Russian · TORFL Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 45
Чай или кофе?Tea or coffee?
The last chapter of Band 1 — review and linking words. Words: и, но, а, или, потому что, поэтому, тоже, потом, сначала, вместе, наконец, всё. Key grammar: how to join sentences. «и» (and) adds, «но» and «а» are «but» («а» is softer, for contrast), «или» (or) is a choice. For cause and effect there are two words: «потому что» (because) introduces the CAUSE and follows the result («Я дома, потому что холодно», I’m home because it’s cold); «поэтому» (so) introduces the RESULT and follows the cause («Холодно, поэтому я дома», it’s cold, so I’m home). It is a mirror: one idea, but the order of cause and effect changes. English speakers’ mistake: they confuse the direction — «Я устал, потому что иду спать» ✗ → «Я устал, поэтому иду спать» ✓. Ask: cause (потому что) or effect (поэтому)? Reading: the letter «ч» sounds like «ш» in «что» and «конечно». Well done — this is the end of Band 1!
Dialogue
i
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Я устал, поэтому иду спать— I’m tired, so I’m going to bed
- mike
- ivan
- mike
- ivan
- mike
- ivan
Dialogue
i
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Мы закончили курс!— We finished the course!
- anya
- ivan
- anya
- ivan
- anya
- ivan
Vocabulary
i
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- и
conjunctionand
- но
conjunctionbut
- а
conjunctionbut, and (contrast)
- или
conjunctionor
- потому что
conjunctionbecause
- поэтому
adverbtherefore, so
- тоже
adverbalso, too
- потом
adverbthen, later
- сначала
adverbfirst, at first
- вместе
adverbtogether
- наконец
adverbfinally, at last
- всё
pronouneverything, all
Grammar
i
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Connectors: и, но, а, или, потому что, поэтому
Explanation
In the last chapter of Band 1 we learn to join sentences. Small linking words: «и» (and) adds: «чай и кофе» (tea and coffee). «но» (but) contrasts one and the same thing: «Я хочу пойти, но нет времени» (I want to go, but there’s no time). «а» is also «but», but softer, for a contrast between two DIFFERENT things: «Я люблю чай, а он любит кофе» (I like tea, and/while he likes coffee) — not an argument, a comparison. «или» (or) is a choice: «чай или кофе?». For cause and effect there are two words, often confused. «потому что» (because) introduces the CAUSE and follows the result: «Я остался дома, ПОТОМУ ЧТО было холодно» (result + потому что + cause). «поэтому» (so, therefore) introduces the RESULT and follows the cause: «Было холодно, ПОЭТОМУ я остался дома» (cause + поэтому + result). It is a mirror: one situation, but the order changes. English speakers’ mistake: they confuse the direction and say «Я устал, потому что иду спать» ✗ (tiredness is the cause, sleep is the effect). Correct: «Я устал, поэтому иду спать» ✓. Ask: is it the cause (потому что) or the effect (поэтому)? Well done — you have finished Band 1!
Examples
- Я люблю чай и кофе.I like tea and coffee.
- Я люблю чай, но не люблю кофе.I like tea, but I don’t like coffee.
- Было поздно, поэтому я пошёл домой.It was late, so I went home.
- Я пошёл домой, потому что было поздно.I went home because it was late.
- Ты хочешь чай или кофе?Do you want tea or coffee?
Cyrillic
i
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«ч» звучит как «ш» в «что» и «конечно»— «ч» sounds like «ш» in «что» and «конечно»
Usually the letter «ч» sounds like «ch»: «чай» (chay, tea), «час» (chas, hour). But in a few very common words «ч» is pronounced like «ш»! The most important is «что» = «што» (shto), not «chshto». Likewise «конечно» = ka-NÉSH-na (of course) and «скучно» = SKÚSH-na (boring): here «чн» sounds like «шн». This is the old «Moscow» pronunciation, and it has stayed in these words. In connectors remember the stress: «потому́ что» is stressed on «-му», and «что» reads «што»; «поэ́тому» is stressed on «э». Read «что» as «што», but «чай» as «chay».
Read the words aloud:
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