# Forum Learning Russian Language Resources for Studying Russian Russian Names  Diminutives

## Евгения(Женя)

What are all the diminutives of Женя?
my mama calls me Женечка, but are there anymore?

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## JJ

Евгения->Женя->Женечка/Женька(familiar)

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## Евгения(Женя)

Спасибо JJ  ::

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## NYgirl3

I also heard Женюля before, I don't know how common that is though...

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## VendingMachine

> I also heard Женюля before, I don't know how common that is though...

 Have never heard Женюля, but I _have_ heard Жен*у*ля. Also, Ж*е*нчик, Жен*о*к, Жен*у*ся, Женч*а*нская. The number of ways you can change the name is limited only by your imagination.

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## Евгения(Женя)

Спасибо за помощь, да моя мама меня называет Женечкой, и доченькой, и конечно Женей. (В её письмах)

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## NYgirl3

Женуля doesn't sound right at all to me...maybe cause I never heard it before, but still...I dunno I could be wrong. My dad's name is Женя, so I heard my mom call him a bunch of diminutive names,lol  
BTW Женуля is what I would expect somebody to call their wife if they were talking to her or about her lovingly...because the word is Женa(with small letter of course)...see how I see it is, if the word ends in a hard letter(such as a) then u would use an у, but if it ended in a soft letter, like я, then u would use the example I provided. I dunno that's just my theory on the subject,lol

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## Tambakis

How about Misha? I know a guy named Misha and once I heard his mom call him something like Mishishinska.

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## NYgirl3

Mishen'ka (the n is soft)

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## VendingMachine

> Женуля doesn't sound right at all to me...maybe cause I never heard it before, but still...I dunno I could be wrong. My dad's name is Женя, so I heard my mom call him a bunch of diminutive names,lol  
> BTW Женуля is what I would expect somebody to call their wife if they were talking to her or about her lovingly...because the word is Женa(with small letter of course)...see how I see it is, if the word ends in a hard letter(such as a) then u would use an у, but if it ended in a soft letter, like я, then u would use the example I provided. I dunno that's just my theory on the subject,lol

 Hmmm, I'm afraid we're going to have to acknowledge that there is no universal rule about diminutives because to me Женуля sounds as a deminutive of Женя, certainly not of жена. (I'd say the latter would be женуся if anything). It looks like different people react differently... Maybe it's just me, but I automatically associate 'нюля' with something very...ahum...shall we say... French and X-rated if you know what I mean... It just has this sound...very provocative...

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## bad manners

> Maybe it's just me, but I automatically associate 'нюля' with something very...ahum...shall we say... French and X-rated if you know what I mean... It just has this sound...very provocative...

 Is it _just_ the sound, or is there a _particular_ association?

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## NYgirl3

VendingMachine are u russian?

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## VendingMachine

> Originally Posted by VendingMachine  Maybe it's just me, but I automatically associate 'нюля' with something very...ahum...shall we say... French and X-rated if you know what I mean... It just has this sound...very provocative...   Is it _just_ the sound, or is there a _particular_ association?

 I have a strong and constant association of an openly pornographic nature of a particular way of pleasuring yourself. It's not so much the sounds, I'd say it's the overtones really. It's difficult to explain as this is something I haven't quite figured out myself. I've had this association for yonks really. Maybe this is because I'm a bit synaesthetic, but I wouldn't know.

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## VendingMachine

> VendingMachine are u russian?

 There is some Russian blood in me... All you need to know is that I am a native speaker of Russian. (c) You need to know, because you need to know.

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## bad manners

> VendingMachine are u russian?

 Russian, male, from the окающий Volga region (hmm... Нижний Новгород?), living in St. Petersburg. 22-27 years old, 25 being my pick. 
Observation and deduction.

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## VendingMachine

> Originally Posted by NYgirl3  VendingMachine are u russian?   Russian, male, from the окающий Volga region (hmm... Нижний Новгород?), living in St. Petersburg. 22-27 years old, 25 being my pick.
> Observation and deduction.

