# To use



## JerseyMike

Hey I was wondering if anyone could clarify when I should say the right form of the verb "to use"
I always have trouble with this one for some reason but ill provide some context below:

Examples:

To use a certain word

To use an object like the car or computer 

Lastly, to use someone as we say in english for example, for money etc... 

спасибо заранее


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## Syline

You're asking about the English verb "to use"? So, what's the problem? It's your native language.


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## gvozd

Во в каком мы теперь авторитете. Носители английского просят нас распедалить им, как английские глаголы использовать. Приятно, черт меня подери!:d


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## LilianaB

English use cannot be translated into one word: to use, in Russian. You have to ask about Russian verbs how to use them, because there will be a few different words as a translation of use.


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## JerseyMike

Well if this is a RUSSIAN language forum and english is my native language, would I be asking for help in english? Does 
2 + 2 = 5? 

Thanks everyone for your help


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## gvozd

JerseyMike said:


> Well if this is a RUSSIAN language forum and english is my native language, would I be asking for help in english? Does
> 2 + 2 = 5?



You can ask for help in English of course but why are you asking about ENGLISH verbs???


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## muñeca_rusa

To use a certain word = "использовать слово", а лучше "употреблять слово" 

To use an object like the car or computer = "пользоваться объектом" или "использовать объект"

Lastly, to use someone as we say in english for example, for money etc... = I would say "использовать человека" (в своих целях, for example)

Hope this helps!


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## Syline

gvozd said:


> You can ask for help in English of course but why are you asking about ENGLISH verbs???


Интересно, поймет ли со второго раза. Мне казалось, мой пост вполне недвусмысленен, я уж молчу о посте Лилианы, где она все четко раскидала.


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## Enquiring Mind

No offence JerseyMike, but do you think you might have formulated your question better? 
As it stands:
Q: .... when I should say the right form of the verb "to use"? 
A: Always.  In English, in Russian, in any language....

Apart from the way the question is phrased, there is almost no punctuation, "but *ill* provide ...", and the "e" in English *must* be capitalised .  At no point do you ask how to say "use" in different contexts *in Russian*.  

Q: ... would I be asking for help in english?  
A:       Ermmmm ....  

It's not reasonable on a language forum to expect others whose native language *isn't *English to try to understand what you wanted to say.  If we show respect for other forum users by formulating our question properly in our own native language, and taking the trouble to write it properly ("correct capitalization, grammar, spelling and punctuation are mandatory" - rule 11), then we can expect serious answers.


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## LilianaB

I think in fact that the question was about a Russian verb that would express the idea of using. Some people, though, do not realize that there is not just one single word that would express the same what the English verb does, and, in many contexts, it is a totally different verb that has nothing to do with using. This is why the question was hard to answer.


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## JerseyMike

So you're saying that the verb "to use" only occurs in english? I don't think this is true. Besides, I know things get lost in translation but I only wanted those specific contexts for this verb. For instance: is it "использовать or употреблять" thats all... 
How about if I want to ask someone ( по-русскии of course) how to USE THEIR BRAIN?


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## JerseyMike

So you're saying that the verb "to use" only occurs in english? I don't think this is true. Besides, I know things get lost in translation but I only wanted those specific contexts for this verb. For instance: is it "использовать or употреблять" thats all... 
How about if I want to ask someone ( по-русскии of course) how to USE THEIR BRAIN?

And LilianaB I understand where your coming from...


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## LilianaB

To use your brain in Russian will be turn on your brains - literally. Включи мозги.


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## LilianaB

It will be the word использовать in reference to a word, a computer and a person --with the meaning of take advantage of. The other one could refer to the use of an uncontrolled substance, and a few other things. To use drugs or alcohol will be употреблять. With coal and natural gas it will be also употреблять.


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## morzh

Actually, more popular (at least used to be):

- Шевели мозгами! (literally - move your brain!).


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## Syline

Юзай моск (слэнг + олбанский). Можно, конечно, и на "юзай мозг" остановиться, если кто против коверканья русского языка, правда, использование "юзай" - тоже коверканье, и даже более коварное. 
Встречается исключительно в интернет-среде.


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## The Prof

I am struggling with the same problem regarding the choice of Russian verb if I want to translate the English 'to use'.

My Russian verb book is giving me three verbs to choose from, but I can't really see a difference between the use of two of them: пользоваться and использовать. I get the impression from the examples I've seen that both can be used for objects such as cars, dictionaries or words.

Firstly, is my impression correct? Secondly, would the choice of verb give a different meaning?

I'm afraid that my Russian is still very basic, so if you think you could help me, please could you reply in English?  Thank you


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## Maroseika

The Prof said:


> I am struggling with the same problem regarding the choice of Russian verb if I want to translate the English 'to use'.
> 
> My Russian verb book is giving me three verbs to choose from, but I can't really see a difference between the use of two of them: пользоваться and использовать. I get the impression from the examples I've seen that both can be used for objects such as cars, dictionaries or words.
> 
> Firstly, is my impression correct? Secondly, would the choice of verb give a different meaning?



In many cases пользоваться and использовать are close synonyms, maybe использовать is a bit more formal.
But the difference is rather subtle.
Of course, использoвать is considered here as Imperfect verb.


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## wizfan

As far as I know, they're pretty much the same thing. Be careful though, because if you use пользоваться the object you use must be in the instrumental case, instead of accusative (я использую *словарь* and я пользуюсь *словарём*)


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## rusita preciosa

It is hard to give an general response, that is why we ask to provide context and background for all questions.

As a rule of thumb, with использовать, you usually specify how or in what situation you use something: 
*я использую словарь в качестве подпорки для двери* - I use the dictionary as a doorstop
*я использую словарь только когда не могу понять слова из контекста *- I only use a dictionary when I can't understand words from the context
(in these sentences you can also use пользоваться + instr.)

Whereas пользоваться can be used by itself and the exact use is implied:
*я **часто пользуюсь этим cловарём *- I often use this dictionary


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## The Prof

Ok. thank you very much for your help


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## The Prof

Rusita preciosa: your rules of thumb have been of great help. Now that I have checked the examples in the verb book again, I see that they correspond exactly to what you have said, but I had previously failed to notice it for myself.

I know that context and background are extremely important (and the corresponding forum rules), but when I come up against several verbs that on the face of it translate the same English word, I find that I simply can't go any further until I have an idea of how to differentiate between the verbs offered by the dictionary. My brain will not accept a word if there are too many peripheral doubts, hence my need to ask a "general" question.

Thank you very much for your help


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