Tricky translations

In the text below you will find various word combinations using the word “job”. Their translations into Ukrainian follow in brackets:

1. Looking for a job

In today's world we all want to land ourselves a good job (лаштуватись на гарну роботу). Some jobs are part-time (робота з частковою зайнятістю), some are full-time (робота з повною зайнятістю). However, we can all agree that our personal success depends on having a steady job (постйна робота, що приносить впевненість на майбутнє). То be jobless (без роботи) is to be without means. Below you'll find some useful tips on how to look for a job (пошук роботи). We hope that with their help you'll find yourself a nice cushy job (легка, не виснажлива «непильна» робота).

• The start of any job hunt (пошук роботи) should include deciding what you want in your employment. Is job satisfaction (задоволення від роботи) or job security (гарантія зайнятості) more important? Sometimes a job can provide both although this is rare, and if your prospective employer promises that, he or she maybe attempting to do a snow job (обман) and conceal or cover up the truth.

• Before applying for a job (подавати заяву про прийом на роботу) you should fully read the job description (посадові обов’язки). Sometimes what appears to be a permanent job (постійна робота) might turn out to be a job-share (розподіл посадових обов’язків з іншим працівником).

• You also need to make sure that you are either qualified or that you will receive on-the-job training (підвищення кваліфікації на робочому місці)

• Once you secure your dream job (secure a job - закріпитися на роботі; dream job - робота вашої мрії), it will be essential to your cussess not to make friends with fellow-employees with a tendency to lie down on the job (лінуватися). Because, if you fall down on the job (не справлятися з роботою), your employer may force you to quit your job (звільнитися).

• Good luck in the job search (пошуки роботи)!

2. How to translate put off and put on into Ukrainian?

A British friend of Business Spotlight tells us his thoughts about living in Ukraine. In the story he uses two phrasal verbs 'put off' and 'put on' in different contexts. In brackets you will find translations of these verbs. You will be amazed at how distinct the meanings are.

When I thought about coming to Ukraine, I was put off the idea (мене не приваблювала ця ідея) by the fact that the winters are so cold. Indeed, in my first winter I often found that my freezing fingers put me off (відволікають від) the work I was trying to do. In fact, when I was working from home I would just go to bed and put off (відкладав) finishing the job I was doing until the next day. Also, my lack of Russian or Ukrainian language didn't help. Once, I asked the minibus driver to put me off (висадити) at a particular station but he forgot and I finished up not knowing where I was. Yet I couldn't put the blame on (звинувачувати) anyone but me, as it was my decision to come here.

However, things began to get better when I discovered a love of Ukrainian music. I bought some DVDs and I used to put them on (слухати) to cheer me up whenever I felt depressed. Things really began to improve when I started sampling Ukrainian food and since then I have put on (набрав) a lot of weight. That shows I am not just putting it on (я не обманюю) when I say, 'I love borsch!' Even fast food is great. I just put on (одягаю) a jacket and race down to my favourite cafe.

And the people are really friendly. When I am on the phone and they realise I can't speak the lingo, they readily put me on (з’єднують) to someone who can. Even more than that, my colleagues are immensely helpful. Next month we have a promotion for our new service and lots of them have offered to help put it on (підготувати).

Honestly! It's absolutely true. I know how important cultural adjustment is to our whole well-being and so I'm not just trying to put you on (обманювати). I am not a betting man. I don't put money on (роблю ставки, закладаюся) horses but I bet if you give it time, it will all come good, and you too, will put people on (познайомити) to other countries' secret life.

3. In the text below with tips lor successful meetings you will find various word combinations using the word "take". Their translations into Ukrainian tollow in brackets.

It is easy to take a dislike to (невзлюбити) being stuck in badly managed meetings as well as in traffic jams. Although traffic jams are often taken for granted (безсумнівно визнавати). Ineffective meetings can take a lot out of anyone (відібрати багато енергії) but in fact it doesn't take a lot of doing (нескладно) to plan and manage successful meetings.

