Thread: Cultural Differences Between Americans and Russians

Originally Posted by Deborski

Dating. In Russia, men are expected to pay for all of a woman's expenses when they are on a date. If you offer to "dutch treat" this can be very offensive, like saying that you don't think he can afford it.

No! It is very much desired by any man, but Russian women are very greedy. If a woman refuses that you pay for her, it may indicate that she does not like you or may be even fears you and thinks about how to depart. But if she somehow indicates that she likes you, but wants to pay, it is VERY appreciated. Why? Because there are many "dynamo" women in Russia who knows how to make men to spend money on them and disappear. That's why many modern men are afraid of spending money on women the same way as it was practiced before, when women were more honest. If you as a girl spend money yourself, it will make your partner less restricted.

Originally Posted by Deborski

If you are in Russia, it is extremely unwise to call someone "comrade" or "commie" or even "russki" (even though that is the Russian word for Russian).

Calling someone "comrade" is very much OK.

Originally Posted by Anixx

No! It is very much desired by any man, but Russian women are very greedy. If a woman refuses that you pay for her, it may indicate that she does not like you or may be even fears you and thinks about how to depart. But if she somehow indicates that she likes you, but wants to pay, it is VERY appreciated. Why? Because there are many "dynamo" women in Russia who knows how to make men to spend money on them and disappear. That's why many modern men are afraid of spending money on women the same way as it was practiced before, when women were more honest. If you as a girl spend money yourself, it will make your partner less restricted.


Calling someone "comrade" is very much OK.

See what I mean about "second guessing" the Russians?

Originally Posted by Anixx

Calling someone "comrade" is very much OK.

if in addressing i'd perceive it as mocking, but if it's somehow genuine it sounds very unnatural, i recall a scene from "Moscow on the Hudson" where all dialogues in Russian happening in the US sound super ridiculous and corny

the thing that irks me about Russian is that we don't use humane terms for address such as Sir, Mister, Miss, Missis, Ma'am, so another thing to remember for foreigners is how to address people when you're trying to draw their attention, according to gender and age
a young lady - девушка!
a women over thirty y.o. - женщина!
a young man - молодой человек! мужчина!
a man over thirty y.o. - мужчина!

if even being over 30 or older a person looks younger people may use address for a young person, or just because they don't give much thought about that person's age

the same terms are used when speaking about a (wo)man in 3d person in their presence

these all are neutral addresses, there're of course more informal slang terms equivalent to buddy, mate, dude etc.

in trying to be cold when addressing someone уважаемый/ая! can be used, it's not offensive though

i strive to use господин/госпожа (sir/miss, missis) where possible, but so far have never tried to use it in direct address, but i neither will use the abovelisted ones, cause they sound dorky to me