The Russian word "другой" (drugoy) is one of the most essential words you'll encounter in everyday Russian conversation. It translates to "other," "another," or "different" in English, and mastering its use will significantly enhance your ability to express variety, alternatives, and distinctions in Russian.
Definition: другой (drugoy) means "other," "another," or "different" - referring to something or someone that is not the same as what has been mentioned or is being compared to.
Q: What does "other" mean in Russian? A: "Other" in Russian is "другой" (drugoy). It's used to indicate something different from what has already been mentioned, similar to how we use "other" or "another" in English. The word changes its ending based on gender, number, and case.
In this lesson, you'll encounter "другой" in various contexts - from simple everyday situations to more complex literary examples. You'll see how it changes form depending on the gender and case of the noun it modifies, and how its placement in sentences can vary while maintaining its core meaning of indicating difference or alternative.
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Course Type: Language Learning Material -
Target Audience: English speakers learning Russian -
Level: Beginner to Intermediate -
Focus: Vocabulary and Grammar - the word "другой" (other) -
Skills Developed: Reading comprehension, grammar understanding, cultural awareness
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другой changes its form based on gender, number, and case -
It can mean "other," "another," or "different" depending on context -
The word is essential for making comparisons and indicating alternatives -
Its root друг- relates to the concept of "otherness" or "difference" -
Mastering this word will greatly improve your conversational Russian
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98.1 Я I хочу want другую other книгу book
98.2 Другой other человек person пришёл came вчера yesterday
98.3 Она she живёт lives в in другом other городе city
98.4 Дайте give мне me другое other яблоко apple
98.5 Мы we пойдём will-go другим other путём way
98.6 У at него him другие other планы plans
98.7 Это this совсем completely другая other история story
98.8 Другие other студенты students уже already ушли left
98.9 Он he работает works в in другой other компании company
98.10 Покажите show мне me другой other размер size
98.11 С with другой other стороны side всё everything выглядит looks иначе differently
98.12 Другого other выхода exit нет not-is
98.13 Она she вышла married замуж married за for другого other
98.14 В in другое other время time я I бы would согласился agreed
98.15 Все all другие other места places были were заняты occupied
"Other" in Russian is другой (drugoy). It's an adjective that changes its ending based on: -
Gender: другой (masculine), другая (feminine), другое (neuter) -
Number: другие (plural) -
Case: The ending changes according to Russian case system The word indicates something different from what's already been mentioned or is being compared.
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98.1 Я хочу другую книгу. I want another book.
98.2 Другой человек пришёл вчера. Another person came yesterday.
98.3 Она живёт в другом городе. She lives in another city.
98.4 Дайте мне другое яблоко. Give me another apple.
98.5 Мы пойдём другим путём. We'll go another way.
98.6 У него другие планы. He has other plans.
98.7 Это совсем другая история. That's a completely different story.
98.8 Другие студенты уже ушли. The other students have already left.
98.9 Он работает в другой компании. He works at a different company.
98.10 Покажите мне другой размер. Show me another size.
98.11 С другой стороны, всё выглядит иначе. On the other hand, everything looks different.
98.12 Другого выхода нет. There's no other way out.
98.13 Она вышла замуж за другого. She married someone else.
98.14 В другое время я бы согласился. At another time I would have agreed.
98.15 Все другие места были заняты. All the other seats were taken.
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98.1 Я хочу другую книгу.
98.2 Другой человек пришёл вчера.
98.3 Она живёт в другом городе.
98.4 Дайте мне другое яблоко.
98.5 Мы пойдём другим путём.
98.6 У него другие планы.
98.7 Это совсем другая история.
98.8 Другие студенты уже ушли.
98.9 Он работает в другой компании.
98.10 Покажите мне другой размер.
98.11 С другой стороны, всё выглядит иначе.
98.12 Другого выхода нет.
98.13 Она вышла замуж за другого.
98.14 В другое время я бы согласился.
98.15 Все другие места были заняты.
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The word другой is an adjective in Russian, which means it must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case. This is very different from English, where "other" never changes form.
