быbefore or after verb

[Anne Fisher]

Hello Mark,

If you are looking at the question from a descriptive rather than a
proscriptive stance, then here is one well-known example to tally on
the side of "verb-by" placement: in The Twelve Chairs, Ostap Bender
says wistfully, "Nabil by ia tebe rylo, tol'ko Zaratustra ne
pozvoliaiet."

All the best,

Annie


2010/9/15 Mark Kingdom <k2kingdom at gmail.com>:
> Hi all,
>
> I wrote the following sentence to a Russian friend of mine:
>
> Я купил бы эту вещь, но у меня нет денег.
>
> She replied, (quoting) "...using бы after the verb is lazy, as if you are
> giving yourself time to think of an excuse."
>
> She says it is better to use бы before the verb: Я бы купил эту вещь, но у
> меня нет денег.
>
> I was taught that you can say it either way. What *is* the difference in
> placement? Do you agree with my friend's statement?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Mark
>
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-- 
Anne O. Fisher, Ph.D.
Russian Interpreter and Translator
anne.o.fisher at gmail.com
440-986-0175

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