???µ???‡?°??: now, just, soon, never
Way back in Russian 101, I was enchanted by the words ?‚?µ???µ?€?? (now) and ???µ???‡?°?? (now). How clever of Russians, I thought, to clarify so simply the distinction between right-this-moment now (???µ???‡?°??) and nowadays-at-present now (?‚?µ???µ?€??).
But ?‚?µ???µ?€?? — or should that be ???µ???‡?°??? — I've come to realize that these seemingly simple words have several meanings. They can refer to the past, present and future and have a new now-word friend. They are still enchanting but not so simple.
???µ???µ?€?? is the nowadays now: ???µ???µ?€?? ?????µ ?????°?€?‚???€?‹ ?????»?¶???‹ ?????µ?‚?? ???‡?‘?‚?‡?????? ???????‹ (Currently, all apartments must have water meters). It's often used in then-and-now expressions: ? ?°???????µ ?? ???‡?µ???? ?»???±???»?° ???°?‚?°?‚?????? ???° ?°?‚?‚?€?°???†???????°?…, ?° ?‚?µ???µ?€?? ?±???????? (In the past, I loved to go on rides, but now I'm afraid).
But it's also used as a transition word to indicate a change of topic or task and might be translated as "next." You often hear this in the lecture hall: ???‹ ?€?µ?????»?? ???µ?€?????? ?·?°???°?‡?? ?? ?‚?µ???µ?€?? ???µ?€?µ?????‘?? ?? ???‚???€???? (Now that we've solved the first problem, let's move on to the second). But you can also hear it around the house: ???µ???µ?€?? ?????±?°???»???µ?? ???µ?????????? ???????? ?? ?…???€?????? ?????µ???????°?µ?? (Next we add a little flour and mix it thoroughly).
???µ???‡?°?? is the right-this-moment now: ?? ???µ???‡?°?? ?·?°?????‚?° — ???µ?€?µ?·???????? ?????µ ?‡?µ?€?µ?· ?‡?°?? (I'm busy right now — call me back in an hour). But ???µ???‡?°?? time travels. It can refer to the future in the sense of "very soon." ?? ???µ???‡?°?? ???€??????! (I'll be there in just a sec). Or it can refer to an action that just took place in the past. ???? ?‚???»?????? ???µ???‡?°?? ???‹???µ?» (He just stepped out).
In parental arguments with teenagers, ???µ???‡?°?? means either "right this instant" or "sometime next year":
Mom: ???±?µ?€?? ?????????°?‚??! (Clean your room!)
Teenager: ???µ???‡?°??! (I'm on it, meaning "I'll get to it after I finish up on Facebook, try on my new jeans, eat dinner, walk the dog and spend three hours on the phone with my best friend.")
Mom: ???µ???‡?°?? ?¶?µ! (Now! I mean it!)
And sometimes ???µ???‡?°?? leaves the temporal dimension and enters the spatial realm to mean "right next to": ?—?° ?????????? ???µ???‡?°?? ?¶?µ ???°?‡?????°?µ?‚???? ?»?µ?? (The forest begins right behind the house).
And then there's a new now word — ?‰?°??. Okay, it's not a new word but a transcription of the way ???µ???‡?°?? is pronounced. For now it seems to have the same meaning of ???µ???‡?°??. ?? ?‡?‘?? ?‚?‹ ???????°?µ???? ???€?????? ?‰?°?? (pronounced ???€?????‰?°??)? (What are you thinking about right now?)
— ???‹ ?????‘????? ("Are you coming?")
— ?©?°?? ("In a sec")
I often get ?‰?°?? as a one-word e-mail reply after sending in work. It means: "Got it, give me a second to look it over."
My favorite slangy use of ?‰?°?? (or ???µ???‡?°??) is delivered dead-pan and means: Not now, not ever. Say you are listening to your teenage daughter complain she has nothing to wear to a party on the weekend. Her solution? ?”?°?? ?????µ ???€?µ?????‚????, ?? ?? ?????µ???? ???????»?? ?????????µ ???»?°?‚???µ (Give me your credit card and I'll go and buy a new dress). Your sarcastic response: ?©?°?? (When pigs fly).
Your solution? ???µ???µ?€?? ???°???°?? ???????????‚?€???? ?‚?????? ???°?€???µ?€???± (Now let's take a look at your clothes). Her response: ?©?°??. (In a minute.)
Translation from teenagerese: Like that's going to happen. I'll borrow something from my friend instead. A satisfying ?‰?°??.
Michele A. Berdy, a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, is author of "The Russian Word's Worth" (Glas), a collection of her columns.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.