старшая сестра
starshaya sestra
The English phrase "big sister" is translated into Russian as старшая сестра (starshaya sestra).
This phrase is used to refer to a sister who is older than the speaker or another sibling.
What does it mean word for word?
The adjective старшая literally means "older" or "elder" in its feminine form.
Which one should you use?
To indicate seniority, you must use старшая сестра. Avoid using большая сестра, as this would incorrectly imply that the sister is large in physical size. The opposite of this phrase is младшая сестра, which means "little sister".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes depending on its role in a sentence. When the big sister is the direct object of a verb, use the accusative form старшую сестру. If you are using the genitive case, such as after the word нет to indicate that the big sister is not present, use старшей сестры.
How do you pronounce it?
starshaya sestra
Did you know?
- Russian has a specific distinction between старший (older in age/rank) and старый (old in age). Using старая сестра would imply your sister is an elderly woman rather than just older than you.
- While старшая сестра is the literal term, Russians often use the diminutive сестрёнка to refer to any sister regardless of age to show affection.
- In Russian, the word for 'older' in старшая сестра is the same word used to describe the 'senior' members of a professional organization or a 'senior' officer in the military.
Examples in context
- У него старшая сестра и младшая.He has a big sister and a little sister.This sentence shows the contrast between having a big sister and a little sister using старшая сестра.Tatoeba #5995087 by marafon, translation #12901174 by araneo
- Моя старшая сестра каждый день бегает.My big sister runs every day.This sentence describes a daily habit of a big sister using старшая сестра.Tatoeba #11267493 by marafon, translation #11267485 by Luornu
- Моя старшая сестра каждое утро моет голову.My big sister washes her hair every morning.This sentence describes a morning routine of a big sister using старшая сестра.Tatoeba #8635779 by marafon, translation #250274 by CK
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrey and Maria are talking about their family at a cafe.
- Андрей AndreyМария, у тебя есть сестра?Mariya, u tebya yest' sestra?Maria, do you have a sister?
- Мария MariaДа, моя старшая сестра живёт в Москве.Da, moya starshaya sestra zhivyot v Moskve.Yes, my big sister lives in Moscow.
- Андрей AndreyОна старше тебя?Ona starshe tebya?Is she older than you?
- Мария MariaДа, она на пять лет старше.Da, ona na pyat' let starshe.Yes, she is five years older.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
