|
Gender of nouns
|
|
| harpsichord | Date: Saturday, 2012-12-22, 10:59 PM | Message # 1 |
|
Group: StudentF1
Messages: 30
Status: Offline
| Hello Olga,
Poodle is a masculine noun, so is the answer to the question, "Where is the poodle?" always "Вот он" even if the poodle is female? If so, what would the English translation of "Вот он" be when referring to a female? Does it still translate to "Here he is," or can it mean "Here SHE is," as well?
Thanks as always,
Mandy
Message edited by harpsichord - Saturday, 2012-12-22, 11:00 PM |
|
| |
| Olga | Date: Sunday, 2012-12-23, 1:33 PM | Message # 2 |
Group: Moderators
Messages: 85
Status: Offline
| Hi Mandy,
Yes, you are right, the word пудель is always masculine; therefore you should treat it as a masculine word.
If you want to show that your poodle is a girl, you can use its name, for example:
- Где Агата?
- Вот она.
The phrase 'Вот он' is translated to 'Here he is'. Even though we know that it is a girl, it has to agree with the noun we use.
Sometimes, if you want to emphasize that your poodle is a girl - you can use 'Вот она'. = Here she is. In this case it sounds like you don't answer the question directly, but rather give some extra information.
|
|
| |
| harpsichord | Date: Sunday, 2012-12-23, 2:48 PM | Message # 3 |
|
Group: StudentF1
Messages: 30
Status: Offline
| So, just to be perfectly clear in my own mind, when your poodle is a girl and you answer the original question with "Вот он," this does not sound at all odd to Russians because it's not assumed that your poodle is male; only that the noun 'poodle' is masculine and that 'Вот он' is in agreement with it?
Mandy
|
|
| |
| Olga | Date: Sunday, 2012-12-23, 7:50 PM | Message # 4 |
|
Group: Moderators
Messages: 85
Status: Offline
| That's correct.
Another example:
- Где директор?
- Вот он. (even though the director is a woman and you are pointing at the woman)
Mandy, don't worry - it looks strange in the beginning, but you will get used to it and it won't bother you.
|
|
| |
| harpsichord | Date: Monday, 2012-12-24, 8:02 AM | Message # 5 |
|
Group: StudentF1
Messages: 30
Status: Offline
| Thanks, Olga. You have explained this perfectly. 
Mandy
|
|
| |
