Read Anna Karenina in the Original Russian (Part 2 of N)
AI-assisted reading techniques to tackle authentic texts
"Unlock the magic of Tolstoy as you’ve never seen it before: Dive deep into the soul of 'Anna Karenina’—not through a translation, but in its original, beautiful Russian.
For those who’ve missed the beginning of this ambitious journey, catch the introduction here.
Ready to experience Russian literature like never before? The let’s recall what are the first two Russian sentences of Anna Karenina?
ChatGPT
Absolutely! The first two sentences of “Anna Karenina” in Russian are:
- Все счастливые семьи похожи друг на друга, каждая несчастливая семья несчастлива по-своему.
- Всё смешалось в доме Облонских.
These translate to:
- “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
- “Everything was in confusion in the Oblonskys’ house.”
Keep up the good work with your Russian studies!
Okay. Can you just give me a list of the those words, as our key vocabulary for the rest of the first paragraph.
Absolutely! Here’s a list of key vocabulary words from the first two sentences of “Anna Karenina”:
- Все (Vsye) — All
- счастливые (schastlivye) — happy (plural adjective)
- семьи (sem’yi) — families (plural noun)
- похожи (pokhozhi) — are alike
- друг на друга (drug na druga) — each other
- каждая (kazhdaya) — each (singular feminine)
- несчастливая (neschastlivaya) — unhappy (singular feminine adjective)
- семья (sem’ya) — family (singular noun)
- несчастлива (neschastliva) — is unhappy
- по-своему (po-svoemu) — in its own way
- Всё (Vsyo) — Everything
- смешалось (smeshalos’) — was in confusion/mixed up
- в (v) — in
- доме (dome) — house (in the locative case)
- Облонских (Oblonskikh) — the Oblonskys’
I hope this list is helpful for understanding the first paragraph! Keep practicing!
Okay. Next sentence. Don’t give me a translation yet, just the meanings of the words we haven’t encountered yet Жена узнала, что муж был в связи с бывшею в их доме француженкою-гувернанткой, и объявила мужу, что не может жить с ним в одном доме.
Absolutely! Here are the meanings of the new words in that sentence:
- Жена (Zhena) — Wife
- узнала (uznala) — found out / learned (feminine past tense)
- муж (muzh) — Husband
- был (byl) — was (masculine past tense)
- в связи с (v svyazi s) — in relation/connection with
- бывшею (byvsheyu) — former (feminine instrumental case)
- француженкою (frantsuzhenkoyu) — Frenchwoman (feminine instrumental case)
- гувернанткой (guvernantkoy) — governess (feminine instrumental case)
- и (i) — and
- объявила (obyavila) — announced/declared (feminine past tense)
- не может (ne mozhet) — cannot
- жить (zhit’) — to live
- с ним (s nim) — with him
- в одном (v odnom) — in one/the same
- одном доме (odnom dome) — in the same house
Now, try to piece the sentence together with the help of these meanings!
And what’s this word? что
Ah, the word что (chto) translates to “that” in English when it is used as a conjunction, as it is in this case. It can also mean “what” when used as a pronoun to form questions, among other uses. In this sentence, it’s used to introduce a subordinate clause, similar to how “that” is used in English in sentences like “She said that she was tired.”
Okay. So the wife (Oblonsky’s wife) had found out that her husband was having an affair with the former French governess, and declared that she could no longer live in the same house as him.
Exactly right! You did a great job piecing together the meaning of the sentence using the provided vocabulary and context. This sentence indeed conveys that Oblonsky’s wife has learned of her husband’s infidelity with their children’s former governess and has declared that she can no longer live with him in the same house. Keep going; you are making excellent progress!
Okay. Let’s break down the word for Frenchwoman. Is this like German where nouns get strung together?
Yes, in a way, the construction of the word for “Frenchwoman,” француженка (frantsuzhenka), can be compared to how compound nouns are formed in German. In Russian, you often form words that describe nationality, profession, or characteristics by adding different suffixes to the base of the word.
In this case, француз (frantsuz) means Frenchman. To make it feminine, you change the ending to -ка (–ka), creating француженка (frantsuzhenka), which means Frenchwoman.
Moreover, in the sentence, it was in the instrumental case, ending with -ой (–oyu), thus француженкою (frantsuzhenkoyu), to convey the meaning of “with the Frenchwoman,” indicating in whose company something was done. This might remind you of how German uses cases to show the role of a noun in a sentence, though the specific rules and forms are different in Russian.
