Thread: 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???

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

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

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.

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...

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".

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!!

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

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.

Originally Posted by Kimberloo

I'm never quite sure what to call his parents...

Just call папа and мама

Originally Posted by Бармалей

don't call them "Alex and Marta"

A little better call them "Mr. Alex and Mrs. Marta"

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).

Originally Posted by Kimberloo

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

I thought the thread was about Master Russian and Master Russian-ers

Also kids call their teachers First name + Patronymic (and of course use Вы).

So what do you call a doctor? Not neccessarily a medical doctor but, say a PHD in physics.

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.

Originally Posted by TATY

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.

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.