{"id":7490,"date":"2015-03-12T07:33:39","date_gmt":"2015-03-12T07:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=7490"},"modified":"2015-03-12T13:32:16","modified_gmt":"2015-03-12T13:32:16","slug":"beyond-%d1%82%d1%8b-and-%d0%b2%d1%8b-formality-in-russian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/beyond-%d1%82%d1%8b-and-%d0%b2%d1%8b-formality-in-russian\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond \u0442\u044b and \u0432\u044b — formality in Russian"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image<\/a>

Image from Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n

One of the first things you learn in Russian is that there are two ways of addressing a person depending on your relationship with them<\/span><\/strong>. \u0422\u044b is reserved for friends, family, and young children. \u0412\u044b is the polite form of address to strangers, older people, officials, and anyone you are interacting with in a formal setting.<\/p>\n

If you feel like you sometimes don’t know which one to use — for example, running into a friendly stranger of your age in a cafeteria — you are not alone in this. Many native speakers run into situations when they are unsure, and end up switching back and forth, avoiding second-person pronouns, or inadvertently upsetting the other person. \u0422\u044b can be a symbol of intimacy and acceptance — “you are one of us.” It can also be condescending and lacking respect.<\/p>\n

It’s easy to put off a potential client, business partner, or a love interest by giving the impression of being too familiar or disrespectful. For example, hearing hotel staff at popular Mediterranean resorts cry\u00a0out “\u041f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0301\u0442! \u041a\u0430\u043a \u0434\u0435\u043b\u0430\u0301?<\/strong>” at elderly Russian couple\u00a0is cute and embarrassing at the same time as this is not the form you would use with customers.<\/p>\n

Basics: Verbs and Adjectives<\/h2>\n
\"group

Image from Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n

Anything referring to \u0442\u044b needs to be in second person singular: “\u0427\u0442\u043e \u0442\u044b \u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0301\u0435\u0448\u044c?<\/strong>” (What are you reading?). Forms that have gender, like adjectives or verbs in the past tense, need to agree with the grammatical gender of the person — or thing — being addressed: “\u0422\u044b \u0432\u0438\u0301\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0430 \u043c\u043e\u0301\u043b\u043d\u0438\u044e?<\/strong>” (Have you seen the lightning?), “\u0422\u044b \u0442\u0435\u043f\u0435\u0301\u0440\u044c \u0432\u0437\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0441\u043b\u044b\u0439<\/strong>” (You’re a grown-up now).<\/p>\n

\u0412\u044b requires the second person plural form for present and future verbs and plural forms for past verbs:<\/p>\n

– \u0412\u044b \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u0437\u0432\u043e\u043d\u0438\u0301\u043b\u0438?<\/strong> (Have you called me?)<\/p>\n

– \u0412\u044b \u043b\u044e\u0301\u0431\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u043a\u043b\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0301\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0443\u044e \u043c\u0443\u0301\u0437\u044b\u043a\u0443?<\/strong> (Do you like classical music)?<\/p>\n

This distinction also applies to imperatives. “Open the door” will be “\u043e\u0442\u043a\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0439 \u0434\u0432\u0435\u0440\u044c<\/strong>” or “\u043e\u0442\u043a\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0439\u0442\u0435 \u0434\u0432\u0435\u0440\u044c<\/strong>” \u00a0depending who you are talking to.<\/p>\n

Courtesy Phrases<\/h2>\n

Most people who have studied Russian know the basic rules I described above. However, things start getting fuzzy when it comes to certain polite expressions<\/strong><\/span>, like “Sorry” or “Hello.” Learners whose languages tend to have a one-size-fits-all expression for these things tend to remember one variant and use it indiscriminately (say, “\u0418\u0437\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435<\/strong>” for both friends and strangers).<\/p>\n

I will list some of the most common courtesy phrases and their formal and informal variations.<\/p>\n

<\/div>
\u0422\u044b<\/div>
\u0412\u044b<\/div>
<\/div>
Excuse me<\/div>
\u0418\u0437\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0301<\/strong><\/div>
\u0418\u0437\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435<\/strong><\/div>
<\/div>
Bless you\/Gesundheit<\/div>
\u0411\u0443\u0434\u044c \u0437\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0432<\/strong> (m)\/\u0411\u0443\u0434\u044c \u0437\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0432\u0430<\/strong> (f)<\/div>
\u0411\u0443\u0301\u0434\u044c\u0442\u0435 \u0437\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0432\u044b<\/strong><\/div>
<\/div>
Hello<\/div>
\u041f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0301\u0442!<\/strong><\/div>
\u0417\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0443\u0439\u0442\u0435!<\/strong><\/div>
<\/div>
Goodbye<\/div>
\u041f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u0301!<\/strong><\/div>
\u0414\u043e \u0441\u0432\u0438\u0434\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0438\u044f!<\/strong><\/div>
<\/div>
How are you?<\/div>
\u041a\u0430\u043a \u0434\u0435\u043b\u0430\u0301?<\/strong><\/div>
\u041a\u0430\u043a \u0443 \u0432\u0430\u0441 \u0434\u0435\u043b\u0430\u0301?\/\u041a\u0430\u043a \u043f\u043e\u0436\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0301\u0435\u0442\u0435?<\/strong> (a bit bookish)<\/div>
<\/div><\/p>\n

Names<\/h2>\n

Finally, you should keep in mind that different forms of address are appropriate depending on the level of formality<\/strong><\/span>. You would call\u00a0someone you are on \u0412\u044b terms with (“\u043d\u0430 \u0412\u044b<\/strong>“) by their full name and patronymic, for example, \u0415\u043b\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0430 \u0412\u0430\u0441\u0438\u0301\u043b\u044c\u0435\u0432\u043d\u0430<\/strong>. Short forms, pet forms, and nicknames are reserved for people you use \u0442\u044b with, like \u041a\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044f, \u0422\u043e\u0301\u043b\u044f<\/strong>, etc.<\/p>\n

Recently, people have often switched to short forms\u00a0with people they are on formal terms with (“\u0418\u0301\u0440\u0430, \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435<\/strong>“), like co-workers, but it is not universally accepted. To be on the safe side, I recommend using the name\u00a0that the person introduced themselves as.<\/p>\n

Do you ever feel awkward or unsure about formality in Russian? I know I sure do!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"group

One of the first things you learn in Russian is that there are two ways of addressing a person depending on your relationship with them. \u0422\u044b is reserved for friends, family, and young children. \u0412\u044b is the polite form of address to strangers, older people, officials, and anyone you are interacting with in a formal…<\/p>\n

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