Okay. So Frenchwoman and governess need to agree with each other in gender and case… this is going to be a complicated language.
Yes, Russian grammar does involve a system of agreements in gender, case, and number between different parts of speech, much like in many other Indo-European languages. So, when a noun is modified by an adjective, or in this case, when it is a compound noun, the components need to agree in gender, number, and case.
It’s a complex system, but it’s also systematic and consistent, which can make it easier to learn over time. The complexity of Russian grammar can be challenging at first, but many learners find that it becomes more manageable as they become familiar with the patterns and rules. Keep practicing, and it will start to make more sense!
Okay. And the verbs we have — uznala and obyavila are both feminine past tense, agreeing in gender with the subject (the Zhena)? This is even worse than French!
That’s correct! The verbs узнала (uznala) and объявила (obyavila) are indeed in the feminine past tense form, agreeing with the subject, жена (zhena), which is feminine.
Russian verbs in the past tense agree with the subject in gender and number. So, verbs have different forms for masculine, feminine, neuter, and plural subjects in the past tense.
- For a masculine subject: -л (–l)
- For a feminine subject: -ла (–la)
- For a neuter subject: -ло (–lo)
- For a plural subject: -ли (–li)
While it might seem overwhelming at first, the concordance in gender, number, and case can actually be helpful in understanding sentence structures and meanings, especially in sentences with complicated constructions or implicit subjects. It’s a different approach compared to languages like English or French, but with practice, it will become more intuitive. Keep up the good work, you’re getting the hang of it!
Okay. Next sentence. We’re making good speed. Only explain words we haven’t seen before. Положение это продолжалось уже третий день и мучительно чувствовалось и самими супругами, и всеми членами семьи, и домочадцами.
Alright! Here are the new words:
- Положение (Polozhenie) — situation
- продолжалось (prodolzhalos’) — continued (neuter past tense to agree with “положение”)
- уже (uzhe) — already
- третий (tretiy) — third
- день (den’) — day
- мучительно (muchitel’no) — painfully
- чувствовалось (chuvstvovalos’) — was felt (neuter past tense to agree with “положение”)
- самими (samimi) — by themselves
- супругами (suprugami) — spouses (Instrumental Plural to agree with “by the spouses”, “by themselves”)
- всеми (vsemi) — by all
- членами (chlenami) — members (Instrumental Plural to agree with “by all members”)
- домочадцами (domochadtsami) — household members (Instrumental Plural to agree with “by the household members”)
Do you want to try to piece it together based on these translations?
Okay. “The situation had already been going on for three days, and was painfully felt by the couple themselves, by all the members of the family, and by everyone in the household.”
Exactly right! You’ve done a great job of piecing together the sentence using the translations of the new words. You’re making impressive progress!
Excellent. Now the next sentence. New words only. Все члены семьи и домочадцы чувствовали, что нет смысла в их сожительстве и что на каждом постоялом дворе случайно сошедшиеся люди более связаны между собой, чем они, члены семьи и домочадцы Облонских.
Great, here are the new words:
- нет (net) — there is not
- смысла (smysla) — sense, meaning (in Genitive case due to negation)
- в (v) — in
- их (ikh) — their
- сожительстве (sozhitel’stve) — cohabitation, living together
- что (chto) — that
- на (na) — at, on
- каждом (kazhdom) — each, every
- постоялом (postoyalom) — transient, wayfarer’s
- дворе (dvore) — yard, court
- случайно (sluchayno) — accidentally, by chance
- сошедшиеся (soshedshiesya) — who have met, who have come together
- люди (lyudi) — people
- более (bolee) — more
- связаны (svyazany) — are connected
- между (mezhdu) — between
- собой (soboy) — themselves
- чем (chem) — than
Would you like to give it a go and piece it together?
Okay. I remember Все is the opening word of the book, meaning “Every”. So “Every member of the family and the household, there was no sense that they were living together, and …” this is getting tricky. Can you break it down into simpler Russian phrases for me first?
Certainly! Let’s break it down:
Все члены семьи и домочадцы чувствовали,
- All the family members and household members felt,
что нет смысла в их сожительстве
- that there is no sense in their living together
и что на каждом постоялом дворе случайно сошедшиеся люди более связаны между собой,
- and that at every transient court, people who have met by chance are more connected between themselves,
чем они, члены семьи и домочадцы Облонских.
- than they, the family members and household members of the Oblonskys.
Does breaking it down like this make it easier for you to understand the sentence structure in Russian?
