# Translate an SMS I received **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 4, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059 "2004-09-04T01:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trillionaire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Trillionaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trillionaire)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059/1 "2004-09-04T01:50:13Z")
I got an SMS on my phone the other day; from a foreign number and written in a language I don’t understand or recognise. It’s obviously just been sent to the wrong number, but I am curious what it means: > [@](#): > > PRIVET ETO OLYA IZ KAHOVKI KUDA VI PROPALI? NAPISHITE SVOY ADRES It’s punctuated exactly as received; none of the letters have any accents or anything like that ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059/2 "2004-09-04T03:08:53Z")
> [@](#): > > PRIVET ETO OLYA IZ KAHOVKI KUDA VI PROPALI? NAPISHITE SVOY ADRES Translated into English it reads: Is wanting privacy in the olive groves crazy, or is it proper? Your address should be on Napster. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059/3 "2004-09-04T03:10:04Z")
Translated from what language, **CBCD**? ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059/4 "2004-09-04T03:25:46Z")
Well, my near-forgotten Russian took me as far as “Hi, this is…” A friend with some academic knowledge of Russian says it’s: (23:21:37) Scott: “Hello, this is Olya from Kahovka. To where did you [some verb I don’t recognize]? Write down your address.” (23:21:52) Scott: Probably “Where did you go?” or something. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059/5 "2004-09-04T03:25:55Z")
Original language? It is translated from **Alte Pottsylvanian** , a Basque dialect. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059/6 "2004-09-04T07:04:13Z")
Aw heck, my first whoosh! :o :smack: (May I say in my defense that it’s been a looooong week? 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059/7 "2004-09-04T12:34:11Z")
**Trillionare and Misnomer** - It had been a long week for me too. Normally I don’t mess with peoples questions, but…gosh…I couldn’t resist! ‘Tee-hee’ said she. ---
**Author:** ![Trillionaire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Trillionaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trillionaire)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-an-sms-i-received/263059/8 "2004-09-05T03:36:44Z")
OK, so Olya from Kahovki wants my address. Thanks **elfbabe.** And thanks **CBCD** for your interpretation too.