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Let's Address Each Other in "ты"??

hooshotjr
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Posts: 1
Joined: July 12th, 2009 1:02 am

Let's Address Each Other in "ты"??

Postby hooshotjr » November 17th, 2009 6:41 pm

I don't understand what word Eric and Ana are using in the Beginner Series #1 to say "Let's address each other in "ты". I learned the phrase originally as Давайте будем на ты or just Давайте на ты, but they are putting another word in. It SOUNDS like maybe they're saying Давайте оброшатся на ты but I can't find a good translation of that. Does anybody have the literal translation (and if it's not obvious, can you explain how they get "to address each other" from the literal translation)?

Спасибо!

ddvossler
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Joined: May 16th, 2009 9:44 pm

Postby ddvossler » November 18th, 2009 2:26 pm

Джеймс : Наташа, а где вы работаете?
Наташа: Джеймс, давайте обращаться на ты!
Джеймс: Хорошо. Где вы... нет, где ты работаешь?
Наташа: Я работаю в турагенстве. А ты?
Джеймс: В банке. Я менеджер.

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russian_guy
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Posts: 117
Joined: January 15th, 2009 11:52 pm

Postby russian_guy » November 18th, 2009 10:12 pm

the phrase you said is correct but there are many ways to say it
the one learned here that your confused about is no problem for me to explain
обращатся means something along the linds of to speak or say also it could mean to contact or adress if you look it up in http://www.translate.google.com it should help
hope you enjoy learning russian also the phrase literaly means lets adress each other using you but davayte na ti means lets at you which in english makes no sense but in russian it is perfect if you look at literal translation it can help at times but try to think like a russian
my friend from kirov always says what when i tell her to use that
like in english we would say that is why the sky is blue but in russian it would sound like
what is why the sky is blue.
also kak means like in certain context
like when comparing a few things together
the like up there that i used would be translated as kak

tereza
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Joined: November 27th, 2009 7:43 pm

Давайте на ты

Postby tereza » December 3rd, 2009 7:09 am

"Russian Guy" gave a very good explanation. I'll just add a few words.

"Давайте" is one of the most important words you'll use in Russian! It means "come on -- lets go do _______". It can also mean "Lets get going/started"

In the case of "Давайте на ты" (or any of the other forms you listed -- they are all correct), it is a request to put the relationship on a more informal and intimate basis.

In American English we pretty much address everyone informally -- except perhaps, "yes, Officer" when getting a speeding ticket. :wink:

Not so in Russia! Especially when you are over 25 and talking to someone senior to you (like your boss). As a matter of fact, it can almost be insulting in certain cases to use the ты form of the pronoun "you."

I usually address everyone using Вы (capitalized in formal writing) until they say, "Давайте на ты." -- Just to be safe. :!:

Tereza

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