Meetings are too often taken as they come (приймати щось таким як воно є). I've taken part (приймати участь) in plenty of meetings where the purpose of the meeting was the meeting itself. Once there, it took a lot of time (віднімати багато часу) to produce only a minimum of new ideas and almost no action.

Meetings will fail to take (бути успішним, вдатися) unless we understand that they are not the destination but a tool used in order to reach strategic objectives or organizational destinations.

We should take (сприймати) meetings as a means to an end. It enables us to take the driver's seat (взяти віжки управління в свої руки) and focus our attention on the results we want to achieve and take the necessary action (починати діяти) to achieve them. This .equires taking some steps (приймати деякі заходи) such as deciding on the appropriate structure of a meeting, choosing a competent chairperson and determining the key participants in order to take advantage of (скористатися перевагою) the time and energy participants contribute. Only taking all this into account (приймати все це до уваги), can we achieve the desired results.

The success of meetings is limited only by our understanding of their purpose and our ability to plan and manage them.

4. In the text below with tips for effective time management you will find various word combinations using the word "put". Their translations into Ukrainian follow in brackets.

Prioritization or making a list of priorities is the first step towards effective time management. It makes us aware that there are many non-essential things that we waste our time on, and consequently really important things like family, hobbies and mental stimulation can be neglected. A large number of us tend to put mental health aside (надавати менше значення, применшувати) and think only about work or business, thereby forgetting that other things make life more interesting and of greater value. So when you are considering your priorities remember to make time for, for example, your family, then move onto other things based on how urgent they are and how much time each is going to tаке. When you are doing this you should know which project or presentation you must put first (розглядати як пріоритет), and organize your time accordingly. Do not try to do things that are of little value and put your delegation skills to work (задіяти вміння делегувати), which can also help you to save time.

Procrastination is a major setback in effective time management and can prevent you from even starting on simple tasks which can easily be dealt with. So do not put off (не відкладати) doing whatever is required of you and do it in аn effective manner. Do not put a lot of energy into (прикладати зусилля) talking over the phone or mulling over the problem because contemplation alone will not achieve your ends. The best way to avoid putting your plans into disarray (зруйнувати плани) is planning and implementing without putting the task off (відкладати) and without letting anything interrupt you. There ought to be specific reasons why we put off (відкладаємо) work, perhaps because there is some kind of complication which needs to be resolved, so think about the process that you would like to follow and put it into practice (застосувати на практиці). Be result-oriented and try to meet your deadlines since that will put you in a good mood (створити гарний настрій), and encourage you to put in more effort (вкладати більше зусиль) and achieve greater success. Promise and give yourself a reward whenever you achieve your goals.

Set goals for yourself which should be flexible so that the moment you miss your first goal you can put it behind you (відкласти) and start attempting to complete your revised first and second goals within the time set for both, because your task or project is now behind schedule. To help you with this you can prepare both daily and weekly plans. Once you have put the things you have to do in order (впорядкувати справи, які треба виконати) you will be able to understand the number of tasks that you have and the way to find time for each one of them.

These are some of the tips that you can use for effective time management but all these can only bear fruit if you work and not just while away time putting on that impression (створювати враження). When you start work and then realize that what you are doing is not that important, do not put it aside (відкладати в сторону) half way since that simply converts the time that you have already spent on it into wasted time. It is always better to finish off work rather than leaving it undone, regardiess of whether it is important or not, because what you put down (записувати) as not very important today may become very important, with an "urgent" flag attached to it, tomorrow or the day after.

5. In the text below about the value of emotional intelligence at work you will find various word combinations using the word "way". Their translations into Ukrainian follow in brackets.

Some time ago when talking about intelligence, HR managers focused on cognitive aspects, such as memory and problem-solving. However, nowadays this approach has given way to (поступився місцем) emotional intelligence appraisal.

