(no subject)

[coldshadows24.livejournal.com]

Hi all, I have a grammar introduction for my Russian course tomorrow and I would rather run some of the questions (all multiple choice) by the knowledgeable members of this group before submitting it. If anyone could help correct any of my answers (and I know there are a lot) then I would be extremely appreciative. I've probably made a number of mistakes since much of this is above my level, so any grammar explanation would also be helpful if I selected an incorrect answer, but it's not necessary. A simple correction of my answer would definitely suffice. :)

( Questions behind the cut due to length )

(no subject)

[coldshadows24.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for all your help on the last post, I found a few more questions but I'm not sure what some of the answers are.

1. Они никогда (talk about anything):
a. ни о чём не говорят
b. о чём-нибудь не говорят
c. говорят ни о чём

2. Таня хорошо говорий по-русски, но она (makes) ошибки:
a. делает
b. сделает
c. делала

3. Иван (for a long time) живёт в Москве:
a. давно
b. недавно
c. надолго

4. Вы видите (those girls)?:
a. этих девушек
b. эту девушки
c. етих девушках

5. (Don't ask) его о его здоровые:
a. не спросите
b. не спрашивайте
c. не просите

6. (Our brothers) уже надо ехать:
a. нашим братьям
b. нашим братями
c. наши братья

7. Маша (can) хорошо длавать:
a. поможет
b. умеет
c. знает как

8. Если Ваня там будет, вы его (will see):
a. увидишь
b. будете видеть
c. увидите

Thanks again!

More on "давно" and "долго"

[david-us.livejournal.com]

One of the texts I use is called "Introductory Russian Grammar". On p. 169 there is actually a section entitled "Давно and долго".

Sometimes these grammar books are not always exactly correct. I am going to type, verbatim, what is in this section and I would appreciate it if one of you native Russians would confirm/correct what it says.

* * * * Introductory Russian Grammar * * * *

(1) With the past tense, давно refers to something that occurred long ago, or, when the verb is in the negative, to something which has not occurred in a long time:

Всё это было давно.
All that happened long ago.

Я давно ему не писал.
I haven't written to him for a long time.

Мы давно не были в театре.
We haven't been to the theater for a long time.

(2) With the present tense, давно refers to an action or state initiated in the past but continuing in the present:

Вы давно здесь?
Have you been here long?

Иван давно живёт в Ленинграде.
Ivan has been living in Leningrad for a long time

(NOTE: Oddly, the above sentence is almost exactly the same one in the original homework post.)

(3) Долго, meaning a long time, refers to the duration of an action or condition:

Он долго жил в Советском Союзе, почти всю жизнь.
He lived in the Soviet Union for a long time, almost all his life.

Я вчера долго говорил по телeфону с Борисом.
Yesterday I talked for a long time on the phone with Boris.

Он всегда долго говорит по телефону.
He always talks a long time on the phone.

* * * * end of citation * * * *

Part (3) of the explanation says долго is used for duration. Yet, the example sentence "Вы давно здесь?" specifically addresses a duration, yet, давно is used.

I'm really going to have to think about this. The many examples help, but I still find it a bit confusing - but probably not to a Russian. :)