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Thread: MR and MRS!! (formal greetings...)

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    MR and MRS!! (formal greetings...)

    In English, we call someone who is older than yourself Mr. or Mrs. + surname. Mr. Jones, Mrs. Carter, etc....

    In Russian, do you use someone's first name and patronymic? (Таня Борисовна, Андрей Александревич?) I learned that in class but I'm worried that it's old-fashioned???

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    No, it's not old-fashioned. It's perfectly normal.

    Таня Борисовна is wrong, it should be Татьяна Борисовна.
    Андрей Александрович

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    MikeM is perfectly correct, I only want to add a bit.

    You can say господин (госпожа) + last name, but it is used only when you are speaking about a third person and even then it sounds very formal. Calling people by their full fisrt name+patronymic is absolutely appropriate.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Indra
    MikeM is perfectly correct, I only want to add a bit.

    You can say господин (госпожа) + last name, but it is used only when you are speaking about a third person and even then it sounds very formal. Calling people by their full fisrt name+patronymic is absolutely appropriate.
    I always thought this was essentially just for foreigners. If you're talking to/about a German man for instance, you'd say Господин Кох or whatever. I didn't know that the distinction was whether they were 2nd or 3rd person...
    Заранее благодарю всех за исправление ошибок в моём русском.

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    I remember a story of a Russian teacher of the Rus. language in Germany who asked her pupils to call her Maria Ivanovna, and they were reluctant to do so because they thought it was impolite to call a teacher by the first name instead of "frau Petrova".

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    Quote Originally Posted by Indra
    I remember a story of a Russian teacher of the Rus. language in Germany who asked her pupils to call her Maria Ivanovna, and they were reluctant to do so because they thought it was impolite to call a teacher by the first name instead of "frau Petrova".
    Actually, that's exactly my dilemma
    My boyfriend is Russian, and I'm never quite sure what to call his parents...it feels odd to call them by their first names - I've never been comfortable with that. But as long as it's correct, I'll do it!!

    Thanks guys!!

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    By the way, you can use Mr. or Mrs. in Russian too.
    But it's formal and ironic %)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kimberloo
    Actually, that's exactly my dilemma
    My boyfriend is Russian, and I'm never quite sure what to call his parents...it feels odd to call them by their first names - I've never been comfortable with that. But as long as it's correct, I'll do it!!
    So yeah, call them Mr. and Mrs. Petrov (or whatever), unless you really want to show that you're trying to learn Russian and about Russian culture. Either is fine, I'd say, unless they're total jerks -- just don't call them "Alex and Marta," and you're good.
    Заранее благодарю всех за исправление ошибок в моём русском.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kimberloo
    I'm never quite sure what to call his parents...
    Just call папа and мама


    Quote Originally Posted by Бармалей
    don't call them "Alex and Marta"
    A little better call them "Mr. Alex and Mrs. Marta"

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    Re: MR and MRS!! (formal greetings...)

    Quote Originally Posted by Kimberloo
    In English, we call someone who is older than yourself Mr. or Mrs. + surname. Mr. Jones, Mrs. Carter, etc....

    In Russian, do you use someone's first name and patronymic? (Таня Борисовна, Андрей Александревич?) I learned that in class but I'm worried that it's old-fashioned???
    Its perfectly correct form of address. Make sure though you use full first name, not its diminutive form.
    OK. There's some historical heritage Russians bear and someone prefer to be addressed as comrade (товарищ), someone wants to be addressed as господин, and there are some who prefer Ваше Превосходительство (Your Excellency) but if you just use full name and patronymic you'll be safe. (Таня = Татьяна, Таня Борисовна is wrong).
    Send me a PM if you need me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kimberloo
    Re: MR and MRS!! (formal greetings...)
    I thought the thread was about Master Russian and Master Russian-ers
    ~ Мастерадминов Мастерадмин Мастерадминович ~

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    Also kids call their teachers First name + Patronymic (and of course use Вы).
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    So what do you call a doctor? Not neccessarily a medical doctor but, say a PHD in physics.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Layne
    So what do you call a doctor? Not neccessarily a medical doctor but, say a PHD in physics.
    Профессор, Доктор, I think.
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    Quote Originally Posted by TATY
    Quote Originally Posted by Layne
    So what do you call a doctor? Not neccessarily a medical doctor but, say a PHD in physics.
    Профессор, Доктор, I think.
    Yep. I know this, since our Russian professor on the first day of class did this number (it was JUST like Austin Powers, where he does the little "I didn't spend four years at Evil school for nothing!" thing -- I don't think she realized it ):
    I am Доктор Соэндсо. That's ДОКТОР Соэндосо. I didn't go to college for nothing. Literally, half the class (and program) was on the verge of dropping the class b/c of this kind of crap -- we hated her. Then the next week she was fine. Weird.
    Заранее благодарю всех за исправление ошибок в моём русском.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Layne
    So what do you call a doctor? Not neccessarily a medical doctor but, say a PHD in physics.
    In a direct conversation stick to use full first name and patronymic. Even when you're talking to a president that will be a polite form of address. When referring to some professor who is not present or in writing you may say Профессор Иванов (Surname only).
    Don't use Доктор at all when addressing people. There's no need and otherwise your speech will be pompous and formal.
    Send me a PM if you need me.

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