Day 106 of 125

Day 106: Sell the House or Keep It?

In the empty family house in a village in the Smolensk region, a father, his two grown sons and their uncle decide whether to sell the house the grandfather built.

How to study this lesson 3 steps
  1. Read the situation under the title.
  2. Read the dialogue and its translation. The audio for this lesson is coming soon.
  3. Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Russian audio, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.

Dialogue

Audio for this lesson is coming soon. For now, read the dialogue and its translation.

Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day

  1. A

    Все в сборе, как при отце. Давайте решать: покупатель ждёт ответа до понедельника, а дом без хозяина разваливается.

    Everyone's here, just like when Dad was alive. Let's decide: the buyer wants an answer by Monday, and the house is falling apart without anyone living in it.

  2. B

    Что тут решать, пап? Крыша течёт, а мы приезжаем раз в год, на Радоницу. Пока дают нормальные деньги, надо продавать.

    What's there to decide, Dad? The roof leaks, and we come once a year, for Radonitsa. While they're offering decent money, we should sell.

  3. C

    Нормальные? Это же за бесценок! Дед этот дом своими руками ставил, бревно к бревну, а ты его как старый холодильник продаёшь.

    Decent? That's next to nothing! Grandpa built this house with his own hands, log by log, and you're selling it like an old fridge.

  4. B

    Серёга, память не в брёвнах, а в голове. Хранил бы её, так приезжал бы почаще, крышу бы хоть раз перекрыл.

    Seryoga, memory isn't in the logs, it's in your head. If you wanted to keep it, you'd come more often and fix the roof at least once.

  5. C

    А ты сам когда последний раз гвоздь забивал, москвич? Хотя ладно, не будем. Пап, ты-то что молчишь?

    And when did you last hammer a nail, Mr. Moscow? Oh, never mind, let's not. Dad, why aren't you saying anything?

  6. A

    Молчу, потому что вы оба правы, а так не бывает. Продать жалко, содержать не на что: куда ни кинь, всюду клин.

    I'm not saying anything because you're both right, and that never happens. It's a shame to sell, and there's no money to keep it up: whichever way you turn, you're stuck.

  7. D

    Прямо «Вишнёвый сад» какой-то: все вздыхают, а топор уже наточен. Коля, а покупатель-то зачем дом берёт, ты спрашивал?

    It's like The Cherry Orchard: everyone sighs, and the axe is already sharpened. Kolya, did you ask why this buyer wants the house?

  8. B

    Я спрашивал, дядь Миш. Дом снесут, поставят коттедж с баней, а сад, говорит, вырубят под парковку.

    I asked, Uncle Misha. They'll knock the house down, put up a big new house with a bathhouse, and the orchard, he says, will be cut down for parking.

  9. C

    Дедовы антоновки под парковку? Ну спасибо, братец, утешил, Лопахин ты наш. Может, ещё и праздник по такому случаю закатим?

    Grandpa's Antonovka apple trees for a car park? Well, thanks, brother, that's a comfort, you're our very own Lopakhin. Shall we throw a party to celebrate while we're at it?

  10. B

    Да не ёрничай. Я сам не ожидал, что меня это так заденет: пока речь шла о деньгах, было проще.

    Oh, stop being sarcastic. I didn't expect it to get to me like this myself: while we were talking about money, it was easier.

  11. A

    Вот что, ребята: этим летом не продаём. Каждый берёт по месяцу, крышу перекрываем вместе, а осенью решим окончательно.

    Here's what, boys: we're not selling this summer. Each of you takes a month, we redo the roof together, and in the autumn we'll make the final decision.

  12. D

    Вот это по-нашему. А то у Чехова целое имение проплакали, а до крыши руки так ни у кого и не дошли.

    Now that's our way. In Chekhov they wept away a whole estate, and nobody ever got round to the roof.

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