Day 94: Parallel Parking at Fifty-One
In a driving school car in Brest, an instructor gives a parking lesson to Anatoly Vasilyevich, a retired ship's captain who has taken up driving at fifty-one.
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
Так, Анатолий Васильевич, сегодня параллельная парковка. Встаём между этими двумя машинами, только, умоляю, без лихачества.
Right, Anatoly Vasilyevich, today it's parallel parking. We're going in between these two cars, only, I beg you, no showing off.
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B
Дорогой мой, я двадцать лет водил сухогрузы длиной в сто сорок метров и швартовался в Роттердаме в шторм. Уж в эту щель как-нибудь войду.
My dear man, for twenty years I sailed cargo ships a hundred and forty metres long and berthed in Rotterdam in a storm. I think I'll manage to squeeze into this gap.
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A
С сухогрузом вам, при всём уважении, буксиры помогали. Здесь буксиров нет, есть зеркала: включайте заднюю и смотрите в правое.
With all due respect, with the cargo ships you had tugs to help you. There are no tugs here, there are mirrors: put it in reverse and look in the right one.
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B
Есть задний ход. Руль куда, право на борт?
Reverse engaged. Which way's the wheel, hard to starboard?
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A
Пока никуда, едем прямо. Когда задний бампер поравняется с бампером той машины, выкрутите руль вправо до упора.
Nowhere for now, we go straight. When your rear bumper lines up with that car's bumper, turn the wheel all the way to the right.
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B
Выкрутил. А почему мы так медленно ползём? Прибавлю-ка я оборотов, а то так до вечера швартоваться будем.
Done. But why are we crawling so slowly? I'll give it a few more revs, or we'll be mooring till nightfall.
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A
Не газуйте! Сцепление держите, машина и так едет. Вы же сами у причала, наверное, «самый малый» давали?
Don't rev it! Keep it on the clutch, the car's moving anyway. At the pier you probably ordered "dead slow" yourself, didn't you?
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B
«Самый малый» давал, это верно. Теперь руль влево? Что-то эта «Шкода» сзади подозрительно близко.
I did order "dead slow", that's true. Now the wheel to the left? That Skoda behind is suspiciously close.
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A
Стоп! Тормоз! Ещё сантиметр, и мы бы с ней, как у вас говорят, пришвартовались бортом.
Stop! Brake! One more centimetre and we'd have, as you sailors say, moored alongside her.
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B
Хм. Признаю, в Роттердаме было попросторнее. А лоцман у вас, товарищ инструктор, не полагается?
Hmm. I admit, Rotterdam was roomier. And don't you have a pilot here, Comrade Instructor?
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A
Лоцман сидит справа от вас. Начинаем заново, и на этот раз вы делаете ровно то, что я говорю, без поправок на ветер.
The pilot is sitting to your right. We start again, and this time you do exactly what I say, without adjusting for the wind.
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B
Есть выполнять ровно то, что говорите. Никогда бы не подумал, что на старости лет меня научит смирению парковка у гастронома.
Aye, aye, doing exactly what you say. I'd never have thought that in my old age I'd be taught humility by a parking space outside a grocery store.
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