Post: #1

I thought I'd get a thread going to ask quick Russian questions..

First one:

What's the difference between задать and просить ? They seem to both mean "to ask" but I run into the second one more often.

Post: #2

задать translates pretty neatly into "to pose [a question]".

e.g., задать вопрос = to pose a question.

просить also translates pretty linearly into "to ask [for/about something]".

e.g. просить прощения = to ask forgiveness

Я просил ее сходить в кино = I was asking her to go to the movies

That's the basic gist of it.

Post: #3

Both are verbs that request things, but one is more authoritative than another. The closest thing I could think of for "задать" is "to give/to assign", as in "the teacher <задал> us a homework". Whereas "просить" is more "to request/to beg", as in "the homeless dude <просил> us for food". The word "задать" can also mean "to establish/to set", e.g., "Putin <задал> the tone of the conference".

There is another word that means "to ask", but it starts with a "C" in front of "просил". The "C" is not really enunciated, so it is hard to distinguish the two words. Consider the context of asking someone a question, e.g., "he <задал> me a question about my hamster" feels like "he <issued> a question about my hamster", whereas "he <спросил> me where the pet store was" feel like "he <wondered> where the pet store was". The former is a lot more official and belongs on a quiz and the latter is more informal, hence its popularity.

Hope this helps.

Post: #4

Okay I got one:

Fairly early on in the Pimsleur series you're taught questions like, Do you want to drink something? Do you want to buy something? One word is used sometimes: что-нибут, but there's another one that I don't know and haven't seen in print, here is my best guess at spelling it just from hearing it:
кое-что. What is this word, how do you spell it, and how do you know when to say that instead of что-нибут?

Post: #5

(09-08-2013 09:53 AM)ladderff Wrote:  Okay I got one:

Fairly early on in the Pimsleur series you're taught questions like, Do you want to drink something? Do you want to buy something? One word is used sometimes: что-нибут, but there's another one that I don't know and haven't seen in print, here is my best guess at spelling it just from hearing it:
кое-что. What is this word, how do you spell it, and how do you know when to say that instead of что-нибут?

что-нибудь
кое-что

In those sentences use "что-нибудь".
"кое-что" can be used in a sentence like "I know кое-что about you "
If you are a begginer, stick with "что-нибудь".

Post: #6

I also see чего-нибудь, as in

"Вы хотите чего-нибудь выпить?"

чего is the accusative case of что ?

Post: #7

Yes, чего is a derivative of что.

Speaking of что-нибудь vs кое-что, что-нибудь is more neutral and I'd definitely stick with that. Кое-что carries some sort of a hidden (but about to be revealed) context, an element of surprise or something, as in 'Вы хотите выпить кое-что?' while pulling out a bottle of JW Blue or Don Perignon.

Post: #8

These are equivalent to "something" and "anything" as in, would you like anything to drink? and I know something about you.

"Koe" is the "some", "Chto" is the "thing"
"Chto" is the "thing", "Nibut" is the "any"

Post: #9

When wanthing to use chto or chego just use chyo. Its slangish n will be funny in a socially acceptable way if a foreigner uses it. Icebreakerish

Post: #10

(09-08-2013 03:30 PM)rover Wrote:  Yes, чего is a derivative of что.

Speaking of что-нибудь vs кое-что, что-нибудь is more neutral and I'd definitely stick with that. Кое-что carries some sort of a hidden (but about to be revealed) context, an element of surprise or something, as in 'Вы хотите выпить кое-что?' while pulling out a bottle of JW Blue or Don Perignon.

Agreed. "кое-что" is in the vocabulary of every Russian-speaking Alpha.

e.g. 'Вы хотите увидеть кое-что?' + alpha smirk to group of Russian 8's, while pulling out instrument

<standard liability disclaimer>

Post: #11

кое-что is roughly equivalent to "a certain something"

Quote:Я хотел бы научить ваm кое-что

I'd like to teach you a certain something

With the tacit implication that some specific thing will be taught.

***

Whereas что-нибудь is roughly equivalent to "[just] something", where any old "something" will do.

Quote:Научи меня что-нибудь, что угодно.

Teach me something, anything.

So a good rule of thumb is:

Use "кое-что" for something specific and use что-нибудь for something non-specific.

Post: #12

How do I say "I have lived here (so far) for 3 months."

I'm not sure if I should say "Я живу здесь три месяц" or "Я жил здесь три месяц".

I may be saying "months" wrong. I think it's месяца

Post: #13

(09-09-2013 10:38 AM)Roosh Wrote:  How do I say "I have lived here (so far) for 3 months."

I'm not sure if I should say "Я живу здесь три месяц" or "Я жил здесь три месяц".