 Well done, bad manners. Excellent deduction... yet nowhere near apart from the fact that I live in St Pete. What made you think I was from the окающий Volga region? (I'm not.) As for my being 25, well, thank you, bad manners, I'm flattered. The truth is I'll be on the wrong side of forty soon. How did you arrive at such conclusions? I'm really curious.

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## Евгения(Женя)

VendingMachine-
Вы свободно говорите по-русски?

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## VendingMachine

> VendingMachine-
> Вы свободно говорите по-русски?

 На форуме можешь обращаться и на ты, я все же не дедушка еще. Да, я говорю по-русски еще как свободно. Аж пыль столбом.

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## Евгения(Женя)

Поняла   ::

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## bad manners

> What made you think I was from the окающий Volga region? (I'm not.)

 http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... olga#19037 
"Could it be my voolga roostic speech?"   

> As for my being 25, well, thank you, bad manners, I'm flattered. The truth is I'll be on the wrong side of forty soon. How did you arrive at such conclusions? I'm really curious.

 You must be older than 22, for you have finished your studies in the university. You are unlikely to be a lot older than that, given that you still boast of your education. A few other things, too.

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## VendingMachine

> What made you think I was from the окающий Volga region? (I'm not.)
> 			
> 		  http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... olga#19037 
> "Could it be my voolga roostic speech?"

 Ha-ha, but that's 'vulgar rustic' in a thick North of England accent, has nothing to do with Volga... But my accent _is_ vulgar.   

> [quote:34855jm1]As for my being 25, well, thank you, bad manners, I'm flattered. The truth is I'll be on the wrong side of forty soon. How did you arrive at such conclusions? I'm really curious.

 You must be older than 22, for you have finished your studies in the university. You are unlikely to be a lot older than that, given that you still boast of your education. A few other things, too.[/quote:34855jm1]
Actually, I'm 45, but I look younger (33-35) and prefer to hang around younger people. I'm a bit of a vampire, I live off their youth. I don't have many friends among people of my age group, most are in fact colleagues, not friends. God, if only you could see them - fat, arrogant, set in their ways... I play football every Sunday in a дворовая команда where most players are 18-22, I go hiking with young people, I date young women, I work both my body and mind (learning languages is a good way to protect yourself from senile dementia)... I don't look 45 and I don't _feel_ 45, I'm a recycled teenager... Hell, I don't _think_ 45, I think 18 at the most... How old are you, bad manners? (I haven't got a clue, I'm not good at telling people's ages)

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## NYgirl3

hehe "recycled teenager" I like that. Hope I have that much energy at your age ::

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## Евгения(Женя)

What are some "affectionate" ways to refer to your daughter? (If you had one) I know there is: Дочка, доченька............. что ещё?

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## Friendy

> Originally Posted by bad manners     
> 			
> 				What made you think I was from the окающий Volga region? (I'm not.)
> 			
> 		  http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... olga#19037 
> "Could it be my voolga roostic speech?"   Ha-ha, but that's 'vulgar rustic' in a thick North of England accent, has nothing to do with Volga...

   ::   ::   ::  Oh, my God!  I also thought it was Volga.  Oh, I had a good long laugh as this post opened my eyes. Still haven't quite recovered from it  ::   ::   ::    

> What are some "affectionate" ways to refer to your daughter? (If you had one) I know there is: Дочка, доченька............. что ещё?

 Дочурка, дочуля, дочунька, дочушка (ударение во всех этих словах падает на "у" и последние два слова вряд ли употребляются часто)
Есть ещё одно слово, вряд ли оно относится к ласковым, это скорее сленг: доча. Но по-моему его больше употребляют дети, когда играют в дочки-матери. Лично мне оно кажется очень смешным.  ::

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## BJ

what are the diminutives for Galena and  Katya?

