Russian For Dummies

224 Part III: Russian on the Go

Words to Know

Take It with You: Packing Tips

When your trip is quickly approaching, it’s time to start packing. No matter when and where you travel, you most likely take the following with you:

chyemodan (chee-mah-dahn; suitcase)

sumka (soom-kuh; bag)

ryukzak (ryuk-zahk; backpack)

karta (kahr-tuh; map)

fotooapparat (fuh-tuh-uh-puh-raht; camera)

plyonka (plyon-kuh; film)

vidyeo kamyera (vee-dee-uh kah-mee-ruh; video camera)

mylo (mih-luh; soap)

shampun’ (shuhm-poon’; shampoo)

dyeodorant (deh-uh-dah-rahnt; deodorant)

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zubnaya sh’yotka (zoob-nah-ye sh’yot-kuh; toothbrush)

zubnaya pasta (zoob-nah-ye pahs-tuh; toothpaste)

kosmyetika (kahs-mye-tee-kuh; makeup)

If you’re going to Russia during the winter months, be prepared! Here are items of clothing you want to take with you to keep warm:

shapka (shahp-kuh; hat)

pal’to (puhl’-toh; heavy coat or overcoat)

sharf (shahrf; scarf)

pyerchatki (peer-chaht-kee; gloves)

svityer (svee-tehr; sweater)

sapogi (suh-pah-gee; boots)

Chapter 6 has more info about different items of clothing that you can pack, regardless of the season when you’re traveling.

226 Part III: Russian on the Go

Fun & Games

Find Russian equivalents for the American-style dates given in the left column.

Check out Appendix C for the correct answers.

1.12/01/2005 a. pyervoye dyekabrya dvye tysyachi pyatogo goda

2.01/03/1999 b. vosyem’nadtsatoye maya tysyacha dyevyatsot

shyest’dyesyat vtorogo goda

3. 05/18/1962 c. dvadtsat’ vtoroye syentyabrya tysyacha dyevyat’sot pyat’dyesyat shyestogo goda

4. 09/22/1956 d. tryet’ye yanvarya tysyacha dyevyatsot dyevyanosto dyevyatogo goda

Which of the following places of interest is not located in St. Petersburg? See

Appendix C for the answer.

1.Piskaryovskoye kladbish’ye

2.Novodyevich’ye kladbish’ye

3.Ermitazh

4.Russkij muzyej

Chapter 12

Getting Around: Planes,

Trains, and More

In This Chapter

Moving along with motion verbs

Making your way through the airport

Exploring public transportation

Traveling by train

As the Russian proverb has it, Yazyk do Kiyeva dovyedyot (ee-zihk dah kee-ee-vuh duh-vee-dyot), which translates as “Your tongue will lead you

to Kiev,” and basically means, “Ask questions, and you’ll get anywhere.” With the help of this chapter, you’ll be able to ask your way into the most wellconcealed corners of the Russian land via several different modes of transportation. And you’ll definitely be able to make it to Kiev!

Understanding Verbs of Motion

Every language has a lot of words for things the speakers of that language know well. That’s why the Eskimos have 12 different words for “snow.” Russians have a lot of space to move around; maybe that’s why they have so many different verbs of motion.

In English, the verb “to go” can refer to walking, flying by plane, or traveling by boat (among other options). That’s not the case in Russian; in fact, for one very simple and straightforward English infinitive “to go,” Russian has several equivalents. Each of these verbs has its own (and we should say, very erratic) conjugation pattern.

Your choice of verb depends on many different factors and your intended message. To mention just a few factors, the choice depends on

Chapter 12: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, and More 229

When you talk about walking, you also can use the expression khodit’ pyeshkom (khah-deet’ peesh-kohm; to go by foot, to walk). This expression sounds redundant, but that’s the way it’s used in Russian.

The verb yezdit’ is conjugated in Table 12-2.