Traditional tests of cognitive intelligence do little in the way of (мають мало спільного з) telling us about what it takes to be successful in life. A high score on an IQ test opens the way to (відкриває можливість до) a better job: EQ by the way (між іншим) is a very good predictor of job performance. Such abilities as being able to handle frustration, control emotions, and get along with other people can certainly help you make your way towards (відкрити дорогу до) promotion.

Psychologists believe that social and emotional abilities one way or another (так чи інакше) are four times more important than IQ in determining professional success and prestige. To put it another way (іншими словами), if you're a scientist, you probably needed a high IQ score to get a doctorate and a job. But having an extra 10 or 15 points of IQ doesn't clear the way (відкривати шлях) to persist in the face of difficulty and to get along well with colleagues and subordinates. In many ways (тою самою мірою) the same is true in other occupations. In one of the studies, new salesmen who were optimists sold 37 per cent more insurance in their first two years than pessimists did.

The ability to manage feelings and handle stress is another useful way to (можливість) find success. Emotional intelligence has as much to do with knowing when and how to express emotion as it does with controlling it.

Empathy is in each and every way (в кожному окремому випадку) a particularly important aspect of emotional intelligence, and researchers have known for years that it contributes to occupational success. People who are besе at identifying others' emotions are more successful in their work as well as in their social lives.

To my way of thinking (як мені здається), as the pace of change increases and the world of work makes ever greater demands on a person's cognitive, emotional, and physical resources, the ability to manage emotion will enable you to make your own way in the world (прокласти собі дорогу в житті).

6. In the dialogue below you can find translations of words with «out-» as a prefix and phrases with «out» as a preposition.

S: Jane, do you have that outline (ескіз, нарис, схема) I asked for last week?

J: Oh, Mr. Shaw. No, I actually went on an out-of-town trip (заміська прогулянка) over the weekend, and I didn't have time.

S: I see. I guess it's a good idea for all of us to experience the great outdoors (побути на лоні природи) sometimes. Perhaps I should think of an outing (заміська прогулянка, пікнік) myself. Well, we need to understand our outflow (відтік грошей, витік) to foreign projects before the week is out (до кінця тижня).Outwardly (зовні) the situation looks nice. Demand is outstripping (перевищує) supply and the outlook (перспектива) for trade is good, but we are out to (намагаємося) capture the local market and there are already enough companies trying to outshine (затьмарити, перевершити) us.

J: I know, Sir. We don't want to be outdone (ми не хочемо, аби нас перевершила) by another company.

S: Correct. We'd be out of favor (в немилості) with all our retail outlets (торгові точки) if that happened. I hope we will outlast (протримаємося довше) our rivals. Can you make sure to include the outlay (витрати) on outdoor advertising (зовнішня реклама) and financial outlook (фінансовий прогноз) in your outline?

J: Yes, of course. All the outgoings (витрати) will be included. I promise to have it in my outbox (приготувати до відправки електронною поштою) by 2pm tomorrow. Will that be enough time?

S: Outstanding (Чудово)! If the figures from last month's meeting aren't outdated (застаріли), I'd say we are due to outperform (перевершити) the competition this year. I know our team was born to outclass (піти далеко вперед), outrival (випередити), outdistance (вирватись уперед), outrun (переганяти), outwit (перехитрити), and outsell (продавати більше, ніж будь-хто)!

J: Well...At least, outtalk (переговорити)... I haven't yet calculated our output tax (вихідний податок) for this month, so I'd say those figures wouldn't give you a realistic outcome (результат) for this month. Better to wait for my outline.

S: That sounds good Jane. By the way, is that a new outfit (вбрання, костюм)? It looks good.

J.: Thanks, Mr. Shaw.

7. In the text below about how to behave during an interview you will find various idioms using the word "go". Their transitions into Ukrainian follow in brackets.

• Be a good listener. From the word go (з самого початку) let your interviewer know that you're listening attentively by nodding, using facial expressions that make you look interested, picking up on key words they've used and asking them to expand on subjects that genuinely interest you. Never interrupt your interviewer and don't let his words go right over your head (не звертати уваги на те, що він говорить; пропускати повз вуха).

