Ever wonder what your Russian spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend is talking about on the phone? Are they talking about you?<\/p>\n
First of all, it\u2019s safe to assume that a phone call you have overheard is not all about you. The only exception is if it\u2019s your Russian wife calling her \u043b\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0448\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u0430<\/strong> (best friend) or \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0430<\/strong> (mother) after you two had an argument. (Do men call their best friends to complain or rehash the arguments? I don\u2019t know.)<\/p>\n It is also a good assumption that, although you will not be central to the conversation, except as noted, you will be mentioned at least \u0432\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0437\u044c<\/strong> (casually, lit: in sliding) or \u043c\u0438\u043c\u043e\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u043c<\/strong> (in passing).<\/p>\n Most likely, you will be mentioned at the beginning of the conversation in phrases that answer the \u041a\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0443 <\/strong>\u0432\u0430\u0441 <\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0430<\/span><\/strong> question (How\u2019s everything with you):<\/p>\n \u0423 <\/strong>\u041c\u0430<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430 <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0451 <\/strong>\u043d\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e<\/strong> (Everything is ok with Mike)<\/p>\n \u0423 \u0414\u0436\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044b \u043d\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0435<\/strong> (John\u2019s got some problems at work)<\/p>\n \u0414\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442<\/strong> (Diana feels a bit under the weather)<\/p>\n Sometimes the \u201chow\u2019s everything\u201d question is followed by \u0447\u0435\u043c <\/strong>\u0432\u044b <\/strong>\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u044f\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (what are you doing) question and again, you might be mentioned:<\/p>\n \u041b\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0434\u0430 <\/strong>\u0441\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0442 \u00ab<\/strong>\u0422\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0446\u044b <\/strong>\u0441\u043e <\/strong>\u0437\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u0430\u043c\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> (Linda is watching \u201cDancing with the Stars\u201d)<\/p>\n \u041a\u0440\u0438\u0441 <\/strong>\u0438\u0434\u0451<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u0432\u044b\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0441\u043e\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0443<\/strong> (Chris is going to walk the dog)<\/p>\n You will also likely be mentioned at the end of the conversation when Russians typically ask to \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0430\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (say hi) to you. This time you will likely hear \u043e\u043d\/<\/strong>\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u0435 <\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0430\u0451<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (he\/she also says hi).<\/p>\n But what if your name doesn\u2019t come up in the conversation? Then you have to listen carefully for these words (the ones marked with * are used ironically):<\/p>\n For \u043c\u0443\u0436<\/strong> (husband):<\/p>\n \u0412\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (the other half)<\/p>\n C<\/span>\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (the strong half)<\/p>\n \u0421\u0443\u043f\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0433<\/strong> (male spouse)<\/p>\n \u0411\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong>* (husband, lit: the pious one)<\/p>\n \u0414\u043e\u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0442\u0447\u0438\u043a<\/strong>* (breadwinner)<\/p>\n Also, listen for the word \u043c\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>(mine) that is not followed by a noun. It usually means \u201cmy husband\u201d or \u201cmy boyfriend\u201d as in<\/p>\n \u041c\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0432\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448\u0451<\/span>\u043b <\/strong>\u0441 <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u044b <\/strong>\u0432\u0437\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0447\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (Yesterday, my husband came from work all wound up)<\/p>\n \u041c\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0434\u0438\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0435, <\/strong>\u0441\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0442 <\/strong>\u0444\u0443\u0442\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u043b <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u044c\u0451\u0442 <\/strong>\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e<\/strong> (My husband is lounging on the couch, watching soccer and drinking beer)<\/p>\n \u041c\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0432\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0431\u0443\u043a\u0435<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0451<\/span>\u0441, <\/strong>\u0434\u0430 <\/strong>\u0435\u0449\u0451<\/span> <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0443<\/span><\/strong>\u0436\u0438\u043d <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0433\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043b<\/strong> (Yesterday my husband brought me a bouquet and prepared dinner)<\/p>\n For \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (wife):<\/p>\n \u0412\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (the other half)<\/p>\n \u041b\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0448\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (the better half)<\/p>\n \u0411\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0430\u044f*<\/strong> (the pious one)<\/p>\n \u0421\u0443\u043f\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u0430<\/strong> (female spouse)<\/p>\n \u0421\u0443\u043f\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/strong>* (same as above, but usually used ironically)<\/p>\n \u041f\u043e\u0434\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u0430 \u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u0438<\/strong>* (life partner)<\/p>\n Also, listen for \u043c\u043e\u044f<\/span><\/strong> (mine) that is not followed by a noun as in<\/p>\n \u0421\u0435\u0439\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0441 <\/strong>\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u043e\u0433\u0443<\/span>, <\/strong>\u043c\u043e\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u043c<\/strong> (Can\u2019t talk right now, my wife is nearby)<\/p>\n \u0417\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0442\u0440\u0430 <\/strong>\u0438\u0434\u0451<\/span>\u043c <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043f\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0443\u044e <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0443, <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0447\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u043c\u043e\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0435<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u043b\u0430 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0437\u0438<\/span>\u043d <\/strong>\u0437\u0430 <\/strong>\u043f\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0435\u043c<\/strong> (Tomorrow we are going to an office party so my wife has gone shopping for a dress)<\/p>\n How do you know when your significant other is talking about you on the phone? If you are a Russian speaker, what do you call your \u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u044f <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (other half) when talking about him or her to Russian friends or family?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ever wonder what your Russian spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend is talking about on the phone? Are they talking about you? First of all, it\u2019s safe to assume that a phone call you have overheard is not all about you. The only exception is if it\u2019s your Russian wife calling her \u043b\u0443\u0447\u0448\u0430\u044f \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u0430 (best friend) or…<\/p>\n