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ра́зве

common #408B1
  • 1.

    really?, surely not?, is it true that...?

    Ра́зве ты ещё не защити́л диссерта́цию?

    Have you really not defended your thesis yet?

    Opens a question in which the speaker doubts or is surprised by what has been said; often best rendered by intonation plus 'really' or 'surely'.

  • 2.

    perhaps, maybe, what if

    Ра́зве попроси́ть его о по́мощи?

    Perhaps I should ask him for help?

    Colloquial, usually with an infinitive or a future form: the speaker weighs up an idea.

  • 3.

    only, except (maybe), at most

    Он ничего не ест, ра́зве что немного су́па.

    He eats nothing except maybe a bit of soup.

    Normally in the combinations 'разве что', 'разве только'.

  • 4.

    (rareunless

    Я непреме́нно э́то сде́лаю, ра́зве заболе́ю.

    I will certainly do it unless I fall ill.

    Bookish; also as 'разве что'.

Examples

Typical usagePRO

  • Rhetorical/surprised questions

    • ра́зве не ...?

      isn't it ...?; surely ...?

    • ра́зве ...?

      really ...?; is it even ...?

    • ра́зве мо́жно ...?

      is it even allowed/okay to ...?

    • ра́зве не так?

      isn't that so?

  • Exceptions and qualifications (razve chto)

    • ра́зве что + ...

      except (for) ...; only ...

    • ра́зве что + инф.

      the only thing is to ...; at most to ...

    • ра́зве что е́сли ...

      only if ...; unless ...

    • не ..., ра́зве что ...

      no ..., except ...

  • Emphatic denial/counterfactual (with by)

    • ра́зве бы ...?

      as if ... would ...

    • Да ра́зве бы ...!

      come on, as if ... would ever ...

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Fixed expressions

Related words

Synonyms

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Contributions

  • Iron edited translation 1 week ago.
  • Iron edited translation 1 week ago.
  • koishi556 edited translation and usage info 2 years ago.
  • vbulgariangymratt edited translation 2 years ago.