Well yes, but that kind of gives the game away. But the point is that they’re like strangers now in the Oblonsky household. They’re living together — but alienated from each other?
Exactly! The sentence illustrates the extent of alienation and disconnection within the Oblonsky household by comparing it to the transient and accidental connections between strangers. It paints a picture of a household steeped in tension and estrangement, where the familial and household bonds are seemingly weaker than even the most casual and temporary of acquaintances. The feeling of living like strangers in the same household underlines the sense of isolation and breakdown in relationships.
Okay. A short sentence. Should be easier. New words only please Жена не выходила из своих комнат, мужа третий день не было дома.
Sure, here are the new words from that sentence:
- Жена (Zhena) — Wife
- выходила (vykhodila) — (she) was not leaving / did not leave
- из (iz) — from (preposition used to indicate origin or source)
- своих (svoikh) — her own
- комнат (komnat) — rooms
- мужа (muža) — husband (in the accusative case here, because it is the object of the verb “was not”)
- третий (tretiy) — third
- день (den’) — day
- не было (ne bylo) — was not
- дома (doma) — at home
Do these explanations help clarify the meanings of the new words in this sentence?
Okay, so “The wife did not leave from her own rooms, and so on the third day the husband was not at home.”
Yes, that’s right! The translation would be: “The wife did not leave her rooms, and the husband had not been home for the third day.” You’ve got a good grasp of interpreting the meaning from the context and structure!
Okay. Komnat. Is that plural — like a suite of rooms?
Yes, exactly! “Комнат” (komnat) is indeed the plural form of “комната” (komnata), meaning rooms. So, in this context, it implies that the wife did not leave her suite of rooms or her own rooms, indicating possibly that she was isolating herself within a specific part of the house.
Maybe she “kept to her own rooms, and by the third day the husband was no longer at the house”
Yes, that’s a good interpretative translation! It conveys the sense that she remained secluded in her own rooms and that, by the third day, her husband was absent from the house. It effectively communicates the tense and unpleasant atmosphere in the household.
Okay, and to end the paragraph another long sentence with lots of semicolons. Is that normal? Can I just read each as if each were a sentence? Дети бегали по всему дому, как потерянные; англичанка поссорилась с экономкой и написала записку приятельнице, прося приискать ей новое место; повар ушел вчера со двора, во время самого обеда; черная кухарка и кучер просили расчета.
Yes, Russian writing, especially from the 19th century, can feature extensive use of semicolons; this is not unusual. You can indeed read each clause between the semicolons as a separate thought or a separate sentence, which might make it easier to understand.
In simpler terms, it does appear to be depicting chaos and disarray within the household. Would you like me to go over the new words or do you prefer a detailed breakdown of the sentence?
New words please
Alright, here are translations for the new words in the sentence:
- Дети (Deti) = Children
- бегали (begali) = were running
- потерянные (poteryannye) = lost
- англичанка (anglichanka) = Englishwoman
- поссорилась (possorilas’) = quarreled, had a quarrel
- экономкой (ekonomkoy) = housekeeper
- написала (napisala) = wrote
- записку (zapisku) = note
- приятельнице (priyatel’nitse) = to a female friend
- прося (prosya) = asking
- приискать (priiskat’) = to find
- ей (ey) = her
- новое (novoe) = new
- место (mesto) = place
- повар (povar) = cook
- ушел (ushel) = left
- вчера (vchera) = yesterday
- двора (dvora) = yard/courtyard
- во время (vo vremya) = during
- самого (samogo) = the very
- обеда (obeda) = lunch/dinner
- черная (chernaya) = black (female form)
- кухарка (kukharka) = cook (female form)
- кучер (kucher) = coachman
- просили (prosili) = asked for
- расчета (rascheta) = settlement (in terms of payment)
So first clause — “The children were running everywhere in the house,” then something about getting lost — what is как?
The word “как” (kak) typically means “as” or “like” in English. So in this context, “как потерянные” (kak poteryannye) would translate to “as if lost” or “like [they were] lost.” So the clause “Дети бегали по всему дому, как потерянные” would be translated to “The children were running all over the house, as if lost.”
Okay. The Englishwoman was quarrelling with the housekeeper and wrote a note to her friend, asking her to find a new situation. Is that right — who is the Englishwoman?
Yes, you translated that part correctly. The Englishwoman, presumably, is another servant or employee in the house, possibly a governess or a maid. The exact role isn’t specified in this sentence, but given the context of the household in disarray, she is likely one of the staff members feeling the impact of the discord between Mr. and Mrs. Oblonsky.
