Coordinating conjunctions
3 min read · 626 words
JUNKTOR
Conjunctions are function words used to connect homogeneous members of a sentence and parts of a complex sentence.
To connect homogeneous members of a sentence and parts of a compound sentence, the most commonly used conjunctions are: “ili”, “i”, “a”, “no”.
The conjunction "ili"
The conjunction "ili" indicates the mutual exclusion of related objects or actions:
Čto vǐ hotjet: čaj ili kafee? (What do you want: tea or coffee?)
Ja budjet prijehatj ili telefonirovatj (I will come or call)
The conjunction "i"
The conjunction "i" is used:
To connect homogeneous members of a sentence denoting different persons, objects, phenomena, events, actions, properties, etc.
Saša i Maša bježat kupatjsja na bjerjeg u morje. Tam oni zagorat i kupatsja. Sjevodnja tjoplǐj i spokojnǐj morje. Saša i Maša horošo i bǐstro plavat. (Sasha and Masha are running to swim on the beach at the sea. They are sunbathing and swimming there. The sea is warm and calm today. Sasha and Masha are swimming well and quickly.)
To connect parts of a compound sentence that have a natural, logical connection with each other:
Horošij pogoda, i mǐ guljat. (The weather is good, and we are walking)
Doždj, i mǐ doma. (It's raining, and we're home.)
Professor čitat lekcǐja i studentǐ zapisǐvat. (The professor gives a lecture and the students take notes).
Conjunction "a"
To connect parts of a compound sentence that can be compared with each other and differences can be found, the conjunction “a” is used:
Professor čitat lekcǐja a studentǐ zapisǐvat. (The professor gives a lecture and the students take notes.)
The sentence “Professor čitat lekcǐja i studentǐ zapisǐvat” emphasizes the logical connection between the phrases “Professor čitat lekcǐja” and “studentǐ zapisǐvat (eto lekcǐja)”.
The sentence "Professor čitat lekcǐja a studentǐ zapisǐvat" points out the difference between what the professor does and what the students do.
Another example of a sentence with the conjunction "a":
Saša i Oleg smotrjet pjerjedača ot TV a Katja risovat. (Sasha and Oleg are watching a program on TV, and Katya is drawing)
The conjunction "no"
If the parts of a compound sentence are opposed to each other, the natural or logical connection between them is broken, the conjunction “no” is used:
Horošij pogoda, no mǐ doma. (The weather is good, but we are at home).
Doždj, no mǐ vǐšol poguljatj. (It's raining, but we went out for a walk.)
The conjunction “no” is also used to contrast homogeneous parts of a sentence with each other:
Njevǐsokij, no očjenj krutoj skala. (A low, but very steep cliff).
Oni hotjel podnjatjsja na eto vjeršina, no nje smog. (They wanted to climb to this peak, but they couldn't.)
Nakonjec oni uspješno podnjalsja na eto vjeršina, no očjenj ustal izza pod’jom. (Finally, they successfully climbed to the top of this mountain, but were very tired from the climb).
The difference in the use of the conjunction "a" between LPQR and Russian
In Russian the following phrases are possible:
Время идёт, а мы ещё ничего не сделали.
Он много занимается, а ошибки всё-таки делает.
In LPQR, the conjunction "a" should not be used in these cases, since it is impossible to compare the parts of a complex sentence. The translations would be:
Mnogo vrjemja uže prošol no mǐ ješjo nje sdjelal ničjevo. (Much time has passed, but we haven't done anything yet).
On mnogo zanimatsja na učjoba, no vsjotaki djelat ošǐbki. ((He studies a lot, but still makes mistakes.)
Commas before the conjunctions "i", "a", "no" can be placed or omitted. It is recommended to place a comma after a one-member sentence that is part of a compound sentence:
Horošij pogoda, i mǐ guljat. (The weather is good, and we are walking.)
Doždj, no mǐ vǐšol poguljatj. (It's raining, but we went out for a walk.)