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## Friendy

Галя (Galya) - a very common diminutive from Galina, but not the affectionate one. 
affectionate diminutives:
Галечка (Galechka)
Галочка (Galochka)
Галенька (Galen'ka)
Галюша (Gal'usha)
Галюся (Gal'us'a) 
rather informal diminutives:
Галка (Galka) 
Галчонок (Galchonok)
Галюня (Gal'un'a)
Галюньчик (Gal'un'chik)
Галчик (Galchik)
------------------------------ 
Катя (Katya) itself is a diminutive from Екатерина(Yekaterina)
the affectionate diminutives:
Катечка (Katechka)
Катенька (Katen'ka)
Катюша (Kat'usha)
Катюля (Kat'ul'a)
Катюся (Kat'us'a)
Катюня (Katun'a)
Катюньчик (Kat'un'chik)

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## BJ

Thank you Friendy! Could you tell me if there are any rules for the use of diminutives. For example would a Russian girl introduce herself to a stranger by the name Katya or would she only use Yekaterina? Would several diminutives be used for one person by different friends or would they all use the same one?

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## Евгения(Женя)

Friendy- Can you tell me all the affectionate versions of Женя you have heard? I've head of Женечка, Женуля, Женька, Женчик, Женок, Женуся, Женчанская всё? (Vending Mechine told me these) Do you know of any more? And how is it correct in english, would you say A Ukrainian, or An Ukrainian?

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## Friendy

> Thank you Friendy! Could you tell me if there are any rules for the use of diminutives. For example would a Russian girl introduce herself to a stranger by the name Katya or would she only use Yekaterina?

 It's quite normal if she introduces herself as Katya. The most formal form is a full name with patronimic (for example, Yekaterina Petrovna), this is the way the teacher would introduce herself to the students, Yekaterina (without patronimic) is less formal.   

> Would several diminutives be used for one person by different friends or would they all use the same one?

 If a person has preference for a certain diminutive then it's more likely that it will be the one used by his/her friends, but in general different friends can use different diminutives. One friend can also use several diminutives depending on the situation, his mood etc.
The most common situations in which affectionate diminutives are used are when consoling (Katechka, please, don't cry), when asking to do some favor (Katen'ka, would you be so kind and bring me that paper) or expressing gratitude (Kat'usha, thank you so much). Even if normally that person addresses her as Katya.  *To Женя:*
Could be Женюша, Женюньчик, Женюня, Женюлька, Женюлечка - not sure that actually heard them but they are quite possible. BTW, I would prefer Женюля to Женуля and I agree with Tania that Женуля is more fit for "жена". I also heard "Женючка" but there's some rudeness in it (it was not offensive, slightly mocking though, and that guy Женя had nothing against it) and it's certainly not the affectionate one. And I also head Жека but it's also not affectionate.

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## Евгения(Женя)

Спасибо за помощь Friendy   ::

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## PsiLord

> The most common situations in which affectionate diminutives are used are when consoling (Katechka, please, don't cry), when asking to do some favor (Katen'ka, would you be so kind and bring me that paper) or expressing gratitude (Kat'usha, thank you so much). Even if normally that person addresses her as Katya.

 Valuable info there, Friendy — I'll definitely try to keep that in mind myself, too.  ::

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## Tambakis

How about Daria, or more specifically, Dasha?

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## BJ

Friendy - that was so helpful thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ::

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## Евгения(Женя)

In a letter to my mama could I just sign as "твоя дочка" ?
(Just wondering)

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## Friendy

> In a letter to my mama could I just sign as "твоя дочка" ?
> (Just wondering)

 Yes, it's quite normal.

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## Евгения(Женя)

Friendy wrote to BJ- The most common situations in which affectionate diminutives are used are when consoling (Katechka, please, don't cry), when asking to do some favor (Katen'ka, would you be so kind and bring me that paper) or expressing gratitude (Kat'usha, thank you so much). Even if normally that person addresses her as Katya.  
If someone was consoling me would they call me Zhenechka? What about if they were asking me for a favor or gratitude, how would there be an equivilent for Женя like there is for Катя? 
         But how would a mother usually refer to her child? For example if her son was named Sasha, would she regularily call him Sasha, and if he was upset or something would she call him Sashen'ka? Or would she always call him Sashen'ka? Or does it depend on the situation? (So sorry if I am confusing you) My mother in her letters calls me Zhenechka, but in another she called me Dochenka. How would a mother refer to her child? (Tell me if my question seems unclear)

