Learn how to use essential social expressions
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| Let's take a closer look at these three conversations. |
| First, do you remember how Ben Lee says, |
| "Excuse me." |
| Извините. (Izvinite.) |
| Let’s take a closer look at these three conversations. |
| First, do you remember how Ben Lee says, |
| "Excuse me." |
| Извините. (Izvinite.) |
| In this context, извините (izvinite) is used to get someone's attention, and translates as "Excuse me." Извините. |
| Извините. (Izvinite.) |
| This is a formal expression. Ben uses it because he’s speaking with someone he doesn’t know. |
| Note: This expression can also be used as a mild apology, but here Ben uses it to get the attention of the person he’s chasing after. |
| Do you remember how the passenger acknowledges Ben by saying, |
| "Yes?" |
| Да? (Da?) |
| Да? (Da?) "Yes?" Да?. |
| Да? (Da?) |
| The second part of the conversation takes place after Ben returns the passenger’s wallet. |
| Do you remember how the passenger says, |
| "Thank you." |
| Спасибо! (Spasibo!) |
| Спасибо! (Spasibo!) "Thank you!" Спасибо! |
| Спасибо! (Spasibo!) |
| To add more emphasis to your appreciation, you could say, спасибо большое (spasibo bol'shoye), literally, "thanks big," but translates as “Thank you very much. Спасибо большое. This expression is used throughout Russia. |
| Note, большое спасибо (bol'shoye spasibo), “Thank you very much," is an equally used variation, meaning the same thing. |
| Do you remember how Ben says, |
| "You’re welcome." |
| Пожалуйста. (Pozhaluysta.) |
| "You're welcome." |
| Пожалуйста. (Pozhaluysta.). Пожалуйста. |
| Пожалуйста. (Pozhaluysta.) |
| “You’re welcome” is one of the most common translations, but this is a versatile phrase that can be used in multiple situations with many translations. So you will come into contact with it a lot. |
| After the train doors shut and Ben misses his train, do you remember how the passenger apologies to Ben by saying, |
| "I’m sorry…" |
| Извините… (Izvinite...) |
| In this context, Извините… (Izvinite...), means "I’m sorry…" |
| Извините… (Izvinite...) |
| The passenger feels responsible for Ben missing his train and is apologizing. |
| The meaning of Извините (Izvinite) depends on context. |
| Do you remember how Ben replies, |
| "It’s no problem." |
| Ничего страшного. (Nichego strashnogo.) |
| This starts with Ничего (nichego), meaning "nothing." Ничего. Ничего. |
| Next is страшного (strashnogo), which means "terrible." Страшного. Страшного. |
| Страшного (Strashnogo) is from страшный (strashnyy), meaning "terrible." Страшный (Strashnyy). |
| Together, ничего страшного (nichego strashnogo) literally means "Nothing terrible," but it translates as "It’s no problem," or "No problem." |
| Ничего страшного. (Nichego strashnogo.) |
| This is a common phrase used to express that things are alright. |
| Извини (izvini) is the informal form of извините (izvinite). |
| Извини (Izvini). "Excuse me." Извини. Извини. |
| Извини (Izvini) is used in informal situations, such as when speaking with people of similar age and social status. |
| Both Извини (izvini) and извините (izvinite) are from the verb извинить (izvinit’), which means "to excuse," or “to forgive.” извинить (izvinit’). |
| Instead of извините (izvinite) you may also hear Russians say прошу прощения (proshu proshcheniya), "Sorry," and простите (prostite), "Sorry." All three phrases mean the same thing, and can be used for a mild apology. |
| Additionally, Russians use мне очень жаль (mne ochen’ zhal’), "I'm sorry." мне очень жаль. |
Comments
Hide