Day 73: Paying the Bride's Ransom
On a wedding morning in a block of flats in Grodno, the groom and his best man find the bride's younger brother guarding the stairs, ready for the traditional bride ransom.
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
Лёха, здорово! Пропускай, у нас роспись в одиннадцать, а на часах уже десять.
Lyokha, hi! Let us through, the ceremony's at eleven and it's already ten.
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B
Не так быстро, жених: шлагбаум закрыт, без выкупа невесту не отдаём. Первая загадка: какого цвета у Олеси глаза?
Not so fast, groom: the barrier's down, no bride without a ransom. First riddle: what colour are Olesya's eyes?
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A
Зелёные! Нет, погоди, серо-голубые... Короче, очень красивые, и это самое главное.
Green! No, wait, grey-blue... Anyway, very beautiful, and that's what matters most.
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B
Карие, жених, карие, а ведь уже три года встречаетесь. Свидетель, это штраф, раскошеливайся.
Brown, groom, brown, and you two have been together for three years. Best man, that's a fine, cough up.
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C
Держи свою контрибуцию, вымогатель. Только давай загадки попроще, а то это уже не выкуп, а рэкет какой-то.
Here's your war tribute, you extortionist. But make the riddles easier, this isn't a ransom any more, it's a racket.
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B
Попроще так попроще, но поборы никто не отменял. Сколько ложек сахара Олеся кладёт в чай?
Easier it is, but nobody's cancelled the levies. How many spoons of sugar does Olesya take in her tea?
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A
Две! Это я точно знаю, сам сто раз видел.
Two! That I know for sure, I've seen it myself a hundred times.
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B
Ни одной: она уже месяц к свадьбе худеет, а ты, жених, и не заметил. Свидетель, кошелёк!
None: she's been dieting for the wedding for a month, and you, the groom, didn't even notice. Best man, wallet!
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