Thread: Particle "же"

Some time ago I made text about particle же for one of my friends. It's translation of some Russian philological texts with examples. Today I found it and I think that it can be useful for somebody here.

How can we use "же"?

1. ЖЕ в сопоставительной функции

We can use же to show contrast. Like we can use but in some cases.

Я люблю рыбу, сестра же её ненавидит.
I love fish but sister hates it.

Я думаю, что лето будет жарким, она же настроена пессимистично.
I think that summer will be hot but she feels pessimistic.

Справа был лес, слева же - поля.
On the right side was forest but there were fields on the left side.

Remember that we use же in this case only after second subject. And we have a pause after же.


2. ЖЕ в аргументативной функции.

Imagine that you have two sentences: A and B. And A is beginning of thought, B is its end.
And B is a objection or persuasion. "A, but B." or "A, cause B." In this case же can be only in B, after subject.

We can make a dialogue:
- Покрась стены. (It's A)
- Но я же не умею! (It's B)
Он попросил меня покрасить стены, но я же не умею это делать!

- Рaint the walls. (It's A)
- But I can't! (It's B)
He asked me to paint the walls but I can't do it!

Что ты здесь делаешь? Гости же уже приехали!
What are you doing here? Guests already have arrived!

Приберись на столе, это же твой стол.
Clean the table, it's your table.

Мне не нравится здесь, пойдем отсюда. Должно же рядом быть другое кафе.
We haven't subject in B so we use же afrer action.
I don't like this place, let us go. It should be another cafe near here.

- Ты купил хлеб?
- Да, я же не тупой.

- Did you buy bread?
- Yes, I'm not stupid.


3. Же в побуждениях и требованиях
You can use же to intensify request not in a rude way. Like 'let'.

- Пойдемте же!
- Let' go!


4. Же в вопросительных высказываниях.

In question we can use же after question word. Like exactly.

- Я купил фрукты.
- И какие же?
- Яблоки.

- I bought fruits.
- Which fruits exactly?
- Apples.

- Где кот?
- Думаю, дома.
- И где же?
- Наверное в гостиной.

- Where is cat?
- I think at home.
- Where is it exactly?
- It might be in the living room.


5. Же в восклицаниях.

You can add же in emotional sentences like too or so.

Какой же ты счастливый!
You are so happy!

Как долго же мы ехали!
Road took so much time!


6. ЖЕ как идентификатор.

In English you, guys, have articles like a, an, the. We don't use it but sometimes we need to know exactely which things we speak about - abstract or concrete. So we also use же.

- На какой машине ты ездила в отпуск?
- На этой же.

- Which car did you drive then you went to holidays?
- Thе same one.

- Где ты купил эти фрукты?
- В ближайшем супермаркете.
- А молоко?
- Там же.

- Where have you bought this fruits?
- In the nearest supermarket.
- And where have you bought milk?
- In the same place.


7. Же в сравнениях.

We use же + как in comparison like as + as.

Яблоки бывают такими же большими, как и апельсины.
Apples might be as big as oranges.

Это дерево такое же высокое, как и тот дом.
This tree is as hight as that house.


8. ЖЕ и безотлагательность

Же might be used to show how quick something happend.

Фотоаппарат сломался в первый же вечер.
Camera was broken in the first evening.

Я узнал об этом в первый же день.
I knew about it in a first day.

I love fish but sister hate it.

but my sister hates it.

I think I could correct the English sentences and also change them to reflect the meaning of же better. Is it OK if I do that? Furthermore, I'd like to use the example sentences and explanations for a German version of it to use on my Russian-learning blog, if you don't mind.

Oh, I found mistake that you said about and corrected some more)) If you see more mistakes feel free to correct them)

Bitpicker, you can use this text)) It stands to reason)) If I didn't want peoples to use it I wouldn't upload it)))

I am glad to see your writing here about же. ЖЕ is about number 30 on the Russian word frequency list, and so I really need to use it more.

If you want you can make some sentences with же and send them to me. I'll correct (if something will be wrong))) and send corrections to you.

Originally Posted by Larusja

If you want you can make some sentences with же and send them to me. I'll correct (if something will be wrong))) and send corrections to you.

Why not in this topic? It's o.k. to do it here for others to learn.

Lampada, you are right! I don't know why I didn't think about this easier way)))

Here's my suggestion for the English translations, where appropriate I set the word in italics which carries the slant of meaning of же in English.

Originally Posted by Larusja

1. ЖЕ в сопоставительной функции
We can use же to show contrast. Like we can use but in some cases.

Я люблю рыбу, сестра же её ненавидит.
I love fish but my sister hates it.
Or: my sister, however, hates it.

Я думаю, что лето будет жарким, она же настроена пессимистично.
I think that the summer will be hot, but she feels pessimistic.
Or: she, however, doubts it.

Справа был лес, слева же - поля.
On the right side there was forest but there were fields on the left side.
Or shorter: but fields on the left.

Remember that we use же in this case only after second subject.
And we have a pause after же.

2. ЖЕ в аргументативной функции
Imagine that you have two sentences: A and B.
And A is the beginning of a thought, B is its end.