• Be honest. If you don't understand a question don't go red in the face (не червонійте), but simply ask for an explanation. If you're faced with something you really are unable to deal with, be truthful about it – honesty is more likely to impress than pretending to have the answer to everything.

• Be consistent. Many interviewers ask the same things in different ways as a means of checking you out. Listen to yourself as well as them and don’t say anything that goes against your principles (протирічить вашим принципам). If you feel you've made a mistake, put things right by saying, “going back to what I said еаrlier (повертаючить до вищезазначеного) about… what I really meant was…”

• Avoid the temptation to talk too much. If there are awkward silences when you've finished saying what you want, don't fill them with nervous chatter. Some interviewers use silence to see how you'll react. Pass the lead back to them bу pleasantly saying, "Does that answer your question'" or go through the main points again (повторіть головні пункти) – doтєе inundate the interviewer with information they don't need.

• Be aware of your body language. Maintaining eye contact with the interviewer is essential, but don't overdo it – take your cues from (діяти згідно вказівок) the interviewer. It goes without saying that (очевидно, безсумнівно) leaning forward makes you appear attentive and enthusiastic – being slumped conveys boredom оr laziness.

• Be positive. Even if your last job was the pits, if asked for your reasons for leaving, don't let a negative word pass your lips — let good will come out of it. Instead say: “I genuinely enjoyed it as job, but I’m eager to move onto a different challenge and use the skills I’ve gained”. Then go on (продовжуйте) and impress them even more by stating how those skills make the difference.

• If you’re not asked about something that you feel essential, don’t let the opportunity go by (не втрачай нагоди) and raise the subject yourself. This is your one chance, so don’t waste the opportunity.

• If you follow these tips you can’t go wrong (не помилитесь) and interview will come up to your expectations and your dream to get a new job will come true.

8. The word «cut» can be used in many different contexts and expressions in English. Read a text below about how a company can hold its cut in a global market (утримувати свою долю) and find Ukrainian translations of such expressions.

For a company to remain competitive in today's market, it is important to be at the cutting edge (передовий край) of its field, using new technology, strategies and an open mind regarding change. The most significant changes in business have been caused, of course, by globalisation. If we cut out the details (прибрати, пропустити деталі), in general the situation looks like this: these days it is no longer possible for a medium-sized company to cut itself off from (відгородитися від) the rest of the world, as the rest of the world has already come to it.

Any local company's goods or services have to compete with those offered by an international company trying to cut in on (попасти, проникати на) the local market, to take their cut (отримати свою долю) of the opportunities for profit and of course to cut out their rivals (витіснити суперників). Larger multi-national companies are ready for cut and thrust (сутичка). In fact, they are a cut above (на голову вище) local companies because they can take more risks than family businesses as failure in one area can be compensated by another. Smaller companies of course do not have this level of security. It’s no surprise then, that competition has become more cut throat (запеклий, жорстокий) and causes such a high level of stress that many people find they are not cut out for this work (вони не створені для цієї роботи) and even sometimes cut their connection with (розривати стосунки з) the world of business.

While fifty years ago a typical company had a distinct ‘nationality’, medium to large companies today are more cut and paste (складний, непростий) affairs – skilled employees are recruited from an international labour pool, and various sectors of the company cut across (пересікають) national borders: manufacturing in one country, developing products in another, and marketing in a third.

One of the main reasons for this, of course, is to cut costs (зменшити витрати), by relocating to countries with cheaper labour. A further cost-cutting measure (захід щодо зменшення витрат) is 'downsizing' a company, that is, by cutting back (зменшувати) on labour costs by cutting back the number of employees. But this is only an option if restructuring means a smaller workforce can still maintain the same level of productivity. In some cases, to avoid job cuts (скорочення штату), employers and employees have cut deals (неформально: укладати угоди) where the employee gets job security (at least in the short term), in exchange for accepting a salary cut (зменшення зарплати).

