Word for russian woman

Words referring to women are a touchy subject in any language, and Russian is no exception.

In Russian, the basic words are девочка (pre-pubescent girl), девушка (post-pubescent girl), женщина (woman) and мать (mother).

In slang, almost anyone can be a mother or “old girl” (старуха), as in the song by Boris Grebenshikov: “Come on, mother, jump into my bed!” (А ну-ка, мать, беги ко мне в кровать!). 

In the 1960s, slang was primarily replenished from the English lexicon; so it is not surprising that the word “gerla” (герла) became commonly used then. The English “girl” came into the language mainly because it is was repeated many times in the eponymous song of the Beatles—the only one of their songs that was released on Soviet vinyl records (the name of the song “Girl,” or “девушка,” in Russian, was followed by the inscription “Folk music and words, performed by an unknown vocal and instrumental group”).

In parallel with “gerla”, the Russian word “tyolka” (тёлка) became widely used in slang. “Tyolka” is a young cow. This term is not exactly linked to the word “cow” (корова) – which is usually a derogatory term for a fat woman – but rather with the word “tyelo” (тело), which means “body.”  The contemporary author Sergei Minayev recently chose a title for one of his most popular novels by combining the Russian slang word with the English definite article: “The Tyolki” (The Тёлки).

Still, it is insulting to call a girl a “tyolka” right into her face. But other animal metaphors are usually used as compliments—for example, “bunny” (зайка) or “pussycat” (киска). However, where women are concerned, comparisons with dogs should be avoided. The word “suka” (сука) used to refer to female dogs, is very rude, almost obscene and more of a curse – like its English translation. This can be illustrated by an anecdote about female logic:

Husband to wife: “Honey, keep your voice down.”

Wife: “Am I too loud? Do you mean I am shouting? So you’re saying that I’m barking? Mother, he just called me a bitch!”

Another absolutely obscene word comes from the ancient Russian word “blud” (блуд), which was used to refer to lechery. In slang, “blud” means a woman of easy virtue. A no less offensive equivalent is the word “shlyukha” (шлюха), which means whore. However, during the years of perestroika in the late 1980s, the scornful attitude toward prostitutes suddenly changed to sympathy and even envy. The fact is that these girls, who catered to foreign tourists in expensive hotels, earned in one night the amount equivalent to the monthly salaries of their parents.

Paradoxically, the trade of the “foreign currency hooker” (валютной проститутки) became romanticized in the public consciousness. A detailed report about their hard life, “Nocturnal Butterflies,” appeared in the popular newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets. There was also the tragic melodrama “Intergirl,” which made a triumphal appearance on the silver screen. These “intergirls” were called by a beautiful Italian name—“putana” (путана). In those years, the following anecdote became rather popular:

“You finished school with honors, you graduated from university with honors, too, and you started graduate school. Why are you now a putana?”

“I must have been lucky.”

Prostitution is not an official trade in modern Russia, but the black market of sexual services is extensively developed. Since it is prohibited to openly advertise these services, they use euphemisms that are clear to everyone: For example, “leisure” (Досуг) or “escort”(Эскорт) is just a legal substitution for the phrase “sexual service” (Интим). When the editor-in-chief of Moskovsky Komsomolets was criticized for the fact that he published hundreds of promotional offers featuring the word “leisure,” he replied that he could not refuse the advertisers.

In slang, the verbs “to pick up” (снимать) or “to glue” (клеить) are used when a guy tries to meet a girl. Another present-day joke focuses on the ambiguity of modern slang, combined with the realities of life, which have radically changed in recent decades:

What does the sentence “The boy glued a model in the club” mean?

30 years ago, it meant, “The boy made a model of an airplane in an after-school program.”

Today it means, “The boy picked up a hot girl at a nightclub.”

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Each country must have a different culture, including Russia. Russian culture must be different from its neighbors. In addition, Russia has a different national language that is russian language. In Russia very low socializing activities to foreigners. Just like in our country Indonesia, greets men with the title “mas” and girls with the title “mbak“. In russia there is also a greeting greeting to men and women.

