с
s[s]
The Russian word for 'since' (referring to a starting point in time) is с.
The preposition с is used to indicate a starting point in time or space, translating to 'since' or 'from'.
Meaning: from (time) (prep)
Which one should you use?
In a temporal context, с means 'since', but it also means 'from' when indicating a starting point in space or time.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The preposition с requires the noun following it to be in the genitive case.
How do you pronounce it?
s
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use с to mean 'since' when you are using it as a conjunction meaning 'because'. Use the preposition с strictly for a starting point in time or space.
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, с can mean 'with' or 'together with', such as when describing two people walking с each other.
- The preposition с is also used to mean 'off' or 'down from' when describing movement, such as stepping с a curb or taking a book с a shelf.
- Because с is also the standard abbreviation for 'centimeter', a Russian reader might see 5 с and think '5 centimeters' instead of 'from 5' if the context is not strictly temporal.
Examples in context
- Я здесь с утра.I've been here since this morning.This sentence is useful for showing how to use с with a time of day.Tatoeba #6145221 by marafon, translation #5850502 by CK
- Я здесь с июля.I've been here since July.This sentence is useful for showing how to use с with a month.Tatoeba #6366662 by yatomoya, translation #2359141 by CK
- Я с утра не ел.I haven't eaten since the morning.This sentence is useful for showing how to use с to describe an interval of time.Tatoeba #8592402 by Ooneykcall, translation #8592403 by Ooneykcall
- С тех пор, как я переехал в Москву, моя жизнь изменилась.Since I moved to Moscow, my life has changed.
- С того времени мы стали лучшими друзьями.Since then, we've become best friends.
- 1177 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sergey and Ekaterina are meeting at a cafe.
- Сергей SergeyПривет! Ты здесь с десяти?Privet! Ty zdes' s desyati?Hi! Have you been here since ten?
- Екатерина EkaterinaНет, я пришла с одиннадцати.Net, ya prishla s odinnadtsati.No, I've been here since eleven.
- Сергей SergeyПонятно. Я ждал тебя с полудня.Ponyatno. Ya zhdal tebya s poludnya.I see. I've been waiting for you since noon.
- Екатерина EkaterinaПрости, что заставила тебя ждать.Prosti, chto zastavila tebya zhdat'.Sorry for making you wait.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “since” translations and entries с, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