9. How do you say "notice" in Ukrainian?

The most common and basic use of "notice" is as a verb, which is translated as помітити or звернути увагу: "Really? I hadn't noticed." – "Правда? A я й не помітив(-ла)".

As a noun, "notice" often refers to the advance warning employees give to their employers – or vice versa – before ending a working relationship. In Ukrainian, one speaks of строк подання заяви про звільнення here "I have to give two weeks' notice." — "Мені потрібно подати заяву про звільнення за два тижні". We also use the phrase "hand in one's notice" (подати заяву про звільнення). In this sense of advance warning, "notice" is also used in the phrases "at short notice" ('I had to cancel the appointment at short notice" – "Я змушений був терміново відмінити зустріч") and "until further notice" (аж, надалі до подальшого повідомлення).

A notice is also a written public announcement, such as a no-smoking notice, and it is best translated as вивіска, знак, оголошення "I'm sorry, this is a no-smokmg area: didn't you see the notice?" – "Це зона для тих, хто не палить, ви не бачили знак?" The place in а company where notices are displayed is called a "notice- board" (дошка для оголошень).

10. How do you say "meet" in Ukrainian?

The verb "meet" is commonly used to mean "get together to discuss work topics". In this sense it is translated as "провести нараду, зустріч": "When are meeting today?" – "На котру годину призначено сьогоднішню зустріч?"

It is also used to mean "get to know someone for the first time" and is translated as знайомитись "Where did you meet her?" – "Де ви з нею познайомилися?"

"Meet" is often used in the sense of "pick up", in which case it is translated as зустріти "I will meet you at the airport." — "Я зустріну вас в аеропорту".

We also use "meet" in the sense of "arrange to see someone": "I can't make it this evening; I'm meeting someone for dinner." This is best translated into Ukrainian as домовитись з кимось or зустрітись з ким-небудь "Сьогодні ввечері я не можу цього зробити, я домовився (-лась) на вечерю".

In numerous collocations, "meet" is used in the sense of "fulfil". "Meet expectations" is translated as виправдати очікування, "meet (a) demand" as задовольнити попит, "meet sb’s demands" as задовольнити чиїсь потреби, "meet certain conditions" as відповідати певним умовам, "meet a deadline" as завершити роботу в строк, "meet a claim" as задовольнити претензію and "meet a bill" as погасити рахунок.

Make sight translation of the text:

Some think Well Water among Safest to drink

After a reactor at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant exploded in 1986, dozens of new water pumps were built in Kyiv to provide the capital with clean drinking water from aquifers. Tests show that the water from the pumps is still among the cleanest available - certainly better than tap water.

There are around 200 pumps in Kyiv, although half of them currently aren't working. Kyiv pumps bring water from more than 200 meters underground. Water at such depth is more protected from chemical and microbiological contamination. It is natural good quality water that doesn’t require any further chemical purification. It is cleaned merely by a mechanical filter and delivered directly to the consumers’ containers.

Independent tests of three Kyiv pumps located in Shevchenko Park in the city center, at 20 Gongadze Prospect on the right bank and at 12 Boichenko Street on the left bank were made in March, 2012. A microbiological test, conducted by the sanitary Microbiology Laboratory of the Marzeyev Institute of Hygiene and Medical Ecology, revealed that the water in those pumps was free from any harmful bacteria and microbes, while the chemical one carried out by the Ion Exchange and Adsorption Laboratory of National Technical University of Ukraine proved this water is safe and physiologically sound.

It's not all good news, however.

All three samples of the pump water had a strong smell, which indicates excessive levels of hydrogen sulfide. This gas, which evaporates after a short period of time, has an unpleasant smell and could put people off drinking this water. While some experts say it's the only disadvantage of hydrogen sulfide, others say it's harmful. Hydrogen sulfide is a waste product of bacteria. There's nothing good about it," said Kostiantyn Zagorodniuk, an assistant professor at the Bogomolets National Medical University.