This article will talk about 4 way to greet russian women. Other articles regarding culture that are worth reading: History of Russian Ballet, Bread in Russian Culture, Traditions in Celebrating Victory Day, and Culture of Valentine’s Day in Russia.

In the time of the Russian Empire, for centuries the Russians used to address each other as “сударь” (master) and “сударыня” (mistress). Generally in Russia, there is a greeting which is similar to that of “господин” (master) and “госпожа” (lady or mistress). The revolution of 1917 also had an impact on the use of greetings in everyday life. The word “товарищ” (comrade, comrade) has become more popular, although previously it is also well known among Russian society, for example in Aleksandr Pushkin’s poem entitled “К Чаадаеву” (To Chaadayev). The greeting “товарищ” is not only used for men, but also for women, as a symbol of gender equality in Russian society. The word “товарищ” also has a more intimate meaning so that the called feel closer to the relationship because it has the meaning of “comrade arms”. Therefore, to give a more formal impression or to the writing of documents, in Soviet times used the word “гражданин” for men and “гражданка” for women, meaning ‘citizens’.

Here are 4 ways to greet Russian women, such as:

1. First greet with извините – izvinite – excuse me

This greeting shows that you respect the Russian people. For the “-te” suffix in this word izvinite has an important meaning. This shows that you have chosen a respectful compound greeting form. Due to the Greeting of one person using a compound or a single form has its own meaning.

In Russian, the compound form Вы (Vy, you) is a polite and obligatory greeting when greeting a woman older than you. However, the greeting ты (ty, you imply a closer relationship with the other person) is usually used with the other person’s permission, but this greeting does not apply in lower-class society, because it dislikes the preference of modesty and the usual use of мужик (muzhik), братан (bratan), or земеля (zemelya) as a form of greeting between women.

2. Say greetings

Say greeting is a word to appreciate others especially women. In Russia also has culture of saying hello, especially for those who are familiar. In Russian, the most commonly used greeting is Здорово! [zdo-ro-va] – Hello / hi. In addition, there are also greetings in the time function, such as:

• Доброе утро! [dobroye utra] – Good morning
• Добрый день! [dobriy dyen’] – Good day
• Добрый вечер! [dobriy vyecher] – Good afternoon / good night

In russian as well as English, a good night’s sleep is two words, such as:

• Доброй ночи! [dobroy nochi] – Good night / good night
• Спокойной ночи! [spakoynoy nochi] – Good sleep

3. Simply by calling first name only

Such conditions are very reasonable in many countries, including in our country Indonesia. In russia there is also a similar habit that is with the name of just the name. When you are familiar, can by calling with a “familiar call” or in Russian terms called ‘short name’ (сокращенное имя).

The majority of Russian people have familiar names such as:

• Алексей> Алёша
• Надежда> Надя
• Павел> Паша
• Мария> Маша
• Максим> Миша
• Екатерина> Катя.

If the russian has a close relationship with you then can always use the word call directly “ты” (you). There are several familiar calls for Russian names there are the same and are used for both male and female names, for example:

• Александр and Александра> Саша
• Евгений and Евгения> Женя

Basically the familiar name of the russian there is a derivative known as a small name (уменьшительно-ласкательное имя). For example:

• Мария> Маша> Машенька
• Екатерина> Катя> Катюша
• Дарья> Даша> Дашенька
• Михаил> Миша> Мишка
• Александр> Саша> Сашенька.

4. End with say greeting

The majority of women would love a polite person, one way to greet women in Russia is to end with a farewell greeting. Here are some farewell greetings in Russian, such as:

• До свидания! [da svidaniya] – Goodbye/goodbye

“До свидания” is a formal parting form. You can use it for someone or a group of people you call “вы“.

• Пока! [paka] – See you! / bye!

“Пока” is more informal. This utterance is used in spoken language with someone you can say to “ты“.

As with introductory greetings, there is also a function of time. Here are some time-based farewells in Russian, such as:

• До завтра! [da zavtra] – See you tomorrow!
• До послезавтра! [da poslyezavtra] – Until the day after tomorrow!
• До вечера! [da vechera] – See you tonight!

