же

[soidisantfille.livejournal.com]

I've never been entirely certain when to use the word 'же' or what exactly it means. I know it's used for emphasis, but where does it normally go in a sentence and in what context is it used?

Comments

[solito.livejournal.com]

It goes usually after the emphasized word.

Ты знаешь это - You know that
Ты же знаешь это - You for sure know that

Я сказал, что не пойду в кино - I said I won't go to the cinema
Я же сказал, что не пойлу - I said already that I won't go

Сделай это сегодня - Do it today
Сделай это сегодня же - Do it right today

Мама, купи мне печенье - Mommy, buy me a cookie
Мама, купи же мне печенье, ты же обещала - Mommy, please please buy me a cookie, you promised me!
Мама же, ну купи мне печенье, а то я заплачу - Mommy please buy me a cookie or I will cry

Конечно да - Yes, surely
Конечно же да - No doubt, yes, surely

I tried to give you a feeling - please forgive me if my examples were not good enough.

[solito.livejournal.com]

Oops - a typo "Я же сказал, что не пойлу" should be read as "Я же сказал, что не пойду"

And the commas after "Конечно": "Конечно, да" and "Конечно же, да"

[soidisantfille.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that makes sense.

[zloizloi.livejournal.com]

Well, in the first, second and last examples it goes BEFORE emphasized word. And the exapmple about cookies is not correct in standard Russian, sorry. "Же" is not used with imperative verbs, "ну" is used instead of that.

[centralasian.livejournal.com]

"Же" is not used with imperative verbs

that's not right. i agree, it sounds a bit too formal and 'old-stylish', but it still can used. consider the famous: "Господа, сделайте же хоть что-нибудь!"

i agree, these verbs can also be used with "ну", but the meaning will be slightly different. in essence, "ну" will transform the message into something more personal and less formal (request rather than demand).

"Ну, сделай что-нибудь!"
"Ну, купи мне печенье!"

in fact, "Же" & "Ну" can be used together too:

"Ну, купи же мне печенье!"
"Ну, сделай же что-нибудь!"

i guess, the likely context here is a repetition of the earlier made request.

[solito.livejournal.com]

Well, both parts of your comment look arguable for me.

Have a look at this reference please http://www.philol.msu.ru/rus/galya-1/intonac/melodika/vii1a.htm

[zloizloi.livejournal.com]

You are right, of course.

[zloizloi.livejournal.com]

Particle "же" is used in many situations, and there is no single rule of usage. In the reference you listed, the phrase "Возьми же тетрадь!" is correct, emphasis goes go "Возьми". Although, in your example "Ты же знаешь", emphasis goes to "знаешь".

[solito.livejournal.com]

1) I am a bit confused - before you said that imperative verbs do not accept "же", now you say that "Возьми же тетрадь!" is correct.
2) Regarding the emphasis - how about this: "Ты же знаешь[, а не я! Ты у нас ученый!]" "That's you who know [this, not me - here you are an erudite]".

I think it would be useful to note that the particle "же" inherited from its church-slavonic (and even ancient Greek) archetypes several meanings - it can be positively emphatic (эмфатической), negatively emphatic (противительной) and even connective (соединительной) in some (mainly outdated) cases. Also (and this is really important for our discussion) it is enclithic, thus influenced very much by the intonation. So mainly the intonation determines the meaning of this particle and the word (if any) it emphasizes.

[onodera.livejournal.com]

Же is a little like doch in German.

[solito.livejournal.com]

Sorry - pressed the key too early...

And the most important thing is that the emphatic particle "же" in almost all of my examples was emphasizing the syntagmas and not the words.

I think it is much better described in any large Russian grammar book - say, Shvedova or similar.

[rumball107.livejournal.com]

a russian friend of mine once told me that "kak zhe dela" would mean "how the hell are you?" so, there's another example.

[zloizloi.livejournal.com]

to 1) - well, I have to confess that when I started to write the comment, I've got a call and had to run, so I cut it short assimung that it would be good enough answer for a beginner. Of course, as you said in another comment, the proper thing to do is to get and read a big book on Russian grammar, consult a certified tutor, etc.

[kart.livejournal.com]

Же is for emphasis. It can go before or after the word it emphasizes, depending on usage, or it can simply emphasize the entire phrase. Most of the time you can understand the emphasis through the context of the other words.

Же can be used in both formal an informal language. Below is part of a technical pilot's instruction manual. They are emphasizing the fact that rudder and aileron inputs must be coordinated.

Для выполнения боевого разворота следует дать полный газ, увеличить скорость до максимальной, после чего плавным движением ручки на себя и в сторону боевого разворота и одновременным движением ноги в ту же сторону перевести самолет в набор высоты по восходящей спирали с креном до 50°.

To execute a battle turn (chandelle), apply full throttle and increase speed to maximum, then smoothly pull the control column towards yoruself and to the side of the turn and simultaneously move your feet to the same side to transfer the aircraft into a climb along an ascending spiral with bank of 50°.

[madrumos.livejournal.com]

You've got it basically right, but I think you're talking about something else. The usage of же in your technical example is very different from the ones above. In yours it is not serving as a particle that is used for emphasis, but as a part of a standardized phrase. То же самое is a set phrase, and while in a way it seems like же is giving emphasis here, I don't think it should be looked at that way. As a particle for emphasis, I think же is pretty much limited to conversational or literary Russian.

I agree with what other people have said about же. I'll just add that while it can be learned and defined, I think particles like this are best learned simply by hearing them and getting a natural feel for how they are used in speech. A textbook can never give you the feel for when to throw in a же or ведь as well as seeing how they are used by Russians.

[kart.livejournal.com]

То же самое is a set phrase

Ahh, sorry I didn't know that. "То самое" sounded just as understandable to me, so I figured the же was for emphasis. In the context of the flight manual, it seems like an important thing to emphasize, considering that pushing the rudder pedals the opposite way would make the airplane fly very poorly! ;)

[kirlir.livejournal.com]

***Мама же***, ну купи мне печенье, а то я заплачу - Mommy please buy me a cookie or I will cry.
incorrect. is not used. sounds awkward.
possible: Ну, мам! thou it has a tinge of begging in it

[oryx_and_crake]

Well, maybe it sounds awkward, but it is quite usable, especially in children's speech.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Yes, то же самое (тот же самый, та же самая) aer set expressions, but I have to notice that theer is a flavor of emphasizing things even in these set expressions. The best way to translate "тот же самый" is "the very same."

[solito.livejournal.com]

In fact it is a dialog between mother and her small daughter that I heard few days ago. I intentionally left unchanged so that it would be obvious one part of the conversation is a small child.

[solito.livejournal.com]

I tried and can't imagine a situation in which I could say "Как же дела". It can be "Как дела-то?"... or "Ну, как дела?"

[kirlir.livejournal.com]

it's OK. children r free n happy creatures with their words. )) )
when ЖЕ goes after verb - it is safe.
мама, ну купи ЖЕ мне печенье.
also it's absolutely correct with pronounce.
ты же обещала!

do not say it has no sense.
quite understandable.
just a bit awkward

also possible: мама же так и не купила ребёнку печенье. ('cause descriptive)