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Russian way to use NO SUBSCRIBE

Posted on Nov 12, 2012, updated on Aug 27, 2022

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 You might have noticed already that Russians tend to use ‘no’ more often than other language speakers
do. In this episode we are going to reflect on it. Besides, you’ll learn some interesting expressions that
will definitely make your Russian sound more natural. Listen and learn real Russian with today’s episode
of the very much Russian podcast! 🙂

Всем здра́вствуйте!

Hello everyone!
00:07 03:05 OFFLINE VERSION

Иде́я написа́ть э́ тот пост посеща́ла меня́ дово́ льно ча́сто в тече́ние до́ лгого вре́мени,
пока́, наконе́ц, разро́ зненные мы́ сли са́ми собо́ й не сложи́ лись в бо́ лее и́ ли ме́нее
чита́емый текст. Ита́к, поговори́ м о ру́сском нет.

The idea to write this post has been visiting me quite often for a while, until finally, the
scattered thoughts didn’t form themselves into a more or less readable text. So, let’s talk
about the Russian “no”.

Как вы (возможно) зна́ете, я изуча́ю и соверше́нствую четы́ ре иностра́нных языка́

(англи́ йский, испа́нский, францу́зский и иврит). Я могу́ ошиба́ться, и тогда́, носи́ тели
языко́ в поми́ мо ру́сского, пожа́луйста, попра́вьте меня́ , но ни в одно́ м друго́ м языке́ я
не встреча́ла тако́ й тя́ ги к испо́ льзованию отрица́тельной части́ цы.

As you know, I’m learning and practicing four foreign languages (English, Spanish, French
and Hebrew). I can be wrong, and then speakers of languages other than Russian please
correct me, but in no other language have I encountered such a tendency to use the
negative particle.

Возьмём приме́р из уче́бника… Допу́стим, вы хоти́ те обрати́ ться к незнако́ мому

челове́ку с про́ сьбой подсказа́ть вам доро́ гу. Что вы ска́жете?

Let’s take an example from a textbook … Let’s say you want to address a stranger with a
request to tell you the way. What do you say?

Извини́ те, вы могли́ бы подсказа́ть, как быстре́е всего́ добра́ться до аэропо́ рта?

Excuse me, could you tell me what’s the fastest way to get to the airport?

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Ан нет! Для ру́сского бо́ лее есте́ственным спо́ собом бу́дет испо́ льзовать не:

But no! For a Russian, the more natural way is to use “not”:

Извини́ те, вы НЕ могли́ бы подсказа́ть, как быстре́е всего́ добра́ться до аэропо́ рта?

Excuse me, could NOT you tell me what’s the fastest way to get to the airport?

Возьмём другу́ю ситуа́цию: вы возвраща́етесь домо́ й с рабо́ ты и обнару́живаете, что

ваш дома́шний люби́ мец (допу́стим, пу́дель по и́ мени Ва́ся) съел ваш та́пок.
Есте́ственно, вы разозли́ лись:

Let’s take another situation: you come home from work and find that your pet (say, a
poodle named Vasya) ate your sneakers. Naturally, you are angry:

Нет, ну ты посмотри́ ! Ты что натвори́ л, засра́нец?

No, you look at it! What have you done, bastard?

Начина́ть фра́зу с нет и́ ли не вообще́ дово́ льно сво́ йственно ру́сским, да́же е́сли они́
по́ лностью согла́сны с обсужда́емой те́мой. Одна́жды я была́ свиде́телем приме́рно
тако́ го разгово́ ра трои́ х челове́к:

To start a phrase with “no” or “not” is generally quite peculiar to Russians, even if they
completely agree with the discusses matter. Once I witnessed a conversation of three
people that sounded about like that:

– Нет, всё-таки согласи́ тесь, мы отли́ чно прово́ дим вре́мя!

– Не, действи́ тельно кру́то. Я давно́ так хорошо́ не отдыха́ла.
– Не, я́ с удово́ льствием прие́ду сюда́ ещё раз.

– No, you have to agree, we are having a great time!

– No, really cool. I haven’t had such a good vacation for a while.
– No, I’ll come here again with pleasure.

Причём ни оди́ н из трои́ х не пыта́лся спо́ рить друг с дру́гом, все бы́ ли абсолю́тно
единоду́шны. И никто́ да́же не заме́тил, что вме́сто “да, э́ то действи́ тельно так”,
начина́л свою́ фра́зу с “нет”.

And none of the three did not try to argue with anybody, all of them were absolutely
unanimous. And no one even noticed that instead of “yes, it really is so”, he began his
phrase with “no”.

Впро́ чем, приме́рно похо́ же де́ло обстои́ т и с ру́сским да. Да, как вы зна́ете, э́ то не
то́ лько да, но и части́ ца, испо́ льзуемая для прида́ния эмоциона́льной окра́ски
предложе́нию. Наприме́р:

However, something similar happens to the Russian “да”. “Да”, as you know, it is not only a
“yes”, but also a particle used to give an emotional color to the sentence. For example:

Да нет же! Всё не так, говорю́ я вам!