I may be saying "months" wrong. I think it's месяца

Я прожил здесь три месяца.
Я живу здесь уже три месяца.

I like the second one better because it subtly implies you are going to stay here for some time (or indefinitely).

Post: #14

Let's say I'm in a library studying Russian and there is a cute girl next to me. How do I say, "Can I ask you a question about Russian?"

My guess: "Я могу српосить вас вопрос о русске?"

Post: #15

^^you be better off talking in English first ..so as not to be seen as a Turk, etc tbh.

Post: #16

It sounds very low class if a native speaker uses че, but yes, i guess it sounds funny coming from a foreigner)

Post: #17

^^
Right on the money Jim. I personally ALWAYS say "merci" better than "spasibo", "s il vous plait " better th "pajalsta", ect ect, and believe me it works.

Post: #18

Девушка, можно задать вам вопрос по-русски?

The girl should be able to tell the difference between an American accent and Turkish\Georgian\whatever accent. Trust me, an american accent sounds much better.

Post: #19

^^
No accent in the world can be more sexy for russian/ukrainian/ect chicks than french accent. It s not controversial BS, just pure fact.

Then say to a girl that u live in Paris and see her legs slightly open in an uncontrolled response.

Of course showing up a californian driving licence is 10000 more efficient.

Post: #20

(09-09-2013 03:07 PM)jimukr104 Wrote:  ^^you be better off talking in English first ..so as not to be seen as a Turk, etc tbh.

I had exactly that thought.. Roosh, saw your video about your Ukraine ONS results & having read your "I am not Turkish but Armenian" thread, and being a Russian from Odessa I can not help but wonder. What are you doing to not be perceived as Armenian/Turkish or any other Caucasian (as from the mountains there).. because being one there, and trying to get girls to go home with you in a ONS situation must really be an uphill battle because of all the Turks using Odessa and Ukraine as Thailand and Armenians and other Caucasians seen as well. idk, bot not in a good light

Post: #21

(09-09-2013 04:46 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  Девушка, можно задать вам вопрос по-русски?

The girl should be able to tell the difference between an American accent and Turkish\Georgian\whatever accent. Trust me, an american accent sounds much better.

Actually, the girl is going to make her process based on numerous things . one is does he look English? NO.. to them he looks Turkish/mid eastern .First impression is important.
Also since native English speakers are the minority in UA, they usually assume some other country first.Non westerners are in larger numbers in UA. When he opens in Russian it also will make him seem LESS Western becuase its usually the Turks/Mid Easterns/ Egyptians, etc who are more knowledgeable in Russian language .Most Western expats in UA cant even speak Russian.


I am actually even going based on my own experience. I can look Russian to RUssians but i can also look Italian if they think I am foreign. Basically i blend in,until I OPEN MY MOUTH. When I SPEAK Russian in Ukraine they would instantly know I am a foreigner because of accent and non fluency. They would assume Georgian, Bulgarian, or Georgian and even Turkish.its NOT that I look like them but since I have dark eyes and hair they assume that. They don't jump to assuming a western foreigner simply because those are in small numbers going around chatting in Russian. They assume what they see the MOST. The same way in NYC when I hear Spanish I assume Puerto Rican first , although it can be another Hispanic countrymen.If I blond blue eye, they might assume a Polish .They will generally assume what they have most experience seeing.
My opinion is open in English so they can hear that he sounds more like a native English speaker and then go to Russian if needed(slubu did that).
But this is trying to think like a non trusting UA girl thinks....shit tests to prove Roosh had an American passport if you remember lol.

Actually Calihunter Odessa is probably the best city for a Turk why? because they actually have a legitimate reason to be there. They own night clubs, restaurants and other establishments in Odessa. PLUS.......even racist Odessans can't deny that a large % are part Turkish. Odessan is the melting pot of FSU. Greek and Turk blood is part of many of them. Heck half the city is probably part Jewish.If you are in odessa long enough you wil notice darker looking locals that don't look typical but Slavic is a mixed race/ethnicity anyhow.

Post: #22

I don't appreciate you guys hijacking this language thread with unsolicited game advice.

Post: #23

How do you say the phrase "more or less"? In Spanish it's "mas o menos".

Post: #24

I think: приблизительно.

Post: #25

(09-10-2013 06:23 AM)Roosh Wrote:  How do you say the phrase "more or less"? In Spanish it's "mas o menos".

(09-10-2013 06:55 AM)Menace Wrote:  I think: приблизительно.

Menace I know your Russian is fluent and a lot better than mine but isn't there another form (whch I hear a lot here) which is "более менее?"

As an aside, "Nevertheless" is "тем не менее." For me it was easy to remember these two little phrases together.