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- Topic: Russian >
- "Я мужчина."
73 Comments
Why is it spelt with "жч" instead of "ш" (or "щ")? That's the way it sounds to me (with some uncertainty between the two possibilities).
it's pronounced as 'щ' жч is because the root is муж - husband and the old variant for man. чин is the suffix as far as I remember
Thank you! Your explanation is very clear and thorough. I guess than that муж has something to do with мужик?
I reckon мужик is more something like 'a tough man' and it's very informal, but as you noticed well, the root is the same as in 'мужчина'
While looking for audio in Russian to record and listen to while doing other things, I stumbled upon this website called MasterRussian.com. It offers some free podcasts about the Russian language and one was put together on Boys and men. I thought it was delivered in a fun and interesting way, and perhaps you will, too. It discusses мужик among other terms for boys and men.
I know that word through the classics of Russian literature, usually it is not translated but just transcribed; the meaning is rather "peasant" there though.
it's quite hard to describe what мужик is translated as, it's kind of both negative and positive depending on the context, who you are and the person you're talking to; though it's not that informal, you're probably best off if you don't use it till you have quite a grasp of the language. Both peasant and tough man are good, though missing some shades of the word, for my taste
This usage is considered very old. Now мужик means some guy, a man, fellow (in some contexts). but yes, other people are right: tend not to use the word until you know the language better, it's from informal speech. If you happen to know Swedish, "karl" is the word.
Aside from the great explanation above, don't forget that any language can have multiple ways to spell a particular sound (e.g., in English, f = ph = gh [as in rough]).
Let alone I'm not arguing but simply asking for an explanation, which is what these forums are supposed to have been established for, who do you think yourself to be for commanding people like that?
Accidentally put "i am a taxi". Thats enough of learning russian for today...
577
When asked to translate я мужчина to english it is, I am a man, but when asked to translate I am a man to Russian the answer required is Я являюсь мужчина. This needs to be corrected. I'll reiterate. "Являюсь" has never been introduced to the lessons in any capacity. Either teach it to us, or remove it from that answer.
- 600
Duo rejects I am the man – which is surely a valid answer.
Possible context:
– "I'm waiting for the repair man to come and fix our dishwasher."
– "I'm the man!"
I can not believe i got the pronouncation right on the first time. I am just so happy and excited
Why has it got an 'a' at the end when it's a masculine word? I thought words ending in 'a' were feminine?
while tranlating this duolingo told me that "Я мужчина." meant am i a man but the answer was said to be i am a man is there a specific reason for this?
I am the native russian speaker. An I wish the same, when I watch English movies )))
Очень смешно что женским голосом говорится "Я мужчина". Хотя может быть и специально в интересах "прогрессивного" населения
Mimi ni mwaume.
Ndine mwamuna.
Ich bin een Mann.
Je suis un homme.
Eu sou homem.
Io sono un uomo.
Yo soy un hombre.
제가 남자입니다.
- 40
Is muzhchina an actual noun, or an adjective working here with a nominal function (like "manly")?
- 306
Dude I was thinking the same thing, this guy was just going up to strangers telling everyone he is the man lol
- 884
Sometimes it sucks! I do not need the "a" article, but the English grammar need it. In many languages is the indefinite article not necessary. In my native language as well. For example in this Russian sentence. None indefinite article is there
She definitely is saying sh instead of zh in "mashina". Why use a defective recording?
First of all, it is not a recording, it is synthesized speech. And second, жч, зч, сч in Russian usually sound more like щ (for now think about it as a longer and softer English sh, indeed).
- 40
In Russian, any voiced consonant like ZH, when followed by a voiceless consonant like CH, becomes voiceless as well.
There are a few exceptions, but that is how it works in general.