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## Friendy

> Friendy wrote to BJ- The most common situations in which affectionate diminutives are used are when consoling (Katechka, please, don't cry), when asking to do some favor (Katen'ka, would you be so kind and bring me that paper) or expressing gratitude (Kat'usha, thank you so much). Even if normally that person addresses her as Katya.  
> If someone was consoling me would they call me Zhenechka? What about if they were asking me for a favor or gratitude, how would there be an equivilent for Женя like there is for Катя? 
>          But how would a mother usually refer to her child? For example if her son was named Sasha, would she regularily call him Sasha, and if he was upset or something would she call him Sashen'ka? Or would she always call him Sashen'ka? Or does it depend on the situation? (So sorry if I am confusing you) My mother in her letters calls me Zhenechka, but in another she called me Dochenka. How would a mother refer to her child? (Tell me if my question seems unclear)

 What I wrote in brackets in my answer to BJ are just examples,  you can replace any diminutive there with almost any other. And of course it's not necessary to use diminutives in these situations, one can use a full name, it's just more likely that one would use affectionate diminutives here. A mother may call her child in different ways, like, one moment she calls him Sasha and an hour later she calls him Sashen'ka, though probably there are some mothers who stick to one particular name.

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## Евгения(Женя)

I understand what you are saying. In my mother's letters she will call me Zhenya one second, then Zhenechka, then Dochen'ka. My sister calls me Evgenia, Zhenechka, and Zhenya. Thank you for your help. How is it normal to refer to a mother of yours? Like would saying mama be more common than saying mamochka? Or such? What do you think seems more common? Or does it depend on the person and the situation? Is мать a "harsh" version? Thats what my friend Katya says.

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## VendingMachine

Don't know about мама, but I call my father батяня as in "батяня, не бей!". He's 72 now and still batters me occasionally, he's right strong.

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## Friendy

> How is it normal to refer to a mother of yours? Like would saying mama be more common than saying mamochka? Or such? What do you think seems more common? Or does it depend on the person and the situation? Is мать a "harsh" version? Thats what my friend Katya says.

 I think "мама" is the most common. Also "мам" is common (which is sort of vocative case, it was mentioned here: http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... 2675#12675 ) There's also "ма", but IMHO, it's too slangy. Often one would prefer "mamochka" when persuading her to allow him to do something, which she is not very eager to allow. For example: "Мамочка, пожалуйста, разреши мне пойти в кино." And I agree that "мать" is a "harsh" version if you're addressing her personally, but in the official style (forms, documents) this is the only word that is used.

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## Eve

> Originally Posted by Евгения(Женя)  
>          But how would a mother usually refer to her child? For example if her son was named Sasha, would she regularily call him Sasha, and if he was upset or something would she call him Sashen'ka? Or would she always call him Sashen'ka? Or does it depend on the situation? (So sorry if I am confusing you) My mother in her letters calls me Zhenechka, but in another she called me Dochenka. How would a mother refer to her child? (Tell me if my question seems unclear)   A mother may call her child in different ways, like, one moment she calls him Sasha and an hour later she calls him Sashen'ka, though probably there are some mothers who stick to one particular name.

 RE does 'Sashenka' have a particular meaning? I know someone who gets called that but their name isn't Sasha.

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## Friendy

> RE does 'Sashenka' have a particular meaning? I know someone who gets called that but their name isn't Sasha.

 As far as I know, it has no particular meaning, but people may have some weird reasons sometimes.  Maybe there's a special story behind it.   ::   If it's not a secret, what is that person's full name?

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## Евгения(Женя)

Friendy, would a mother in speech talking to her daughter refer to her as, дочка, или доченька(Besides using her name). Or would that seem akward? What is the "son" equivilent? Can мамочка be used just for affection, rather than persuasion?