Okay. I like that housekeeper is ekonomoy, taking that word back to its Greek roots!
Absolutely, the Russian word “экономка” (ekonomka) for housekeeper does indeed have roots in the concept of economy, deriving from the Greek word “οἰκονομία” (oikonomia), referring to household management or management of household affairs, which is quite a fitting term for a housekeeper’s role! The evolution and adaptation of words from different languages often reveal interesting connections like this one.
The cook left yesterday during dinner itself
Exactly right! The cook leaving amidst dinner amplifies the chaos and disarray within the Oblonsky household, creating a vivid picture of a domestic situation in turmoil.
And the black cook and the coachman also asked to be paid out. Is that right — what is “black cook”
Yes, you have interpreted the sentence correctly. The term “black cook” (черная кухарка) likely refers to a cook specializing in a lower rank or perhaps more menial cooking tasks, possibly in contrast to a chef or a head cook. It doesn’t refer to the race or ethnicity of the cook. In Russian households of that time, there might be different levels or types of servants responsible for different tasks in the kitchen.
So the povar is maybe the head cook, and the chernaya kukharka maybe translates as kitchen hand or scullery maid?
Yes, that’s a plausible interpretation! “Повар” (povar) typically refers to a cook or chef, someone responsible for preparing meals, potentially holding a higher, more specialized position. “Черная кухарка” (chernaya kukharka) would likely be a lower-ranking kitchen worker, possibly responsible for less skilled tasks, as you mentioned, similar to a kitchen hand or a scullery maid.
Well we’re making good speed now — that’s a whole paragraph. Tolstoy has successfully given us a portrait of a very unhappy household.
Absolutely! Tolstoy masterfully presents a household in disarray, setting a vivid scene of tension and chaos right from the start. You’ve done a great job breaking down the complex structure of the sentences and understanding the nuanced meanings of the words. Keep up the good work!
Okay. And just to help us for the rest of the book, can you remind me of some of the key vocabulary we’ve seen so far — with emojis and suggested mnemonics
Certainly! Here are some key vocabulary words from the paragraph you’ve translated, with emojis and mnemonics where possible:
- Семья (sem’ya) — Family 🏡 (Think of “similar”, as family members are often similar to one another.)
- Дом (dom) — House 🏠 (Similar to “dome”, a type of building.)
- Дети (deti) — Children 👶 (Think of “petty”, as children can sometimes be petty in their arguments.)
- Жена (zhena) — Wife 👰 (Sounds like “Jenna”, a woman’s name.)
- Муж (muzh) — Husband 🤵 (Think of “mush”, something a husband might end up on the couch!)
- Комнаты (komnaty) — Rooms 🚪 (Similar to “compartments”, which are like rooms.)
- Англичанка (anglichanka) — Englishwoman 🇬🇧 (Think of “English” + “Anka”, a name.)
- Экономка (ekonomka) — Housekeeper 🧹 (Related to “economy”, managing household resources.)
- Повар (povar) — Cook 👩🍳 (Think of “pot”, something a cook uses.)
- Кухарка (kukharka) — Kitchen hand/Scullery maid 🍳 (Starts with “cook”, which is what they do.)
- Кучер (kucher) — Coachman 🐎 (Think of “coach” as in a horse-drawn coach.)
- Черная (chernaya) — Black ⚫️ (Think of “Chernobyl”, which left areas blackened and uninhabitable.)
Remember, these mnemonics are just suggested, and it’s important to come up with the ones that work best for you!
That’s great for now. Just a comment on language — while there’s complicated agreement between number, gender and tense there’s no articles? That’s a relief (maybe?)
Indeed, Russian lacks articles, both definite (the) and indefinite (a, an), which are present in English. This is indeed a relief for many learners as you don’t need to worry about choosing the correct article for each noun. However, the absence of articles means that the grammatical context and word order can play a more significant role in conveying meaning, and nouns can change form to convey the role they play in a sentence, which can be seen as adding a different layer of complexity. So, it’s a bit of a trade-off!
Okay. That’s what I can manage for today! спасибо!
Пожалуйста! You’ve done some impressive work today! If you have any more questions or need further clarification in the future, feel free to ask. Удачи в изучении русского языка! (Good luck in learning Russian!)
This exercise takes time and effort — and even longer to document the journey for you. So please clap or respond with encouragement if you’d like me to proceed to the next paragraph… I need at least 51 claps to keep this going.
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