мы вчера разворовывали :)
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