Questions about the difference in meaning or usage between two or more words.
Questions tagged [выбор-слова]
400 questions
24
votes
13 answers
What is the difference between "теперь" and "сейчас"
It seems to me that these two words have the same meaning. The dictionary doesn't help much, it gives them as synonyms. Although the meaning of "сейчас" is more general and can refer to past events:
"Мы сейчас смотрели фильм" - We have just seen a…
Olga
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16
votes
5 answers
The difference between "свой" and "мой"
What's the difference between свой (своя и т.д.) and мой (моя и т.д.) when Russian people speak they seem aware of the difference but still I can't wrap my head around it.
Ziad
- 471
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15
votes
3 answers
What's the difference between помнить and вспомнить?
Looking помнить and вспомнить up in a dictionary yields the same results. Is there any difference between them?
Peter Olson
- 613
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13
votes
4 answers
12
votes
6 answers
What is the difference in meaning between "Это моя машина" and "Эта моя машина"?
The Memrise course "Russian grammar through sentences translates "This is my car" as "Это моя машина." I don't understand why we don't use the feminine Эта in this sentence.
Translate.Ru translates Эта моя машина as "this my car."
Which version…
cakebatter
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12
votes
3 answers
"На английском" or "по-английски"?
I was wondering if there's any difference between
на английском
and
по-английски
(for example when asking how to say something in English).
Sora.
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12
votes
3 answers
Why does скучать mean both "to be bored" and "to miss"
I was writing a letter to a friend where I said "скучаю тебя" (to mean "I miss you"). But then I remembered that "скучать" means "to be bored" and I panicked because I thought I misremembered the verb for "to miss" and was telling my friend that I…
Chill2Macht
- 3,071
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11
votes
3 answers
спускаться/опускаться, но подниматься
If a person goes up (e.g., on a staircase), then человек поднимается. If an elevator is going up, then лифт поднимается. That's the same verb for the person and for the elevator. However, if a person is coming down then человек спускается while if…
KCd
- 4,964
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10
votes
4 answers
Разница между словами "бунтарь", "мятежник" и "бунтовщик"
Викисловарь говорит:
бунтарь: 1. подстрекатель или участник бунта
2. перен. тот, кто протестует, борется против чего-либо; непокорный человек
бунтовщик: подстрекатель или участник бунта
мятежник: участник мятежа, бунтовщик
Есть ли разница между…
marmistrz
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10
votes
2 answers
Difference between "куда там" and "где там"?
When would you use one over the other—in what cases? I've looked at dictionary entries but I don't see, or feel any difference, but there must be one.
See Link for reference
VCH250
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9
votes
3 answers
"Наверное" and "наверно"
What is the difference between "наверно" and "наверное"? Is there any slight difference in their meaning or in their usage?
Barbara
- 451
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- 4
9
votes
3 answers
Using "его" и "это"
I can't seem to find a great example of when to use "его" vs "это" and was hoping somebody could shine some light on this!
For the phrase, "I remembered it", I believe it's "я помнил его" and for "It is good": "это хорошо"
Why in this instance of it…
ddavison
- 518
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9
votes
7 answers
Why do you need to use Я with verbs in the present tense?
The first person singular verb conjugation in the present tense is always different from other verb conjugations, so why the need to use "Я" at all in those cases?
For example, can't you just say "Занимаюсь" instead of "Я занимаюсь"?
chubbycantorset
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9
votes
6 answers
Is there a difference between "болен" and "заболел"?
Is there a difference between болен and заболел or they are just synonyms? The context is "I am sick". (Я болен vs. Я заболел)
Influx
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8
votes
3 answers
Оканчивать университет или заканчивать?
В новостях прочитал фразу:
В 2003 году он закончил МГИМО.
Вопросы:
Предложение корректно?
Можно ли в нем заменить закончил на окончил?
Есть ли смысловые нюансы?
Armen Tsirunyan
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