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## Tu-160

My ex-girlfriend's mother, I remember, often called her «доча» (very tender expression, I must add). Equivalents for «son» are «сын» and diminutives «сынок», «сыночек», «сына», «сынонька», «сынуля» (my mother calles me so and I hate when she does it among people).

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## Friendy

> Friendy, would a mother in speech talking to her daughter refer to her as, дочка, или доченька(Besides using her name). Or would that seem akward?

 Дочка is probably a little awkward (but possible), доченька is better, but it seems not very common to me, these words can be also used together with the name, for example:
Женечка, доченька, помоги мне пожалуйста накрыть на стол.  

> Can мамочка be used just for affection, rather than persuasion?

 Certainly.

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## Eve

> Originally Posted by Eve  RE does 'Sashenka' have a particular meaning? I know someone who gets called that but their name isn't Sasha.   As far as I know, it has no particular meaning, but people may have some weird reasons sometimes.  Maybe there's a special story behind it.    If it's not a secret, what is that person's full name?

 Their name is Alexey/Alexei. Don't know them well enough to ask them about a nickname.  ::

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## Friendy

> Their name is Alexey/Alexei. Don't know them well enough to ask them about a nickname.

 Probably it's because Alexey and Alexandr have a common nickname Alex. Maybe he called himself Alex and people thought that his name was Alexandr and not Alexey and so they called him Sashen'ka and somehow this name got stuck to him. Of course, it's just an assumption but I think it's rather probable.

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## Евгения(Женя)

Friendy, what is the diminutive version of Leonid? I know Lyonya is the nickname, but I dont know the diminutive one. Write it in cryllic please. Thanks!   ::  
(Как сказать по-русски- Write in script*as a command :: 
Заранее спасибо

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## Friendy

> Friendy, what is the diminutive version of Leonid? I know Lyonya is the nickname, but I dont know the diminutive one. Write it in cryllic please. Thanks!

 Лёнечка (affectionate)
Лёнчик, Лёнька (these are rather informal) 
Write in script - пишите (or напишите) от руки

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## VendingMachine

> Friendy, what is the diminutive version of Leonid? I know Lyonya is the nickname, but I dont know the diminutive one. Write it in cryllic please. Thanks!   
> (Как сказать по-русски- Write in script*as a command
> Заранее спасибо

 As a command? As a command? How about as an order? Написал от руки! А ну написал от руки! Do you aprove of this, Professor Scotcher?

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## Евгения(Женя)

Спасибо Friendy, и Vending Machine, and who is Professor Scotcher? Напишите от руки- That means to write in cursive right? Sometimes I confused myself with the words I use, forgive me. Cursive and script mean the same thing, right?

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## Friendy

> Напишите от руки- That means to write in cursive right? Sometimes I confused myself with the words I use, forgive me. Cursive and script mean the same thing, right?

 Definitions from my Oxford and Longman dictionaries: *cursive:*
handwriting with letters rounded and joint together *script:*
1) handwriting
2) printed cursive caracters in imitation of handwriting
3) writing by hand with the letters of words joint 
So mostly they are synonyms. 
If in Russian you want your listeners to write with rounded and joint together letters you can say:
Напишите письменно (or письменным шрифтом)
or
Напишите письменно (or письменным шрифтом) от руки
If you want them to  write by hand, but with the letters that look like  typed you should say: 
Напишите печатно (or печатным шрифтом) от руки
or
Печатайте от руки.   

> ...and who is Professor Scotcher?

 I think VendingMachine jokingly refers to scotcher, our fellow-forumer, but what does it have to do with script - no idea.

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## Gollandski Yozh

About diminutives: 
I was once asked by a (female) friend from Moscow how I called my gf (who is Russian). I said: "Veronika." (Coz that's her name, duh...) And she looked at me quite strangely: "Simply Veronika?" Somehow, I had commited an horrendous crime by not using an affectionate diminutive... What a cold bastard must I have seemed to her!   ::   ::   
After that, I started calling my gf Veronichka, although it took some getting used to.   ::

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## JJ

> What a cold bastard must I have seemed to her!    
> After that, I started calling my gf Veronichka, although it took some getting used to.

