Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| подпи́сывать | podpísyvatʹ | imperfective |
| подписа́ть | podpisátʹ | perfective |
| подпи́сываться | podpísyvatʹsja | imperfective |
| подписа́ться | podpisátʹsja | perfective |
The verb forms are used when writing one's signature on a document. Note that while the verb forms relate to signing, the noun знак means a mark or symbol and признак refers to a fact that shows something exists or may happen.
Which one should you use?
The imperfective form подпи́сывать is used for the process of signing or for habitual actions. In contrast, the perfective form подписа́ть is used for the completed act of signing a document. If you want to say 'to subscribe' or 'to sign up' (such as for a channel or newsletter), use the reflexive forms подпи́сываться or подписа́ться.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb подписа́ть, such as in the phrase подписа́ть документ (to sign a document), the object being signed must be in the accusative case.
How do you pronounce it?
podpísyvatʹ
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the noun for 'sign' (знак) with the verb 'to sign' (подписа́ть). You cannot use знак to mean the action of signing a document.
Did you know?
- The root пи́с in подпи́сывать comes from an ancient Slavic word for 'writing' which is also found in the English word 'epistle'.
- When a Russian speaker says they are 'signing' a contract, they might use заключи́ть договор, which literally means 'to conclude/close a treaty'.
- If you are 'signing up' for a service or a subscription, you are technically 'under-writing' yourself, as the prefix под- can imply 'under' or 'below'.
Examples in context
- Я не видел дорожных знаков на крутом повороте.I didn't see any road signs at the sharp turn.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sign” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
