In Using Russian by Offord and Gogolitsyna (which I describe and provide an Amazon link for here), there is an excellent description of that various and sundry particles that appear in Russian. These are tricky for students of Russian. They provide a nuance to the language that English can only do by tone of voice or intonation. Most of these examples are from that fine book, which include many more examples.
Particle “а“
- When placed at the end of a phrase, it implies that the speaker expects to recieve an agreement.
Денги дать, а? Want some money?
- It also occurs when a diminutive name is repeated in vocative expressions.
Тань, а Тань! Как ты думаешь? Tania, what do you think?
- It is also used at the beginning of an untterance and links to what has already been said or assumed.
Митю можно? Can I speak to Mitia?
А он на работе. He’s at work.
А когда будет? When will he get home?
Particle “да”
- To express an objection or remonstration in a very familiar tone.
Да я бы на твоём месте этого не сделал. I wouldn’t have done that if I’d been in your place.
- To express agreement or concession.
Можно, я сейчас выйду? Can I leave now?
Да выходи, мне всё равно. Go ahead, it’s all the same to me.
- To express insistent suggestion, friend advice or reassurance.
Да не шумите. Я работаю. Don’t make a racket. I’m working.
- To express a vague answer, which carries a casual, indifferent tone.
Куда она уехела? Where’s she gone off to?
Да не знаю. Говорят в Сибирь. Oh, I don’t know. Siberia, I think.
- To express certainty against a background of vagueness with an indefinite pronoun containing the particle -нибудь.
Что–нибудь да купим. We’re sure to buy something or other.
- To express amazement in exclamatory questions
Да разве ты не знал, что он женат? Surely you knew he was married?
Particle “–ка“
- Attached to an imperative verb, it produces a gentle informal exhortation or friendly advice.
Леночка, выйди–ка сюда на минутку. Lenohka, come out here for a moment would you.
- Attached to an imperitive used in a conditional sense, it expresses a challenge to somebody to do something perceived as difficult.
Поговорите–ка с этим парнем – увидите, какой он трудный. You try speaking to this lad and you’ll see how difficult he is.
- Attached to the first person singular form of a perfective verb, it indicates irresolution in the speaker.
Куплю–ка дочке новую юбку. Perhaps I’ll buy my daughter a new skirt.
There are more: ведь, вот, ещё, же, и, ли, ну, так, –то, уж, хоть, хотя, что, etc.
Wow — these are tough!! :-) Sometimes it seems impossible to conceive of actually understanding all this stuff intuitively. But Russian is such a wonderfully rich language, and these subtleties are one of the reasons.