And B is a objection or persuasion.
"A, but B." or "A, cause B."

In this case же can be only in B, after the subject.

We can make a dialogue:
- Покрась стены. (It's A)
- Но я же не умею! (It's B)

Он попросил меня покрасить стены, но я же не умею это делать!

- Рaint the walls. (It's A)
- But I can't! (It's B)

He asked me to paint the walls but I can't do it!

Что ты здесь делаешь? Гости же уже приехали!
What are you doing here? Guests already have arrived!

Приберись на столе, это же твой стол.
Clean the table, it's your table after all.

Мне не нравится здесь, пойдем отсюда. Должно же рядом быть другое кафе.
There is no subject in B so we use же after the action.
I don't like this place, let us go. There should be another cafe near here.

- Ты купил хлеб?
- Да, я же не тупой.

- Did you buy bread?
- Yes, I'm not stupid.


3. Же в побуждениях и требованиях
You can use же to intensify a request in a polite fashion. Like 'let'.

- Пойдемте же!
- let us go!

4. Же в вопросительных высказываниях.
In a question we can use же after the question word. Like exactly.

- Я купил фрукты.
- И какие же?
- Яблоки.

- I bought fruit.
- Which fruit exactly?
- Apples.

- Где кот?
- Думаю, дома.
- И где же?
- Наверное в гостиной.

- Where is cat?
- I think at home.
- Where is it exactly?
- It might be in the living room.

5. Же в восклицаниях.
You can add же in emotional sentences like too or so.

Какой же ты счастливый!
You are so happy!
Or: What a happy person you are!

Как долго мы ехали!
How long we had to travel! (voice emphasis)
Or: My, how long we had to travel.

6. ЖЕ как идентификатор.
In English you, guys, have articles like a, an, the. We don't have them but sometimes we need to know exactly which things we speak about - abstract or concrete. For that we also use же.

- На какой машине ты ездила в отпуск?
- На этой же.

- Which car did you drive then you went to holidays?
- This one.
Or: right this one. This very one.

- Где ты купил эти фрукты?
- В ближайшем супермаркете.
- А молоко?
- Там же.

- Where have you bought this fruits?
- In the nearest supermarket.
- And where have you bought milk?
- In the same place.
Or: Right there. Just there. There as well.

7. Же в сравнениях.
We use же + как in comparison like as + as.

Яблоки бывают такими же большими как и апельсины.
Apples might be just as big as oranges.

Это дерево такое же высокое как и тот дом.
This tree is just as tall as that house is high. (No voice emphasis on "just", otherwise it seems to mean "only")

8. ЖЕ и безотлагательность
Же might be used to show how quick something happened.

Фотоаппарат сломался в первый же вечер.
My camera broke right on the first evening.

Я узнал об этом в первый же день.
I knew about it right on the first day.
Or: I knew about it on the very first day.

Как долго мы ехали!
How long we had to travel! (voice emphasis)
Or: My, how long we had to travel.

"Же" got omitted there, somehow. (but it's ok anyway)

One could have said, "Ты же пропустил 'же'!"

Тоже увидел "надо же". Как "wow"?

Seraph, you are right, "Надо же" = "wow" or "I can't believe"

Hey everybody. It would help me IMMENSELY if I could come about a better understanding of what function же has, well, in this sentence, in my life, in the universe. I know it roughly means 'same' and I know what the sentence below means, but why is же hanging out there? Is he a needed part of the gathering, or did he invite himself? (For the purposes of this question, I decided же would be a "he.") And as a foreigner - how the squeak do I know when (or if at all) to use this word?? (EDIT: It seems like I could get by life without ever needing this word, but I want to 100% sure.)

Что же вовремя не писали, на приёме?


Thanks a lot, your help is needed AND invaluable to me.
большое спасибо - твое помочь очень нужно

Вот тебе научный труд на тему "же": http://www.bu.edu/linguistics/UG/hag...trom-McCoy.pdf

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Толковый словарь русского языка Д.Н.Ушакова:


ЖЕ, частица.

Присоединяется к указательным местоимениям и наречиям и означает полное тожество того, на что указывается этими местоимениями и наречиями, с тем, о чем уже упоминалось в речи.
Тот же. Туда же. Такой же. Там же. Тогда же. Это тот же самый человек.
Это то же, что вы видели в магазине.
Такая же ерунда.


ЖЕ, усилительная частица.

После вопросительного слова усиливает его выразительность.
Когда же мы пойдём?
Нет, отчего же?

Усиливает значение первого или в смысловом отношении наиболее важного слова реплики (разг. ).
Хорошо же ты ему ответил, нечего сказать.
Ну и хитёр же ты, братец мой.
Ведь выдумает же!
Есть же такие мерзавцы на свете!


ЖЕ, союз.

1. противительный.
В повествовательной речи обозначает противопоставление двух предложений, близко по значению к союзу "а" в 1 знач.
Врач велел мне бросить курить, сам же две коробки в день выкуривает.
Старики сидят дома, дети же ушли гулять.
Петя ушёл в отпуск, мне же пришлось работать одному.

