This month, CREF would like to take you on a journey, putting you in the shoes of an intern – стажëр (stajzhior) in Moscow, Nizhny-Novgorod, or anywhere, for that matter, in Russia, to discover a few useful words used at work – в офисе (v’ofisey).
Your boss – начальник (nachalnik) happily welcomes you, taking you to your desk – рабочее место (rabochiie myestuh). But there’s no time to dawdle: you need to get started on some invitations – приглашения (priglashenya) for an event – мероприятие (merapriatiyé) and your boss asks you to update the addresses on the client list – список клиентов (speesok kliyentov) and print – напечатать (napétchatat’) the invitation letters. It’s a job – задание (zadanié) entirely within your means to do, since you are familiar with datasheets – таблицы данных (tablitsy dannykh) and the Russian bits of the Internet. He sits you down in front of your computer – за компьютером (za compioutérom) and it’s “off you go!”!
Masha, the sales manager – менеджер по продажам (ménédjer pa pradazham) is too busy – слишком занята (slishkom zaanita) to help you – помочь (pamoach), but she has asked Vera, the secretary – секретарша (sékrétarcha) – this word is not taboo like it is in France – to help you locate the cabinet where all the office supplies – канцелярские товары (kanseliarskyé tavary), like pens – ручки (roochki), pencils – карандаши (karandaashy), staplers – стéплер (stéplère), sheets of paper – бумага (boumaaga) and envelopes – конверты (kanvierty), are stored. You politely ask her where the ink cartridges for the printer – картриджи для принтера (cartridji dlya printera) are, which also happens to be the office photocopier – ксерокс (ksérox).
Ready for your first task, you start to go over the customer file – файл (faiyl), filling in the addresses. One set of invitations will be sent out via a mailing list рассылка (rassiylka), while another set will be dispatched by post – по почте (pa pochtey).
Immersed in your search for a zip code – индекс (indyeks) pertaining to Balachikho, you barely notice the boss entering the office with the accountant – бухгалтер (bookhgaltyer). “We have an emergency – у нас цейтнот (oo naas tsaytnot): we need to calculate the volume of sales – расчитать объëм продаж (ras’shitat abyoam pradazh) for the last six months ending this evening – до вечера (da veychera) and we temporarily – временно (vremenna) do not have access to the data on the computer. Everyone needs to pitch in.” He hands you a stack of papers and a calculator – калькулятор (calcoolaatuhr) by way of encouragement.
Meanwhile, Masha’s phone rings and she answers; after which she turns to you and mouths, “This is for you.” – тебя к телефону (tibia k teleyfonoo). It’s the human resources department – отдел кадров (atdiél kadrov) and they want a word with you: you forgot to sign a section of the employment contract – трудовой договор (troudavoï dagavor). You glance at the clock – часы (chasseey) on the wall; it’s already 2 p.m., time for a lunch break – обеденный перерыв (abiyedeny péréreev)!
Hungry as a bear – голоден как волк (goаluhdiyen kak volk), you head to the reception – npuëm (priaum) to ask if there is somewhere nearby – по близости (pa blizuhsty) where one can have a snack – перекусить (pérékooseet’). Sacha answers you with a smile, pointing to the vending machine – автомат (aftamaat) behind you.
Once you have finished your calculation of the sales figures, Vera asks if you would like to come to a colleague’s farewell party – проводы (proavuhdee). It’s a great way to start fitting in at the workplace – трудовой коллектив (trudavoa’ee kalekteef), but you tell her that you are currently up to your elbows in work – работы непочатый край (raboty nepochaaty krai). She jokes that it’s dangerous to overwork – переутомиться (péréootamitsa) because there are no nurses – нет медсестер (niét médsistiyor) here.
After a while, you decide that you have earned yourself a little break – перерыв (pyerereev). You are glad that you no longer smoke, because smoke breaks – перекур (pérékour) are no longer allowed inside following the anti-tobacco legislation of 2015, and since it’s -15° C outside, one needs a lot of motivation! There’s a package delivery and, seeing as you’re the only one in the office, you are asked to sign the delivery confirmation – накладная (nakladnaya). Fortunately, while all this is happening, the accountant shows up to collect the fruits of your labor. She scolds the courier – курьер (kooriyer) for having forgotten the waybill – счëт фактура (shyiot factoora).
After the warm-up with the calculator, you get to work on those famous invitations, with enthusiasm – с усердием (s’ooserdiyem). A colleague from the marketing department sticks his head in and asks, “What happened to all the employees – все сотрудники (vse satroudniki)?” You reply that they have all gone to that farewell party. “What a bunch of slackers – бездельники (biezdelniki) they are… but you, the newbie, you’re a slogger – трудяга (troudiaga)! Bravo! Keep it up – так держать (tak derzhat)! Before disappearing, he informs – сообщает (sa’abshshaiet) you that the event for which you have been preparing the invitations has been cancelled – отменëн (atméniyon).
You put your documents into a folder – папка (papka) and decide to join your colleagues – коллеги (kaléygiy) to celebrate – отметить (atmeyteet) your first day at work, so full of excitement.