You also can specify the vehicle you’re using with one of these phrases:

yezdit’ na taksi (yez-deet’ nah tuhk-see; to go by taxi)

yezdit’ na marshrutkye (yez-deet’ nah muhr-shroot-kee; to go by minivan)

yezdit’ na avtobusye (yez-deet’ nah uhf-toh-boo-see; to go by bus)

yezdit’ na myetro (yez-deet’ nah mee-troh; to go by metro)

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Explaining where you’re going

To tell where you’re going specifically, use the prepositions v (v; to) or na (nah; to) + the accusative case of the place you’re going. See Chapter 15 for details on these particular prepositions:

Ya idu v tyeatr (ya ee-doo f tee-ahtr; I am going to the theater)

Ona idyot na kontsyert (ah-nah ee-dyot nuh kahn-tsehrt; She is going to the concert)

For walking or driving around a place, use the preposition po (pah; around) + the dative case (for more information on cases, see Chapter 2):

Ona khodit po Moskvye (ah-nah khoh-deet puh mahsk-vye; She walks around Moscow)

My yezdim po tsyentru goroda (mih yez-deem pah tsehnt-roo goh-ruh- duh; We drive around downtown)

Now the good news! As long as you’re moving within the city, you don’t need to make a distinction between going by vehicle and walking. Even if you change three modes of public transportation on the way to the library, you’re still perfectly fine saying ya idu v bibliotyeku (ya ee-doo v beeb-lee-ah-tye- koo; I’m going to the library). This distinction has remained in the language since the times when cities were small enough so that it was possible to walk everywhere. If you’re going out of town, however, it’s obvious that you need to use transportation, unless you’re prepared to walk for months.

Remember to use yezdit’ or yekhat’ (to go by vehicle) when you talk about going to other cities! Otherwise, if you say ya idu v Moskvu (ya ee-doo v mahsk-voo), you make it sound like you’re embarking on an enduring walking pilgrimage to Moscow, which is probably not your intention.

Sometimes Russians drop pronouns in sentences when using verbs of motion; it’s more conversational. For example, instead of Kuda ty idyosh’? (koo-dah tih ee-dyosh’; Where are you going?) you may hear simply Kuda idyosh’? (koo-dah ee-dyosh’; Where are you going?) And instead of saying Ya idu v tyeatr (ya ee-doo f tee-ahtr; I’m going to the theater), you may simply say Idu v tyeatr (ee-doo f tee-ahtr; I’m going to the theater).

232 Part III: Russian on the Go

Talkin’ the Talk

Sarah got a new job in Moscow. On the way to work, she meets her

Russian friend Kolya.

Words to Know

Chapter 12: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, and More 233

Navigating the Airport

Chances are, if you visit Russia, you enter by samolyot (suh-mah-lyot; plane). If not, you probably fly somewhere within the country during your visit — those 6.6 million square miles of land make air travel especially appealing. Whether you’re leaving Moscow for a 20-minute flight to St. Petersburg or a 9- hour flight to Vladivostok, the vocabulary you find in the following sections helps you plan and enjoy your trip by air.

Using the verb “to fly”

You use a special verb of motion when you talk about flying: lyetyet’ (lee-tyet’; to fly). You can’t use the verb yekhat’ (covered in “Going by foot or vehicle at the present time” earlier in this chapter) when you talk about traveling by plane, unless the plane is wheeling around the airport without actually leaving the ground. If the plane actually takes off, you have to use the verb lyetyet’, conjugated in Table 12-3.

Checking in and boarding your flight

After you arrive at the aeroport (ah-eh-rah-pohrt; airport), you need to choose between the areas called zal prilyota (zahl pree-lyo-tuh; arrivals) and zal vylyeta (zahl vih-lee-tuh; departures). To inquire about the status of your flight, look at the informatsionnoye tablo (een-fuhr-muh-tsih-oh-nuh-ye tahb- loh; departures and arrivals display). Arrivals are called pribytiye (pree-bih- tee-ee) and departures are called otpravlyeniye (uht-pruhv-lye-nee-ee).