Related Article:

• most likeable things for russian people
• Characteristics of Russian parents

Although russia classified as European race, but their culture is not much different as in Indonesia. A sense of help and respect for their fellow human beings also becomes their habit. Such are the four ways to greet the Russian woman described above. This article is able to give you a general overview of the culture in Russia.

I am pretty sure that most Russians over 30 are familiar with the opening lines of Gianni Rodari’s poem Чем пахнут ремёсла (What jobs smell like):

У каждого дела

Запах особый

(Each trade

Has its special smell)

This short poem mentions quite a few jobs, all using masculine nouns – маляр (painter), стекольщик (windows installer), шофёр (driver), рабочий (laborer), кондитер (baker), доктор (doctor), крестьянин (farmer), and рыбак (fisherman). Even лодырь (idler) is a masculine word. This simply won’t do it nowadays.

First of all, the word ремесло (a trade) is not used much and instead is replaced with профессия (profession):

Профессия шофёра-дальнобойщика считается одной из самый опасных. (A long-haul trucker job is considered to be one of the most dangerous.)

When it comes to jobs, there’s really no rule, as far as I know, for when to use a feminine form and when to stick with the masculine. Instead, we seem to follow some неписаные правила (unwritten rules) of linguistic and cultural etiquette. So you know what to expect now – confusion.

First, there are jobs for which separate words exist for a male worker and a female worker:

Рабочий (male laborer or worker) and работница or рабочая (female laborer or worker)

Артист балета (male ballet dancer) and балерина (female ballet dancer)

Учитель (male teacher) and учительница (female teacher)

Портной (female tailor) and портниха (female tailor)

Медбрат (male nurse) and медсестра (female nurse)

Лётчик (male pilot) and лётчица (female pilot)

Then there are jobs that do not have a feminine version or, if they do, it is usually restricted to разговорная речь (colloquial speech). These are the jobs that historically were closed to women, i.e. various trades and many professional jobs. Even when a feminine version exists, it’s the masculine form that is used in job ads and on resumes.

Шофёр – driver

Пекарь – baker

Столяр – joiner

Плотник – carpenter

Слесарь – mechanic

Дворник – street cleaner

Врач and доктор – medical doctor, although there is a conversional feminine version врачиха and докторша. Also, words for medical specialties, such as хирург (surgeon), невропатолог (neurologist), гинеколог (gynecologist), педиатр (pediatrician) – are always masculine.

Диктор – network announcer, although дикторша (female announcer) is a common conversational word.

Бухгалтер – accountant. The feminine бухгалтерша is often used in conversations.

Инженер – engineer

Фотограф – photographer

Педагог – educator

Посол – ambassador

Technically, you can form a feminine version from almost any masculine one. However, there are two problems here.

The first one is that many such attempts will sound not only strange, but carry пренебрежительный (contemptuous) connotation as in менеджерша (female manager).

The second problem is that forming a feminine version might, in some cases, be confusing. For example, words such as докторша or инженерша traditionally mean a wife of a doctor (former) or of an engineer (latter).

In general, when in doubt, use masculine form to describe a woman’s occupation:

Наталья – специалист по веб-дизайну (Natalia is a web-design specialist)

Екатерина Васильевна – прекрасный педагог (Ekaterina Vasilyevna is a wonderful educator)

Мне участковый врач выписала больничный (The neighborhood doctor wrote me a sick-leave note) – notice that here we know that the doctor is a female because of the endings of the past-tense verb выписала (wrote).

У Лидии двадцатилетний стаж работы бухгалтером на крупном предприятии (Lidia has twenty years of experience as an accountant at a large enterprise)

Моя жена волнуется, что её сократят, но она же незаменимый и высококвалифицированный работник (My wife is worried she might get laid off, but she is an irreplaceable and highly qualified worker)

Пойми, Маша, если не будешь учиться, то вырастешь и станешь дворником (Masha, do understand that if you don’t study now, you will become a street cleaner when you grow up).

Your turn now – tell us what it is you do and, for our male readers, what does your girlfriend, wife, mother, sister or female friend does for a living.

Пример: Моя мама до пенсии работала врачом (Example: My mother was a doctor before she retired).