Which one should you use?
While моя дочь is the standard way to say "my daughter", other variants express different tones. Моя дочка is used to mean "little daughter" or "darling daughter", carrying a hint of endearment. For a more playful and loving tone, you can use Моя дочурка.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes its endings based on its grammatical role in a sentence. For example, it becomes мою дочь when "my daughter" is the direct object of a verb (accusative case). It changes to моей дочери in the genitive, dative or prepositional cases (such as "of my daughter" or "to my daughter"). It becomes моей дочерью in the instrumental case, which is used with certain prepositions or to describe a state, such as being proud of her.
How do you pronounce it?
moya doch'
Did you know?
- While дочь means 'daughter', the Russian word for 'granddaughter' is внучка, which is a diminutive of внук meaning 'grandson'. This means the 'daughter' root is replaced entirely when moving to the next generation.
- The word дочь is a cognate of the English word 'daughter', as both descend from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root.
- The diminutive form дочка is so common that it is often used by parents to refer to their daughters even after they have become adults.
Examples in context
- Ты не моя дочь.You are not my daughter.This sentence is useful for showing the negation of the relationship using моя дочь.Tatoeba #8624886 by marafon, translation #8624996 by CAMERONCASSIDY7
- Мэри – моя дочь.Mary is my daughter.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as моя дочь.Tatoeba #6395394 by marafon, translation #6358738 by CK
- Это не моя дочь.This isn't my daughter.This sentence is useful for using моя дочь in a demonstrative context.Tatoeba #9500298 by marafon, translation #9353634 by CK
- Я хочу поблагодарить мою дочь за ее усердие.I want to thank my daughter for her diligence.
- Моя доченька, ты мне очень дорога.My dear daughter, you mean a lot to me.
- Какая ты умная, моя дочурка!How clever you are, my darling daughter!
- 117 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alexander is introducing his child to Anastasia.
- Александр AleksandrПознакомься, это моя дочь.Poznakom'sya, eto moya doch'Meet my daughter.
- Анастасия AnastasiaКакая она милая!Kakaya ona milaya!How cute she is!
- Александр AleksandrСпасибо, моя дочь очень добрая.Spasibo, moya doch' ochen' dobraя.Thank you, my daughter is very kind.
- Анастасия AnastasiaПриятно познакомиться.Priyatno poznakomit'sya.Nice to meet her.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries дочь, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
