Англо-русский учебный словарь

Indeclinable nouns are noted and can be assumed to be neuter, unless a gender is given. Collective nouns are noted, as also are nouns which have no singular or no plural, thus: кофе (m, indect) кино (indect) картофель (m, collect) щипцы (no sing) обувь (no pi).

These indications are given every time а поиц appears as a general translation of the headword, but not always otherwise, except for (collect).

GRAMMAR: TREATMENT OF VERBS

The imperfective aspect is treated as the basic form of all verbs with its perfective form shown in round brackets. The following are the abbreviations used to give aspectival information:

писать (на-) (= pf написать); сверкать (semel -нуть) (= semelfactive pf сверкнуть);

when the verb is for any reason first quoted in its perfective form, the entry runs: получ|йть (impf -ать);

where there is no established corresponding aspect, the verbs are shown thus: рыдать (impf); стерпеть (pf);

a verb which is used for both aspects is shown thus: эвакуировать (impf and pf);

when a Russian verb exists in both aspects, but translates an English usage in only one of its aspects, it is shown thus: believe vi верить (only in impf), to talk somebody out of doing something отговорить кого-л от чего-л (only in pf) or thus: to canvass for votes вести предвыборную кампанию (usu impf), to bid somebody good morning пожелать кому-л доброго утра (usu pf) (= usually (im)perfective in this usage).

Aspectival information is given only in verb entries and only when the verb is offered as a general translation of the headword, or as a translation of an English example given in the infinitive form. It is usually given only once in an entry and is not repeated for the reflexive form of the verb.

In a long entry, where several compounds of a verb may appear, aspectival informa­tion is normally shown only for the first appearance of the compound. The student can then deduce the aspectival forms of any further of these particular compounds which may appear in that entry.

VERBS OF MOTION WITH TWO IMPERFECT!VES

The terms "indeterminate" and "determinate" are used to distinguish the two imperfectives, thus: ходить (indet impf of идти; по-), ёхать (det impf of ездить; no-) (= pfs походить and поехать).

Such verbs are fully illustrated to bring out their special meanings, especially the force of the prefix no- in the perfective forms.

The inchoative sense of the perfective of the determinate form is shown in examples, e.g. it began to rain пошёл дождь. It is shown how, in order to translate the determinate verb in a true perfective sense, the perfective of one of its compounds must be used, e.g. he's gone off to bathe/to the theatre он пошёл купаться, он ушёл в театр (= "he set off to bathe", but "he has gone to the theatre").

The perfective of the indeterminate form is illustrated as meaning to do something for a while, without particular purpose or direction. The student will find throughout the dictionary examples showing how perfective verbs, with the prefix no- used in this same sense, can be formed from many imperfective verbs (though they are not held to be aspectivally related), e.g. to flirt a little пофлиртовать (pf).

THE TRANSLATION OF "IT"