Nominative Case (subject): -
Masculine: другой (drugoy) -
Feminine: другая (drugaya) -
Neuter: другое (drugoye) -
Plural: другие (drugiye)
Accusative Case (direct object): -
Masculine animate: другого (drugogo) -
Masculine inanimate: другой (drugoy) -
Feminine: другую (druguyu) -
Neuter: другое (drugoye) -
Plural animate: других (drugikh) -
Plural inanimate: другие (drugiye)
Genitive Case (of/from): -
Masculine/Neuter: другого (drugogo) -
Feminine: другой (drugoy) -
Plural: других (drugikh)
Prepositional Case (about/in/on): -
Masculine/Neuter: другом (drugom) -
Feminine: другой (drugoy) -
Plural: других (drugikh)
Dative Case (to/for): -
Masculine/Neuter: другому (drugomu) -
Feminine: другой (drugoy) -
Plural: другим (drugim)
Instrumental Case (with/by): -
Masculine/Neuter: другим (drugim) -
Feminine: другой (drugoy) -
Plural: другими (drugimi)
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Using the wrong gender form: English speakers often forget to match the gender -
Wrong: другой девушка (masculine form with feminine noun) -
Right: другая девушка (feminine form with feminine noun) -
Forgetting case agreement: Using nominative when another case is required -
Wrong: Я вижу другой человек -
Right: Я вижу другого человека (accusative for animate masculine) -
Confusing другой with иной: Both can mean "other" but иной is more literary and means "different in nature" -
Word order: While Russian is flexible, другой usually comes before the noun, unlike some English constructions
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Identify the noun you're modifying -
Determine its gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) -
Determine its number (singular or plural) -
Identify what case the noun is in based on its function in the sentence -
Choose the appropriate form of другой from the list above -
Place другой before the noun (usual position)
Unlike English "other," which never changes, Russian другой is highly inflected. Where English might use word order or prepositions to show relationships, Russian uses case endings on both the adjective and noun.
English: "with the other student" (one form) Russian: "с другим студентом" (instrumental case endings on both words)
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The concept of "другой" (other) in Russian culture carries deeper implications than its English counterpart. In Russian philosophical and literary tradition, the notion of "otherness" or "the other" has been extensively explored, particularly in the works of Dostoevsky and other Russian thinkers.
In Russian social interactions, distinguishing between "свой" (one's own) and "другой" (other) is culturally significant. Russians often make a strong distinction between their inner circle and outsiders, which is reflected in language use. The phrase "это другое дело" (that's another matter) is commonly used to indicate that something is fundamentally different and should be considered separately.
During the Soviet era, the concept of "other" took on political dimensions. "Другие страны" (other countries) often implied the capitalist West, while "наши" (ours) referred to the Soviet bloc. This linguistic distinction reinforced ideological boundaries.
In contemporary Russian, другой is essential for everyday communication. Russians frequently use expressions like: -
"с другой стороны" (on the other hand) in arguments -
"другими словами" (in other words) for clarification -
"другое дело" (another matter) to change topics
Understanding these cultural nuances helps English speakers use другой more naturally and appreciate its role beyond mere translation.
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From Anton Chekhov's "The Lady with the Dog" (Дама с собачкой):
"И только теперь, когда у него голова стала седой, он полюбил как следует, по-настоящему – первый раз в жизни. Анна Сергеевна и он любили друг друга, как очень близкие, родные люди, как муж и жена, как нежные друзья; им казалось, что сама судьба предназначила их друг для друга, и было непонятно, для чего он женат, а она замужем за другим."
за for другим another - This phrase appears at the end, showing the instrumental case of другой after the preposition за, meaning "married to another"
"And only now, when his head had become gray, did he fall in love properly, truly – for the first time in his life. Anna Sergeyevna and he loved each other like very close, kindred people, like husband and wife, like tender friends; it seemed to them that fate itself had intended them for one another, and it was incomprehensible why he was married and she was married to another."
"И только теперь, когда у него голова стала седой, он полюбил как следует, по-настоящему – первый раз в жизни. Анна Сергеевна и он любили друг друга, как очень близкие, родные люди, как муж и жена, как нежные друзья; им казалось, что сама судьба предназначила их друг для друга, и было непонятно, для чего он женат, а она замужем за другим."
In this passage, Chekhov uses "за другим" (to another) to emphasize the tragic irony of the situation. The word другой here doesn't just mean "another person" – it represents the barrier between true love and social obligation. The instrumental case (другим) after за indicates the state of being married to someone. This usage is particularly poignant because it comes after the phrase "друг для друга" (for each other), creating a linguistic contrast between who they belong to emotionally versus legally. For English speakers, note that while we might say "married to someone else," Russian specifically uses "married to an other," making the otherness more explicit and emotionally distant.
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98.16 В in другом other конце end города city жила lived девушка girl с with необычным unusual именем name
98.17 Каждый every день day она she выбирала chose другой other маршрут route на to работу work
98.18 Другие other люди people считали considered её her странной strange
98.19 Но but у at неё her была was другая other причина reason для for этого this
98.20 Она she искала searched что-то something другое other в in обычной ordinary жизни life
98.21 Однажды once на on другой other улице street она she встретила met старика old-man
98.22 Он he рассказал told ей her совсем completely другую other версию version истории story города city
98.23 С from того that дня day её her жизнь life стала became другой other
98.24 Она she начала began видеть see другие other возможности possibilities везде everywhere
98.25 Другим other людям people она she показывала showed другие other пути paths
98.26 Теперь now в in другом other районе district открылось opened её her кафе cafe
98.27 Там there собирались gathered другие other искатели seekers приключений adventures
98.28 Каждый each приносил brought другую other историю story о about городе city
98.29 И and город city становился became другим other для for каждого everyone
98.30 Потому because что that другой other взгляд view меняет changes всё everything
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98.16 В другом конце города жила девушка с необычным именем. At the other end of the city lived a girl with an unusual name.
