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The Death of a Clerk


Надо бы ему объяснить, что я вовсе не желал… что это закон природы, а то подумает, что я плюнуть хотел.

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I ought to explain to him that I never meant it at all… that it's a law of nature, or else he'll think I meant to spit.

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Where it stands

«Забыл, а у самого ехидство в глазах, — подумал Червяков, подозрительно поглядывая на генерала. «Forgotten it, yet there's spite in his own eyes,» thought Chervyakov, glancing suspiciously at the general.

— И говорить не хочет. And he won't even talk.

Теперь не подумает, так после подумает!..» He doesn't think so now, but he'll think so later!..»

The words in this sentence

на́до
one must, it is necessary
бы
would (conditional particle)
ему́
to him (dat of он/оно) — он
объясни́ть
to explain
что
that (conj.)
я
I
во́все
at all (вовсе не: not at all)
не
not
жела́л
wished, desired (past m of желать) — желать
э́то
this; it is — этот
зако́н
law
приро́ды
nature (gen sg / pl) — природа
а
and, but (conjunction)
то
or else (conj., in а то)
поду́мает
will think (3sg) — подумать
плю́нуть
to spit
хоте́л
wanted (past m of хотеть) — хотеть

А. П. Чехов, «Смерть чиновника», 1883 · sentence 20 of 46

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