But no! It’s not like that, I’m telling you!

Да как же так? Как э́ то могло́ произойти́ ?

But how is it? How could this happen?

Да ну! Что, пра́вда что-ли?

Come on! What, really?

Да не мо́ жет тако́ го быть!

But this just can’t be!

И пусть вас не вво́ дит в заблужде́ние совме́стное испо́ льзование да и нет, как в
пе́рвом приме́ре. В таки́ х слу́чаях э́ то однозна́чное нет.

And do not be misguided by the use of “yes” and “no” together, as in the first example. In
such cases, this is an unambiguous “no”.

Ру́сский язы́ к, коне́чно, вели́ кий и могу́чий, как сказа́л Тургенев, но кро́ ме того́ он
ещё и зага́дочный и необъясни́ мый. Что де́лает его́ ещё бо́ лее привлека́тельным, вы
не нахо́ дите?

The Russian language is, of course, great and mighty, as Turgenev said, but in addition it’s
also enigmatic and inexplicable. What makes it even more attractive, don’t you think?

На э́ том всё на сего́ дня. Хоро́ шей вам неде́ли и до ско́ рой втречи!

That’s it for today. Have a good week and see you soon!

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Today's vocabulary

да нет!
Russian exclamations
[da nyet]
Well no! Not at all! Nothing of the kind!

да ну!
Russian exclamations
[da nu]
Is that right? Really?

да не может быть!
Russian exclamations
[da nye MO-zhet byt']
That's impossible! That cannot happen!

да как же так?
Russian exclamations
[da kak zhe tak]
How can that be?

 Шнурки поглажу Фигня 

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11 comments on “Russian way to use NO”

Asaad Debs says:

Nov 13, 2012 at 8:33 pm

Hello, have a nice day,

if you don’t bother, please tell me if “tapok” means dinner or something like that ?
Thanks .

Reply

Очень по-русски says:

Nov 14, 2012 at 2:14 pm

Hello Asaad,

Тапки means ‘home shoes’. Тапок is one of them.

Like this: тапки

Reply

Sami Akl says:

Nov 19, 2012 at 2:04 pm

We need some coruses for absolute beginners please !

Reply

Очень по-русски says:

Nov 19, 2012 at 5:06 pm

Hello Sami Akl,

There is a lot of sites for beginners in Russian. This site is just not one of them.

Reply

lewis says:
Jan 5, 2013 at 12:08 am

Plenty of other places for that.. stop making demands of people

Reply

Jeannie says:
Nov 21, 2012 at 11:45 pm

Valeria, your site and blogs are WONDERFUL! I’m so glad I found Очень по-русски today. I
would only encourage you to stay with your conviction that language – очень уважаемая вещь!
Even though all around people use slang and foul words, we need people like you to make a
huge difference in helping our countries and refuse to use them. Even as you fill a great need
for Russian language help, we need you to give us only the best. I say this all with much
respect. Your work is wonderful! I look forward to learning much from you. Thank you.

Reply

Очень по-русски says:

Nov 22, 2012 at 4:09 pm

Hello Jeannie,

Many thanks for your comment.

I mostly agree with you. There is a quote I like very much: The limits of my language mean
the limits of my world. (Ludwig Wittgenstein).

But this concerns slang as well. Very often slang is sharp and witty. Sometimes it infiltrates
so deep in our life so you even don’t understand if it’s slang or a normal word… People just
shouldn’t limit their speech with only one side of the language, and they should use the
words accordingly the circumstancies. This is just my opinion. 🙂

Thanks a lot one more time for your kind words about my work which I really enjoy. 🙂

Reply

lewis says:
Jan 5, 2013 at 12:14 am

If you don’t want to learn rough words, then don’t learn them. Don’t try to stop other people
learning them.

Thanks

Reply

lewis says:
Jan 5, 2013 at 12:05 am

Great site !! Soo useful, just what I need after learning from books and newspapers : ) “Formal”
russian is everywhere, but slang and “swearing” is harder to find and learn.

Glad to see your sensible attitude and response to people who can’t cope with “swearing”.

I don’t intend to swear much in Russian, but it’s essential to know these words and recognise
them in everyday life. As a foreigner, I need to know if someone is swearing at me : )

Thanks again, your work here is great!

Reply

Очень по-русски says:

Jan 5, 2013 at 10:04 am

Hi Lewis,

Thanks for your comment,I’m really glad when people find my work useful.

You’re right about swearing. There is a lot of swearing everythere so there is no need to
multiply it.

Feel free to leave your questions and suggestions. Good luck! 🙂

Reply

Nedim Yapar says:

Dec 12, 2014 at 4:16 am

нет, это было очень полезно тема!

Reply

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