98.17 Каждый день она выбирала другой маршрут на работу. Every day she chose a different route to work.
98.18 Другие люди считали её странной. Other people considered her strange.
98.19 Но у неё была другая причина для этого. But she had another reason for this.
98.20 Она искала что-то другое в обычной жизни. She was searching for something different in ordinary life.
98.21 Однажды на другой улице она встретила старика. One day on another street she met an old man.
98.22 Он рассказал ей совсем другую версию истории города. He told her a completely different version of the city's history.
98.23 С того дня её жизнь стала другой. From that day her life became different.
98.24 Она начала видеть другие возможности везде. She began to see other possibilities everywhere.
98.25 Другим людям она показывала другие пути. To other people she showed different paths.
98.26 Теперь в другом районе открылось её кафе. Now in another district her café has opened.
98.27 Там собирались другие искатели приключений. There gathered other seekers of adventure.
98.28 Каждый приносил другую историю о городе. Each one brought a different story about the city.
98.29 И город становился другим для каждого. And the city became different for everyone.
98.30 Потому что другой взгляд меняет всё. Because a different perspective changes everything.
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98.16 В другом конце города жила девушка с необычным именем.
98.17 Каждый день она выбирала другой маршрут на работу.
98.18 Другие люди считали её странной.
98.19 Но у неё была другая причина для этого.
98.20 Она искала что-то другое в обычной жизни.
98.21 Однажды на другой улице она встретила старика.
98.22 Он рассказал ей совсем другую версию истории города.
98.23 С того дня её жизнь стала другой.
98.24 Она начала видеть другие возможности везде.
98.25 Другим людям она показывала другие пути.
98.26 Теперь в другом районе открылось её кафе.
98.27 Там собирались другие искатели приключений.
98.28 Каждый приносил другую историю о городе.
98.29 И город становился другим для каждого.
98.30 Потому что другой взгляд меняет всё.
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In this contemporary story, другой appears in various cases and contexts, demonstrating its versatility in Russian storytelling: -
Location expressions: "в другом конце" (prepositional case) - at the other end -
Repeated actions: "другой маршрут" (accusative case) - showing daily variation -
Collective references: "другие люди" (nominative plural) - other people as a group -
Abstract concepts: "другая причина" (nominative feminine) - another reason -
Transformation: "стала другой" (instrumental case) - became different
The story uses другой to create a theme of transformation and alternative perspectives. Notice how the word appears in nearly every sentence, reinforcing the central idea of "otherness" and change. This repetition is a common literary device in Russian, where thematic words are woven throughout the narrative.
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"другим людям" (dative plural) - shows indirect object usage -
"становился другим" (instrumental) - indicates a change of state -
"другой взгляд" - metaphorical use meaning "different perspective"
The story progresses from physical otherness (different routes, other end of city) to philosophical otherness (different perspectives changing reality), demonstrating how другой can operate on multiple semantic levels in Russian literature.
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute's innovative language learning series, utilizing the construed text method to help autodidacts master Russian vocabulary and grammar systematically. The course, developed by Evan der Millner BA MA (Cantab. NZ, London), draws on over 17 years of experience in creating online language learning materials since 2006.
The method employed in these lessons is based on the principle of granular, word-by-word analysis combined with contextual learning through authentic texts and varied genres. This approach, detailed at latinum.substack.com, enables self-directed learners to build a solid foundation in Russian without formal classroom instruction.
Each lesson in this series: -
Focuses on a single high-frequency word -
Provides extensive interlinear translations -
Includes cultural and grammatical context -
Features authentic literary examples -
Offers genre-specific applications
Evan der Millner, curator of the Latinum Institute, has been recognized for his contributions to online classical and modern language education. His work can be found through various online educational platforms and has been cited in discussions of innovative language pedagogy.
The Latinum Institute's approach emphasizes the importance of repeated exposure to vocabulary in varied contexts, allowing learners to internalize not just word meanings but also their grammatical behavior and cultural significance. This method has proven particularly effective for motivated self-learners who prefer structured, comprehensive lessons they can work through at their own pace.
For more information about the methodology and additional lessons, visit latinum.substack.com, where you'll find a growing collection of resources for learning Russian, Latin, and other languages using this proven approach.
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