# Russian translation of these phrases

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 19, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212 "2003-02-19T22:33:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![parkov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71e660/32.png) [@parkov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parkov)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212/1 "2003-02-19T22:33:27Z")

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Can a fluent speaker of Russian vouch for the accuracy of these translations?

_Thank you - Spasibo  
My dear - Dorogaya moya  
Violet - Fioletovyi_

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**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212/2 "2003-02-19T23:55:57Z")

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FWIW: I had this confirmed by a Russion speaker in my office.

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**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212/3 "2003-02-20T03:21:21Z")

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“My Dear” is only accurate if you are speaking to a female.

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**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212/4 "2003-02-20T05:15:39Z")

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I confirm what the previous two posters have said, except I would add that the translation for “violet” applies only to the masculine singular. Feminine singular would be “violetovaya,” and plural (either gender) woould be “violetovy” (that last sound has no direct equivalent in English; sorry!)

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**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212/5 "2003-02-20T05:23:34Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Hello Again \*  
> \*\*“My Dear” is only accurate if you are speaking to a female. \*\*

For a male, it would be _dorogoy moy_.

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**Author:** ![parkov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71e660/32.png) [@parkov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parkov)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212/6 "2003-02-20T20:44:20Z")

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Spasibo, dorogaya violetovaya moya.

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**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-of-these-phrases/156212/7 "2003-02-20T21:33:38Z")

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Re: Violet.

Are we talking about the color which is basically an adjective, or the plant? Which would be Fiálka.