муж
muž[muʂ]masculine
The Russian word for husband is муж (muž). Wiktionary also lists супру́г (suprúg).
Meaning: male partner in marriage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| муж | muž | [muʂ] (narrow) | masculine |
| супру́г | suprúg | masculine |
муж is the most common, everyday way to say husband. In very casual or slangy speech, some people use мужик to refer to a man or a husband, but this is much more coarse than муж.
Which one should you use?
муж is the neutral, everyday term for husband. супру́г is a formal term often used in legal, official or highly polite contexts, equivalent to the English word spouse.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on its role in a sentence. For example, when saying 'I don't have a husband' or 'I see my husband', the form changes to мужа due to grammatical case declension.
How do you pronounce it?
muž
Did you know?
- The word муж is a direct ancient relative of the English word 'man'. Both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'man'.
- While муж means 'husband', the related word мужик originally described a peasant. In modern speech, calling someone a мужик can be a compliment to their masculinity, but calling a husband a мужик can sound coarse.
- In old Russian folklore and history, the term мужик was used to denote a social class of serfs, which is why the word still carries a 'rough' or 'unrefined' connotation today.
Examples in context
- Мы муж и жена.We are husband and wife.This sentence shows how to say 'husband' in the phrase 'husband and wife'.Tatoeba #1671076 by marafon, translation #263263 by CK
- Том – мой муж.Tom is my husband.This sentence uses муж to identify a specific person as a husband.Tatoeba #2782660 by Balamax, translation #1868186 by CK
- Он муж на час.He is a husband for an hour.This sentence uses муж in a figurative sense.Tatoeba #3600754 by Balamax, translation #3600753 by Balamax
- Мой супруг занимается бизнесом.My spouse is involved in business.
- 789 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a party, discussing family.
- Александр AleksandrКак дела у твоего мужа?Kak dela u tvoyego muzha?How is your husband doing?
- Екатерина EkaterinaУ него всё хорошо, спасибо.U nego vsyo khorosho, spasibo.He is doing well, thank you.
- Александр AleksandrТвой муж тоже пришёл?Tvoy muzh tozhe prishol?Did your husband come too?
- Екатерина EkaterinaНет, он сегодня на работе.Net, on segodnya na rabote.No, he is at work today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “husband” translations and entries муж, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries муж, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
