The Difference Between а, и and но

January 21, 2019 | Tags: Russian vocabulary

Did you know that sometimes he word а can be translated as “and” and as “but”, depending on the context? И is “and” in English, and но is “but”.

Вчера была хорошая погода, и мы поехали на дачу. The weather was nice yesterday, and we went to the country house.

Вчера была хорошая погода, но мы не поехали на дачу. The weather was nice yesterday, but we did not go to the country house.

А is used in sentences where we need to compare and contrast something, but without a strong conflict.

Мы поехали на дачу, а вы – нет. You went to the country house, and you did not go.

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A is often used as “and” in English to start a sentence.

Я люблю мороженое. А ты? I like ice cream. And you?

А я люблю шоколад. I like chocolate.

 

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