Приключения Шурика – Learn Russian through Films

If we asked a Russian what’s the most popular classic comedy of their кино, I bet the winner would be Операция “Ы” и другие приключения Шурика (Operation “Ы” and other adventures of Shurik – 1965).

Shurik is a naive and nerdy Soviet student who often gets into ludicrous situations but always finds a way out very neatly.

The film consists of three independent parts that you can watch here with English subtitles. Note that this link is now unlisted by Mosfilm. This means that you can’t get the film with a simple search on YouTube, but you need to have this particular link to watch it for free. I managed to get it a few months ago along with other links before Mosfilm switched many titles to paid content.

In this article, I have picked the dialogue of the very first scene on the bus. Below, you can watch it twice, both with English subtitles and Russian subtitles. I can’t stop laughing every time I watch it!

I’ve also included a step-by-step guide on how to read the whole transcript (Russian text) of the film on your browser.

Приключения Шурика – The Film

Приключения Шурика – The Dialogue

Садись, дочка. – Sit down, daughter.

Ничего, ничего. Спасибо, сидите. – It’s OK, it’s OK. Thanks, stay seated.

Гражданин, уступите место, встаньте. – Sir, let her sit, stand up.

Если я встану – ты у меня ляжешь. – If I stand up, you will lie down.

Гражданин, эти места – специально для детей и инвалидов! – Sir, these seats are especially for children and people with disabilities.

А она что – дети или инвалиды, а? – And who is she? “children” or “people with disabilities”?

Она готовится стать матерью! – She is getting ready to become a mother.

А я готовлюсь стать отцом! – And I’m getting ready to become a father.

Вы что ерунду порете? – What nonsense are you talking about?

А вот как раз инвалид! – Oh, here is a man with a disability.

Ааа инвалид – что теперь скажете? – Ahhhh, a man with a disability. What are you going to say now?

Простите. – Excuse me.

А, закон есть закон! – The law is the law.

Пожалуйста, садитесь. – Please, sit down.

Большое спасибо. – Many thanks.

Ах, ты зрячий? – Oh, you can see???

Ну, сейчас будешь слепой! – Well, now you will become blind!

Приключения Шурика – The Analysis

Садись, дочка! – Sit down, daughter.

садиться – to sit down (imperfective)

(сажусь, садишься, садится, садимся, садитесь, садятся)

You see that the old lady uses the word садись (informal – ты садись) when talking to the younger woman. That’s acceptable. She also calls her дочка in a tender way.

If the young woman wanted to say “have my seat” to the old lady she would have said instead садитесь (formal – вы садитесь).

We will see that Shurik uses the word садитесь when speaking to the young woman a little later.

The young lady responds with:

Ничего, ничего! – It’s OK, it’s OK!

Remember the phrase ничего страшного – no worries (lit: nothing to be feared of)

страшно – frightfully

страшный сон – terrible dream, nightmare

страх – fear

сидите – sit, stay seated

сидеть – to sit (imperfective)

(сижу, сидишь, сидит, сидим, сидите, сидят)

Я сижу на кровати. – I’m sitting on the bed.

кровать – bed

Я сижу на диване. – I’m sitting on the couch.

диван – couch

Сидите is what the young woman says to the older lady, so it’s formal (вы сидите).

посидеть – to sit (perfective)

You can say:

посиди́м на дорожку – let’s sit for the journey

дорога – road → дорожка – “little road” (diminutive)

This is a Russian habit to sit down for a moment before setting off on the journey. It sounds like a useful habit as you stop to think for a moment to check that you have everything.

You will also hear присядем на дорожку.

You can listen to this exact phrase in the film Афоня here.

присесть – to sit down, squat

The prefix при- here means “a little” (to sit for a moment).

You can say after a busy day:

За весь день ни на минуту не присел! – The whole day I didn’t sit down not even for minute!