May 01, 2019

The Genitive Case, or "If you have no aunt"


The Genitive Case, or "If you have no aunt"

If it’s been a while, review the genitive case. Then read the lyrics (below)
of the well-known song from the classic Soviet era film,
Irony of Fate or Enjoy your Bath!(Ирония судьбы, или С лёгким паром!).

In Russia, this song (as well as others in the film) has deep associations with New Year’s Eve, as that is when the film was always broadcast. This seemingly light-hearted song is actually quite philosophical and has nothing to do with New Year’s Eve. So, no need to wait seven months to enjoy it or the film…

First, cover up the translation into English below. Then read the song in Russian, mark unfamiliar words, and use a dictionary to look them up. The underlined words are in genitive case. As you read the lyrics, consider the rules of this case and why the case is used in each instance.


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