 Don't worry about the name Veronika is beautiful by itself. My wife's name is Veronika too, and she hates any diminutives so I call her Veronika all the time. Well, maybe not all the time but very often. When I'd just met her I tried to call her Veronichka and another diminutives but she told me that she hate it.  ::

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## Gollandski Yozh

> Don't worry about the name Veronika is beautiful by itself. My wife's name is Veronika too, and she hates any diminutives so I call her Veronika all the time. Well, maybe not all the time but very often. When I'd just met her I tried to call her Veronichka and another diminutives but she told me that she hate it.

 Yes, it is a beautiful name, but, since a _Russian_ told me that diminutives were important, I decided to just ask my gf. She said she'd like it. Problem was, there are a lot of diminutives. I heard her grandmother say Veronya all the time. Now, of course, I didn't want to use the same diminutive her grandmother was using!   ::   ::  So, I just asked her about the possibilities and she said her friends always used "Veronichka". Therefor, I decided on that. It also sounds better than Veronya, to me at least.

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## JJ

> It also sounds better than Veronya, to me at least.

 Sure, it is much better, my wife especially hates "Veronya". ::

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## VendingMachine

> Originally Posted by Gollandski Yozh   It also sounds better than Veronya, to me at least.   Sure, it is much better, my wife especially hates "Veronya".

 Ha, that's nothing, ever heard of Веруньчик (Veroonchik)? Yuck!

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## Gollandski Yozh

> Originally Posted by JJ        Originally Posted by Gollandski Yozh   It also sounds better than Veronya, to me at least.   Sure, it is much better, my wife especially hates "Veronya".   Ha, that's nothing, ever heard of Веруньчик (Veroonchik)? Yuck!

 Yep. And yes, that is a big "yuck".   ::   
BTW, can someone tell me what's the deal with all these animals my gf uses as "ласковые имена" for me (and others for _their_ boyfriends)? Why am I a "ёжик" or a "заяц"?   ::   ::

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## Alware

> BTW, can someone tell me what's the deal with all these animals my gf uses as "ласковые имена" for me (and others for _their_ boyfriends)? Why am I a "ёжик" or a "заяц"?

 lol I used to be "ёжик" (especially after not shaving couple of days) too now I'm most of the time "слоник" (no ne gollandsky for obvious reason   ::  )  I asked my gf why she used it and she couldn't explain. She said she just liked it  ::

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## Tambakis

Are there any diminutives for the name Fyodor?

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## Линдзи

Fedya, methinks.

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## VendingMachine

> Are there any diminutives for the name Fyodor?

 Федя, Федь (vocative perhaps?), Фёдорчук, Федоридзе, Фёдор-бей, Федорилло, Федораст (this one's very insulting)

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## Евгения Белякова

What are the diminutives of Петя? And how would Пётр be pronounced in a conversation? Thanks.

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## Евгения Белякова

Does anybody know?

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## Friendy

> What are the diminutives of Петя?

 Петенька, Петруша, Петечка, Петрунчик, Петрусик, Петюля, Петюня, Петруха, Петька  

> And how would Пётр be pronounced in a conversation?

 Just as it is written.

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## VendingMachine

> Originally Posted by Евгения Белякова  What are the diminutives of Петя?   Петенька, Петруша, Петечка, Петрунчик, Петрусик, Петюля, Петюня, Петруха, Петька

 A few more: Петюнчик, Петруччо, Петерзилье, Петрунчо, Пэдро, Петь, Петруссарио, Петрик, Петричелло, Петенюга, Петрикенция, Патриций, Петище, Петенция, Петькевич, Петькевичус, Петенцилло.

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## Евгения Белякова

Большое спасибо Friendy и VendingMachine!

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## Scorpio

Isn't "Петя" itself diminutive from "Петр"??

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## Friendy

> Isn't "Петя" itself diminutive from "Петр"??

 Of course it is.

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