Day 3: Prize Tomatoes with a Price Tag
Over the fence between two dachas near Tver in August, a retired bus driver shows off his tomatoes to his old neighbour, a retired schoolteacher.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title.
- Read the dialogue and its translation. The audio for this lesson is coming soon.
- 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
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A
Ну что, сосед, видал? Вот это урожай: каждый помидор с кулак, а этот вообще с детскую голову.
Well, neighbour, seen this? Now that's a harvest: every tomato the size of a fist, and this one's as big as a child's head.
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B
Да, Петрович, впечатляет. А у меня в теплице одна мелочь, да и та трескается: чем кормишь-то?
Yes, Petrovich, impressive. Mine in the greenhouse are all puny little things, and even those crack: what do you feed them?
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A
Секрет фирмы. Рассада своя, поливаю строго по часам, а по утрам, веришь ли, с ними разговариваю.
Trade secret. My own seedlings, I water strictly by the clock, and in the mornings, believe it or not, I talk to them.
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B
Хвастаться ты, Петрович, всегда был мастак. И что же они тебе, интересно, отвечают?
You were always a dab hand at boasting, Petrovich. And what, I wonder, do they say back?
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A
Смейся, смейся, а результат налицо. На, попробуй помидорчик: сахарный, в магазине такого днём с огнём не сыщешь.
Laugh all you like, but the results speak for themselves. Here, try a tomato: sweet as sugar, you won't find one like it in a shop for love or money.
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B
Спасибо. Только скажи-ка, с каких это пор у тебя на грядочке помидоры с наклейками растут?
Thanks. Only tell me, since when do tomatoes grow with stickers on in your little vegetable patch?
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A
С какими ещё наклейками? А, это... внук баловался, налепил для смеху, он у меня шутник.
What stickers? Oh, that... my grandson was messing about, he stuck it on for a laugh, he's a real joker.
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B
Ну-ну. Грамотный у тебя внук: «Центральный рынок, Бычье сердце, триста восемьдесят рублей за кило».
Oh, sure. Quite the writer, your grandson: 'Central Market, Oxheart, three hundred and eighty roubles a kilo.'
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A
Ладно, раскусил. Мои-то фитофтора съела подчистую, а перед тобой в грязь лицом ударить не хотелось.
All right, you've caught me out. Blight wiped out every last one of mine, and I didn't want to lose face in front of you.
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B
Понимаю, Петрович, ещё как понимаю. Я ведь свои огурцы тоже... на рынке вырастил.
I understand, Petrovich, only too well. I grew my cucumbers... at the market too, you know.
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