Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| сопровожда́ть | soprovoždátʹ | imperfective |
| составля́ть компа́нию | sostavljátʹ kompániju | imperfective |
The verb сопровожда́ть is used for formal or official accompaniment, such as an escort or a guide. For social contexts, such as joining someone for a walk or a meal, the phrase составля́ть компа́нию is used. Specifically, состави́ть компа́нию is the most natural way to suggest 'coming along' in a social context, such as 'Can I come along/keep you company?'
Which one should you use?
Use сопровожда́ть when the context involves official accompaniment, like an escort. Use составля́ть компа́нию for social accompaniment, like joining someone for an activity.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The imperfective form сопровожда́ть can be changed to the perfective сопроводи́ть to refer to a completed act of accompaniment. Similarly, the imperfective составля́ть компа́нию changes to the perfective состави́ть компа́нию when the act of joining someone is a single, completed event.
How do you pronounce it?
soprovoždátʹ
Did you know?
- Using сопровожда́ть for a friend's dinner invitation would sound ironically formal, as if you were a bodyguard or a high-ranking official.
- The verb сопровожда́ть is the same word used in Russian to describe the 'accompaniment' of musical instruments in an orchestra.
- The word составля́ть in составля́ть компа́нию literally means 'to compose' or 'to make up', as in composing a list or a mathematical sum.
Examples in context
- Эй, пойди со мной на вечеринку сегодня вечером!Hey, come along with me to the party tonight!
- Он будет сопровожда́ть меня в поездке.On budet soprovozhdat' menya v poezdke.He will accompany me on the trip.
- Охрана должна сопровожда́ть важных гостей.Okhrana dolzhna soprovozhdat' vazhnykh gostey.Security must accompany important guests.
- Мои родители будут сопровожда́ть меня на выставке.Moi roditeli budut soprovozhdat' menya na vystavke.My parents will accompany me to the exhibition.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come along” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
