Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| мужчи́на | mužčína | masculine | |
| муж | muž | [muʂ] (narrow) | archaic, masculine, poetic |
| мужи́к | mužík | colloquial, masculine, pejorative |
The primary way to refer to an adult male human is using мужчи́на. When you wish to refer to 'man' in the sense of humanity or mankind, use the word челове́к instead. If you are using 'man' as an interjection to add emphasis to a statement, you might use words like блин or чёрт.
Which one should you use?
In modern everyday Russian, муж is primarily used to mean 'husband' or is found in poetic contexts, whereas мужчи́на is the standard term for an adult male. The term мужи́к is a colloquial way to say 'man' or 'guy', but it can be pejorative, often implying a person is rough or lacks refinement. If you want to refer to a 'guy' or 'dude' among friends, you might use парень.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Мужчи́на is the standard and appropriate term for formal contexts. In more casual settings among friends or peers, you can use парень for 'guy' or мужи́к for a more colloquial 'man'. For formal addresses similar to the English 'Mr.', use Господин.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
mužčína
Did you know?
- The English word 'man' and the Russian word муж share the same prehistoric root, meaning they are distant linguistic cousins.
- In Russian, the word for 'man' as a gendered identity, мужчи́на, is often used as a way to demand respect or assert authority in a confrontation.
- Using мужи́к can be a compliment when praising a man's strength or masculinity, such as saying he is a 'real man'.
Examples in context
- Тот мужчина – Том.That man is Tom.Tatoeba #5795331 by marafon, translation #4500973 by CK
- Он ещё не мужчина.He is not a man yet.Tatoeba #14050186 by marafon, translation #14050173 by Aghanim
- Этот мужчина – раб.The man is a slave.Tatoeba #11817769 by marafon, translation #11816348 by ddnktr
- Друзья собрались у нас дома. Все парни пришли с подарками.Friends gathered at our home. All the guys came with gifts.
- Он настоящий мужик – всегда готов помочь.He's a real man – always ready to help.
- Прости, я не знал, что ты такой хороший парень.Sorry, I didn't know you were such a good guy.
- 908 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” 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.
