Lesson 10. Conjunctions и and a (and), preposition с (with)

Both и and а may be translated into English like and. The difference is that и is uniting words or sentences, whilst а is opposing them:

Olya and Sveta are going to the cinema.

Оля и Света идут в кино.

Olya is going to the cinema and Sveta is going to the concert.

Оля идет в кино, а Света — на концерт.

(We usually omit the repetitive verb and put a dash instead, though writing it another time would not be a mistake: Оля идет в кино, а Света идет на концерт.)

How are you? I’m fine and you?

Как дела? Хорошо, а у тебя?

I buy food and clothes.

Я покупаю продукты и одежду.

I buy food and you buy clothes.

Я покупаю еду, а ты покупаешь одежду.

Preposition с means with. The noun following this preposition is always in Instrumental case (lesson about cases).

With my friend – с другом

With my brother – с братом

When you use with to express the means of doing something, the noun will be also in Instrumental case, although you don’t put the с in the Russian translation. For example,

I open the jar with the knife.

Я открываю банку __ ножом. – No с needed.

The preposition с also may be translated as and but the noun will stil be in Instrumental case:

My friends and I are going to the mountains.

Я собираюсь в горы с друзьями.

Now let’s practice. Write the missing word. First try to put them without listening to the audio.

1. What are you doing today? – Что ты сегодня делаешь?

I am getting rest with my family. – Я отдыхаю ___ семьей.

2. Masha and Andrey are going to the restaurant. – Маша ___ Андреем идут в ресторан.

And you? – ___ ты?

I am eating with my sister tonight. – ___ я сегодня ужинаю ___ сестрой.

3. Today I’m going to the store and cleaning up the apartment. – Сегодня я иду в магазин ___ прибираю в квартире.

Vocabulary from this lesson:

to buy – покупать

food – продукты (when we talk about buying food; sing. продукт)

clothes – одежда

knife – нож

jar – банка

to be going to – собираться

getting rest – отдыхать

family семья

to eat – ужинать (to have dinner)

cleaning up – прибирать

apartment – квартира

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