После первого слова реплики увеличивает силу выражения,добавляет эмоциональность; близко по значению к "ведь".
Ты же хотел идти, а теперь почему-то раздумал.
Вот же он!
Что же вы не сообщили свой адрес?
Я же не знал, что так будет.

2. присоединительный.
Присоединяет вводное предложение (ср. союз "а" во 2 знач. ).
С тех пор, как я его знаю, знаю же я его с детства, я не переставал дружишь с ним.

Всё же - всё-таки, тем не менее.
Всё же мне вас жаль немножко. Пушкин.

Originally Posted by kidkboom

For the purposes of this question, I decided же would be a "he."

IDK if you joking but if not
же is not "he", it's more like "zhe" or "dze" or "je"
"he" will be хе

Originally Posted by kidkboom

Что же вовремя не писали, на приёме?

Why you wouldn't have written it before, on the appointment?

Что вовремя не писали, на приёме? Why you didn't write it before, on the appointment?

Originally Posted by kidkboom

Thanks a lot, your help is needed AND invaluable to me.
большое спасибо - твое помочь очень нужно

Большое спасибо, ваша помощь мне очень нужна и она бесценна.

"ты" can only be used if you are talking to one person (and usually you know who exactly)

Originally Posted by Doomer

Why you wouldn't have written it before, on the appointment?

Why you didn't write it before, on the appointment?

I'm not good enough at English to completely understand the difference between the two sentences, but I think it's about politeness. If so, Doomer is quite right. The Russian sentence with 'же' sounds like a gentle reproach with a bit of perplexity. But that's what is usually implicated, the most obvious meaning of this phrase. One can say it sarcastically or in much more other ways. The sentence "Что вовремя не писали, на приёме?" - especially with что like чё - is just rude. So 'же' here is an intensifying particle (усилительная частица) for что (which means why in this case).

Why you wouldn't have written it before, on the appointment?

Why you didn't write it before, at the appointment?

Both these questions have inverted word order. "you wouldn't" and "you didn't" should be "wouldn't you" and "didn't you" in these questions as written. =>

"Why wouldn't you have written it before, at the appointment?

Why didn't you write it before, at the appointment?"

The inverted word order in "Why you didn't write it before, on the appointment?" is almost always used with an additional phrase:

Why you didn't (do something or other), I don't know.

There are several such added phrases 'is a mystery to me' or 'is neither here nor there' and some other types of such things.

Asking the question requires the word order "why didn't you...?"

Inverting the word order has the effect of changing the function of the phrase. It changes to a statement that has some more content at the end usually. And no question mark is used in that construction.


"Why is the elevator out of service today?"
"Why the elevator is out of service today is beyond me!"

Originally Posted by Seraph

Both these questions have inverted word order. "you wouldn't" and "you didn't" should be "wouldn't you" and "didn't you" in these questions as written. =>

"Why wouldn't you have written it before, at the appointment?

Thank you
I did write it that way first time but it seemed so weird to me that I formed it as of above
I should have stuck to the grammar no matter how weird it seemed

Originally Posted by kidkboom

And as a foreigner - how the squeak do I know when (or if at all) to use this word??

Heh-heh -- kidkboom, you've kind of answered your own question here! What does "the squeak" mean in your sentence? Answer: It doesn't really mean anything; or, rather, it's a euphemistic replacement for "the fuck", which in turn doesn't really mean anything. You could leave it out and the sentence would have the same meaning: "How do I know when..."

"How the fuck" is really just a strong (and obscene) way of saying "HOW??!?!?!" And же often serves the same purposes as "the fuck", only without any obscenity -- it just strengthens the word that came before it. If I'm doing a text-to-text translation from Russian to English, one way to "translate" же is simply to omit it, but underline or italicize the word that came before же in the Russian sentence. So, to take your example:

Что же вовремя не писали, на приёме?

I think the meaning is basically:

Why the heck didn't you finish writing this when you were still in the waiting room??" (or "at the reception desk", "in the admission queue", etc.)?

Although more literally it's like:

WHY didn't you write it on time, upon admission?

In place of "why the heck", you could of course also use "why the fuck" or "why on earth" or "for the love of St. Bridget, why", depending on how rude or euphemistic you wished to be, or depending on the "dialect effect" you wanted to create ("for the love of St. Bridget" might suggest the voice of a 19th-century Irish priest who's too sober to say "fuck"...).

Also, note that when же is used after certain "demonstrative" terms (words with the basic meaning of "that one", which often start with т in Russian), such as тот, то, так, тодга, туда, такой etc., then it can have the meaning "the same" -- although what's really happening is that the basic "emphatic" meaning of же is reinforcing the "that one" meaning of the demonstrative, so the combined meaning is like "that VERY one". (i.e., the same one). For example, туда = "to that place" or "in that direction"; туда же = "to that very (same) place" or "in that very (same) direction."

Originally Posted by Throbert McGee

Что же вовремя не писали, на приёме?

I would translate it using either of the following:

Why the heck didn't you write this in time for the appointment?
Why didn't you write this in time for the appointment?

This is actually quite opposite
же makes it more polite not more offensive or strong