Conjunctive words
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Conjunctive words (Prononimǐ-kak-koniukcǐi)
Union words, like subordinating conjunctions, connect the main and subordinate clauses in a complex sentence.
Unlike a conjunction, a conjunction is a member of a subordinate clause (subject, object, adverb, or attribute). Moreover, conjunctions, being relative pronouns, "replace" words or expressions in the main clause.
The conjunction word kotorǐj
Russian | LPQR |
A student who speaks Russian well came from China. | This student, kotorǐj horošo govorit s lingva-ruskij, prijehal iz Čžungo |
There are people who do, but don't talk. | V mir jestj ljudi, kotorǐj djelat, a nje govorit |
Unlike the Russian language, the word “kotorǐj” does not change in case and does not agree with the member of the main clause
The conjunction “kotorǐj” always stands at the beginning of a subordinate clause, but it can be preceded by a preposition.
English | LPQR |
Yesterday we watched a movie that our friend told us about. | Vo včjera mǐ smotrjel film, o kotorǐj drug-u-nas govoril dlja nas |
This rule creates difficulties when translating subordinate clauses from Russian in which the word “kotorǐj” is in the accusative case.
The solution to the problem is most often to use the passive voice of verbs.
English | LPQR |
Here is the book that I bought it yesterday | Eto kniga, kotorľj kupljen na mjenje vo včjera |
This is the same person that we met at the station | Etot ljudj, kotorľj vstrjetjen ot nas vo vokzal |
She found a job that I've been looking for it for a long time. | Ona našol rabota, kotorľj dolgo iskalsja. |
We watched a movie that everyone praised | Mǐǐ posmotrjel eto film, kotorľj hvalilsja ot vsjeh |
The conjunction "kotorǐj" is NOT used if the subordinate clause refers to objects, qualities, etc., belonging to the defined subject or object, or if it refers to spatial or temporal relationships.
If the defined member of the main clause is an animate subject, the word "kotorǐj" can be replaced with the word "kto." Replacing the word "kotorǐj" with the word "čjto" is never recommended.
The conjunction word čjej
The conjunction “čjej” is used when the subordinate clause refers to objects, qualities, parts, etc., that belong to the subject or object that is a member of the main clause.
LPQR | English |
Pisatjelj, čjej trudǐ stolj cenitsja ot tjebje, napisal novǐj kniga | The writer whose works you value so much has written a new book. |
Pjerjed mjenje stojal tot maljčik, čjej lico vo včjera pokazalsja kak očjenj znakomǐj | In front of me stood the same boy whose face seemed so familiar to me yesterday. |
Tot nje znat gorje, čjej djeti privǐknul rabotatj | Those whose children are accustomed to work do not know grief. |
Spasibo ot nas na tovo, čjej sovjetǐ help izbježatj ot ošibki | Thanks to the one whose advice helped us avoid mistakes |
Unlike the Russian literary language, in the LPQR language the conjunction “čjej” can also refer to an inanimate member of the main clause.
LPQR | English |
Rjeka, na čjej bjerjeg dom-u-nih stojal, bǐl čistǐj i prozračnǐj | The river on the bank of which their house stood was clean and transparent. |
Unlike Russian, in LPQR constructions with the conjunction “čjej” usually cannot be replaced with constructions with the word “kotorǐj”
Therefore, Russian phrases like these should be translated as follows:
English | LPQR |
The scholar whose monograph you are reading works at the A.S. Pushkin Institute of the Russian Language. | Učjonǐj homo, čjej monografia čitatsja ot tjebje, rabotat v Puschkin-institut-po-lingva-ruski |
The woman whose dress you liked so much lives in our house . | Ženšina, čjej platj'je očjenj ponravilsja tjebje, zǐt v dom-u-nas |
Unlike the Russian language, the word “čjej!” does not change in case and does not agree with the noun behind it.
The conjunction “ čjej” always stands at the beginning of a subordinate clause, but it can be preceded by a preposition.
The word "kotorǐj" and the construction " čjej" + noun in subordinate clauses can serve as a subject or an indirect object (with a preposition).
These constructions cannot serve as a direct object (without a preposition).
To translate Russian subordinate clauses in which the conjunction “čjej” is a modifier of a noun in the accusative case, the passive voice of verbs should be used.
English | LPQR |
I don't know whose He is reading a new book now | Ja nje znat, čjej novǐj kniga čitatsja ot njevo sjejčas |
Show me whose You hung the photo on the wall | Tǐ, pokazatj dlja mjenje, čjej foto povjeṧen ot tjebje na stjena |
We were discussing whose we should attend the lecture | Mǐ obsuždat, čjej lekcǐja dolžen bǐtj posješjon |
Union words gdje, otkuda, kuda, kogda
gdje, otkuda, kuda, and kogda can be used as conjunctions . They indicate place, direction, or time that characterize actions or events related to the defined part of the main clause.
LPQR | English |
Dom, gdje bǐl kvartira-u-nih, stojal na bjerjeg u buht | The house where their apartment was located stood on the shore of the bay. |
Ljes, kuda mi všol, bǐl čist, star, iz-pinusǐ | The forest we entered was clean, old, pine. |
On stojal v balkon, otkuda vidjelsja kathedrala i rjeka-daljeko. | He stood on the balcony, from where he could see the cathedral and the river in the distance. |
On navsjegda zapomnil to djenj, kogda oni vstrjetilsja s Anja. | He forever remembered the day when he met Anya. |