Day 32 of 125

Day 32: First Shift on the Building Site

On a building site in Kaliningrad, a foreman shows a nineteen-year-old labourer around on his very first shift.

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

    Так, Денис, первая смена, слушай внимательно. Каска не для красоты, ремешок застегни, и под стрелой никогда не стой.

    Right, Denis, your first shift, so listen carefully. The hard hat isn't for looks, fasten the strap, and never stand under the crane's boom.

  2. B

    Понял, Сергей Павлович. А вы прораб, да? Мне в отделе кадров сказали к прорабу подойти.

    Got it, Sergey Pavlovich. You're the site manager, right? They told me in HR to report to the site manager.

  3. A

    Прораб в вагончике бумажки пишет, а я мастер, со мной и будешь работать. Сегодня льём перекрытие, опалубку вчера выставили.

    The site manager sits in his cabin doing paperwork, I'm the foreman, you'll be working with me. Today we're pouring a floor slab, the formwork went up yesterday.

  4. B

    Опалубка? Это вы про деревянные щиты? А раствор откуда пойдёт, миксер приедет?

    Formwork? You mean these wooden boards? And where's the mortar coming from, is a mixer truck on its way?

  5. A

    Щиты, верно. Только не раствор, а бетон: раствором кирпич кладут. Бетон краном в бадье подают, а ты крановщику сигналишь: «вира» вверх, «майна» вниз.

    Boards, right. Only it's concrete, not mortar: mortar's for laying bricks. The crane brings the concrete up in a bucket, and you signal to the crane operator: 'vira' is up, 'mayna' is down.

  6. B

    Вира вверх, майна вниз. Запомнил, это как в фильмах про моряков.

    Vira up, mayna down. Got it, it's like in films about sailors.

  7. A

    Ну, бадья над опалубкой, командуй! Только не ори, а чётко, крановщик у нас нервный.

    Right, the bucket's over the formwork, give the command! Only don't yell, say it clearly, our crane operator is the nervous type.

  8. B

    Вира! Вира, кому говорю!.. Ой, а почему она наверх поехала?

    Vira! Vira, I said!.. Oh, why has it gone up?

  9. A

    Потому что вира значит вверх, голова садовая! Майна! Майна помалу... стоп! Ну вот, чуть весь бетон на соседнюю стройку не отправили.

    Because vira means up, you numbskull! Mayna! Mayna, easy... stop! Well, there you go, we nearly sent all the concrete to the next building site.

  10. B

    Простите, я от волнения всё перепутал. Может, мне пока лучше с лопатой, на подсобных работах?

    Sorry, I got it all mixed up from nerves. Maybe I'd better stick to labouring with a shovel for now?

  11. A

    Не дрейфь, я на первой смене кирпич вообще не той стороной клал. Бери лопату, разравнивай, а сигналы к обеду вызубришь.

    Don't lose heart, on my first shift I laid bricks the wrong way round. Grab a shovel and level it out, and you'll have the signals down pat by lunch.

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