Evan
Meaning of подруга ? I know that подруга means 'female friend' -- but is the meaning more along the lines of 'girlfriend' (romantic) or 'friend who is female' (non-romantic)? Thank you for your help!
Nov 10, 2017 3:26 AM
Answers · 13
5
There is no romantic connotation here by default. For example, I can say "Это моя подруга" and nobody would think that I have romantic feelings for her. The same is true for men speaking about their female friends. However, some people might ask you "Близкая подруга?" ("A close female friend?") and sometimes this question could mean "Is she your girlfriend?". Or it could be an innocent question. It depends on the context and people's background, I guess. As far as I know, the older generation used the word "подруга" as a synonym of "girlfriend" in some situations - we can see it in Soviet movies, for example - but it's a bit old-fashioned. Today "подруга" is definetely more along the lines of 'friend who is female'. "Это моя подруга" means "She is a friend of mine" and "Это моя девушка" means "She is my girlfriend".
November 10, 2017
3
Привет, Эван. Хороший вопрос! Actually it depends on the context. It may be both female friend and girlfriend. Romantic variant is to say 'девушка' which without a doubt means 'girlfriend'. So, 'Это твоя девушка' means 'this is your girlfriend', whereas 'это твоя подруга' may force to ask whether it's girlfriend or just a friend. Спасибо за вопрос!
November 10, 2017
3
Evan, the second option. It is a female friend of a person of any gender. In communities where intersex friendships are less common it also can be used (or understood) as an euphemism for something. Just like anything else. That is there ARE people who will thik of a "girlfreind" when you introduce someone as your подруга. But this doesnt' constitue an extra "meaning". (UPD or does it? I can't of course speak for everyone. But if for someone it is an actual "meaning-2", it must retain a shade of an euphemism: in dictionaries and literature it is 'female friend') друг can also be applied to a woman. It is common situation with these gendered terms: a female poet (not all of them:)) can take offence upon being called a 'poetess' - as if 'poetess' implied that she is lesser than a real Poet. THis -ess sounds lightminded. Учитель is far moe likely to be applied to a to a female teacher when it is capitalized to mean "a Real teacher". So in an elevated context, when 'друг' is a honorary title (and Russian 'друг' is indeed... let's say, we use words like 'aquitance' quite often when it is jsut an aquitance) some people would prefer 'друг'. Some wouldn't.
November 10, 2017
1
"Подруга" can only be used by women towards their female friends. Under no circumstances can a man say "подруга" to refer to his ''female friend''- it's wrong and very ambiguous. As a man you can only use the word "знакомая" in order to avoid ambiguity. We have a common saying ''подруга на одну ночь'' that's why none of my male friends uses the word ''подруга'' to describe any woman we know. K P was trying to imply ''acquaintance'' and that's exactly how it works between men and women. So funny to see how people have forgotten their own language under influence of alien culture.
November 10, 2017
1
Не знаю точно как в других городах, но в Одессе очень часто слово "подруга" в свободной "уличной" речи употребляется в качестве обращения к незнакомой женщине. С которой у говорящего нет никаких отношений, заведомо. Как и многие другие русские слова, которые могут использоваться в роли обращения. "Подруга" - это с оттенком иронии и (в зависимости от интонации) недоброжелательности. Например, в очереди можно услышать: "Эй, подруга, не размахивай так активно сумками, тут люди стоят". В речи знакомых людей обращение "подруга" звучит наоборот дружелюбно.
November 10, 2017
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