Quote Originally Posted by bitpicker
I'm two thirds posh in Russian, apparently, but what is the exact difference between"одевать" and "надевать", if I may ask?
There is a difference in using. "Одеть" means "to dress," "to clothe," and many natives use this verb instead of "to put on," which is grammatically wrong. You cannot "одеть джинсы," if you don't mean that you dress the jeans, of course.
Oh, I don't seem to be good at explaining such things. )) There is a mnemonic rule - Надеть одежду, одеть Надежду. And a humorous verse. (:

Я забрался с Надей в душ.
Тут явился Надин муж.
То ли мне одеть Надежду,
То ли мне надеть одежду?