Russian Language Grammar
Usage of Interjections
Interjections are divided into two classes:
1. Those which express feelings
2. Those which express inciting, prompting.
Interjections Exopressing Feelings
The principal interjections which express feelings are listed below:
|
A! |
Ah! Oh! |
|
Ax! |
|
|
О! |
|
|
Aгa! |
Aha! Ah! Well! See! |
|
Ой! Ай! |
Oh! Ouch! |
|
Эх! |
Ah! Oh! Alas! (reproach, regret) |
|
Ox! |
Ah! Oh! (pain grief, complaint) |
|
Увы! |
Alas! |
|
Фу! Фуй! Фи! |
Phew! (disgust, annoyance) |
|
Браво! |
Bravo! |
|
Ну-ну! |
There-there (cheering) Also ironically: Okay, we'll see) |
|
Ничего себе! Нифига себе! |
Wow! Holy cow! |
|
Надо же! |
Well, well! Of all things! |
|
Бис! |
Encore! |
|
Ура! |
Hurrah! |
|
Ух ты! |
Wow! |
|
Ой-ой-ой! |
Oh dear! |
|
Ай-ай-ай! |
Poor me! Tut-tut |
Some interjections have only one, clearly indicated meaning; the feeling or reaction expressed may be positive (with Браво!, Бис!, Уpa!) or negative (with Оx!, Увы!, Фу!).
Other interjections, especially Аx!, А!, and О! have quite a variety of meanings. A few examples will illustrate the diversity of feelings expressed by these, although it is, of course, impossible to express here the various shades of intonation.
|
Ax, как хорошо! |
Oh, how wonderful! |
(joy) |
|
Ax, как жаль! |
Ah, what a pity! |
(pity) |
|
Ax, как мне страшно! |
Oh, I'm so afraid! |
(fear / Also: ironic fear) |
|
Ax, пожалуйста, приезжайте! |
Oh, please do come! |
(emphatic request) |
|
Ax, зачем вы это сделали? |
Oh, why did you do it? |
(reproach) |
|
Ой, смотрите, кто пришёл! |
Oh, look who came! |
(surprise) |
|
Ой, здравствуйте! |
Oh, hello! |
(somewhat casual joy or surprise) |
|
Ax, как обидно. |
Oh, that's too bad. |
(vexation, disappointment) |
|
Ax, какой трус! |
Oh, what a coward! |
(indignation) |
|
А, вот что он хочет сказать. |
Oh, that's what he means. |
(guess, conjecture) |
|
А, это вы? |
Oh, is that you? |
(surprise) |
|
А, здравствуйте. |
Oh, hello. |
(slightly casual tone in greeting) |
|
– Aааа! – закричал он. |
"Aаааh!" he yelled. |
(terror, pain) |
|
Ой, не говорите мне. |
Oh, don't tell me that. |
(displeasure, annoyance) |
|
А, теперь вы боитесь! |
Ah, now you are afraid! |
(mockery; threat) |
|
А, подожди-ка! |
Oh, just wait now! |
(threat) |
|
А, я вас не понял. |
Oh, I didn't understand you. |
(mild regret, apology) |
|
О, моя дорогая! |
Oh, my dear! |
(love, admiration) |
|
О, какой ужас! |
Oh, how awful! |
(grief) |
|
Ооо! |
Oооh! |
(pain) |
|
О, несчастный человек! |
Oh, poor man! |
(strong pity) |
|
О, это длинная история. |
Oh, that is a long story. |
(emphatic – but without any special feeling) |
|
О, это я знаю. |
Oh, this I do know. |
(confident assurance) |
Interjections Expressing Prompting, Inciting
The principal interjections which express prompting or inciting are the following:
|
Эй! |
Hey! Hey you! |
|
Ay! |
Hallo! (calling out) |
|
Ну! |
Well! Come on! |
|
Давай! |
Come on! |
|
Вперёд! |
Go ahead! |
|
Валяй! |
Shoot! Do it! |
|
На! Нате! |
Here (you are)! Take it! |
|
Вон! |
Out! |
|
Цыц! |
Shut up! |
|
Чу! (obsolete) |
Hear! |
|
Марш! |
March! |
|
Стоп! |
Stop! Halt! |
|
Алло. |
Hallo! |
|
Но! Пошла! |
Giddy up! |