The results also show an amount of iron in the sample collected from the pump at Taras Shevchenko Park, which is three times over the recommended limit. Some scientists say iron is not dangerous for human health. They say it just gives water a yellow-brown color and unpleasant flavor, which, as with hydrogen sulfide, reduces its attractiveness for consumers. But there are other negative effects of excessive iron in the water. Regular use of water with excess of iron may cause allergic reactions, blood diseases, hypertonic disease and premature skin aging, plus iron also accumulates in the liver and may break down liver cells.

Kyivvodokanal, the city water utility responsible for production control at the pumps, replied they are in charge of the technical condition of the pumps, but not the water quality.

Kyivvodfond, a newly founded municipal utility company that is responsible for 184 out of 204 Kyiv pumps since the beginning of this year, responded that violations of water quality in the pump in Shevchenko Park were successfully solved earlier this spring. After the Kyiv Post inquiry, Kyivvodfond checked the pump again and closed it down for several days to wash it out and fix filters.

The Kyiv Post organized a second test on May 24, which confirmed that the levels of iron were reduced from 0.75 milligrams to 0.04 milligram per cubic decimeter, which is safe and far below the legal limit.

At the same time, the strong smell of hydrogen sulfide still remained in the water withdrawn from the Shevchenko Park pump.

Officials at Kyivvodfond said the problem of excessive levels of hydrogen sulfide in pumps can be solved with the help of additional filters, but did not explain why they did not install it where needed.

Experts at Ecosoft, a producer of water treatment facilities and technologies. say it would cost $150-$170 per pump to buy a filter that removes hydrogen sulfide. It would cost an additional $280 per year to change cartridges and service the filter. The total of $450 looks like an affordable amount of money considering that the 2012 city budget allocated $1 million for 184 Kyiv pumps, or some $5,500 for each pump.

But city authorities chose another way to solve the problem.

Oleksandr Popov, head of the Kyiv city administration, signed a memorandum of intent with potential investors. The deal is worth $3.3 million and includes additional purification of water from Kyiv pumps and selling water for 50 kopeks per liter. City officials assure that citizens will have a choice to buy additionally purified water or to take water directly from the pumps for free.

Fedir Sudnitsyn, a former employee at Kyivvodokanal, is skeptical about this idea. He said it's a good idea to additionally purify the water. On the other hand, a huge amount of taxpayers' money was invested in the early 1990s through early 2000s to build those pumps and now someone will capitalize on that public property.

"As always happened in our country, good initiatives end up with a bad result," said Sudnitsyn. "New pumps won't be built. All pumps finally will become private. And, the price for water will be so high that citizens won't be happy with it".

Another popular source of water - particularly on religious holidays - is holy water from wells near churches and monasteries. 'Ihe water test of a sample taken from St Anthony's well at the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves showed that the water there is good and complies with all requirements of current legislation. It is comparable to water from pumps but it does not have the unpleasant smell of hydrogen sulfide. A sample withdrawn from the well near Vydubytsky Monastery revealed worse results. The water there also matches current legal standards, which are not so strict for water in wells, but in fact its total hardness is almost twice higher than in the pumps and in the taps tested.

"It's an overwhelming hardness," said Natalia Makarova, deputy head of the laboratory at National Technical University, which conducted the tests. "'Ihe residue on the bottom of the teapot after boiling this water in it will be so high that the teapot will have to be cleaned every second day."

Drinking water with high hardness from pumps and wells is not good for babies and poses a risk for people with salt metabolism problems.

Priest Vasyl at Vydubutsky monastery said that the last check of the water in the well showed that the water is safe and that up to 1,000 people drink it every day.

Despite the disadvantages, water in pumps and wells do not contain chlorine, which can react with other organic substances to produce byproducts with a carcinogenic effect. Drinking at least one cup of water from pumps or wells per day is good for one's health.

All experts stress, however, that water from pumps and wells should be taken only in clean bottles and stored in a place protected from sunlight, and no longer than 24 hours. Otherwise various bacteria start breeding in the bottle and the water becomes unsafe for drinking.