господин

Bulgarian

Alternative forms

• г-н (g-n) — contraction

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *gospodinъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡospoˈdin]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

господи́н • (gospodín) m (feminine госпожа́)

1. mister, Mr, sir
2. gentleman

Declension

Declension of господи́н

	singular	plural
indefinite	господи́н gospodín	господа́, господи́новци1 gospodá, gospodínovci1
definite (subject form)	господи́нът gospodínǎt	господа́та, господи́новците1 gospodáta, gospodínovcite1
definite (object form)	господи́на gospodína
vocative form	господи́не gospodíne	господа́, господи́новци1 gospodá, gospodínovci1

¹Pejorative.

References

• “господин”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “господин”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010

Macedonian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *gospodinъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɡɔspɔdin]
• IPA^(key): [ɡɔsˈpɔdin] (nonstandard)
• Hyphenation: гос‧по‧дин

Noun

го́сподин • (góspodin) m (plural го́спода, feminine го́споѓа)

1. (formal, term of address) mister, sir, Mr. (polite, formal term of address to a man)

   Synonym: (abbreviation) г. (g.)

2. gentleman (a man of a high rank or position)

Usage notes

• The pronunciation of госпо́дин is sometimes used in a jokingly, sarcastic way, but it's considered nonstandard.
• The abbreviations г-н and г-дин can also be found among Macedonians, but they're actually nonstandard. The only correct abbreviation is г. (the full stop is a must), which can also be an abbreviation for "year".

Declension

Declension of господин

	singular	plural
indefinite	господин (gospodin)	господа (gospoda)
definite unspecified	господинот (gospodinot)	господата (gospodata)
definite proximal	господинов (gospodinov)	господава (gospodava)
definite distal	господинон (gospodinon)	господана (gospodana)
vocative	господине (gospodine)	господа (gospoda)

References

• “господин” in Дигитален речник на македонскиот јазик (Digitalen rečnik na makedonskiot jazik) [Digital dictionary of the Macedonian language] − drmj.eu

Russian

Alternative forms

• г-н (g-n) — abbreviation
• господи́нъ (gospodín) — Pre-reform orthography (1918)

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *gospodinъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡəspɐˈdʲin]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

господи́н • (gospodín) m anim (genitive господи́на, nominative plural господа́, genitive plural госпо́д, feminine госпожа́, relational adjective госпо́дский)

1. gentleman (a man of a high rank or position)
   • 1857, Лев Толстой [Leo Tolstoy], “Глава XIII”, in Юность; English translation from C. J. Hogarth, transl., Youth, 1912:

     Несмотря́ на то, что мне бы́ло сты́дно пе́ред господи́ном, кото́рый и́з-за газе́ты с любопы́тством посма́тривал на меня́, я съел чрезвыча́йно бы́стро пирожко́в во́семь всех тех сорто́в, кото́рые то́лько бы́ли в конди́терской.

     Nesmotrjá na to, što mne býlo stýdno péred gospodínom, kotóryj íz-za gazéty s ljubopýtstvom posmátrival na menjá, ja sʺjel črezvyčájno býstro pirožkóv vósemʹ vsex tex sortóv, kotóryje tólʹko býli v kondíterskoj.

     In fact, for all my bashfulness before a gentleman who kept regarding me with some curiosity from behind a newspaper, I ate with great swiftness a tartlet of each of the eight different sorts which the confectioner kept.

2. (formal, term of address) mister, Mr., sir (polite, formal term of address to a man)

   Synonym: (abbreviation) г-н (g-n)

3. lord, master (the master of a household of servants or a manor)

   Synonyms: хозя́ин (xozjáin), (historical) ба́рин (bárin)

   служи́ть двум господа́м ― služítʹ dvum gospodám ― to serve two masters

Usage notes

Since the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the word "товарищ" ("comrade") being commonly used as a term of respect when addressing others, "господи́н" and its feminine equivalent "госпожа́" are sometimes said to have returned as the Russian equivalent of "Mr." or "Ms." While they may be translated in this way, in daily practice these terms remain very rarely used by Russians - particularly the feminine "госпожа́". "Господин" is used primarily in news broadcasts (often when it is necessary to translate the foreign term "Mr."), in very formal written correspondence, or in certain, very formal situations among businessmen or civil servants.

When addressing someone respectfully, Russians most commonly use First Name + Patronymic. The adjective "уважаемый/ая" (lit. "respected") may be added for additional politeness. If they need to get a stranger's attention, Russians simply use the terms "мужчина" ("man), "молодой человек" ("young man"), "девушка" ("girl"), or "женщина" ("woman"). In other cases when someone's name and/or title is unknown, Russians simply address them in "V-Form."

Declension

Declension of господи́н (anim masc-form hard-stem accent-b irreg) 

	singular	plural
nominative	господи́н gospodín	господа́△ gospodá△
genitive	господи́на gospodína	госпо́д gospód
dative	господи́ну gospodínu	господа́м gospodám
accusative	господи́на gospodína	госпо́д gospód
instrumental	господи́ном gospodínom	господа́ми gospodámi
prepositional	господи́не gospodíne	господа́х gospodáx

^△ Irregular.

Related terms

• господа́рский (gospodárskij)
• господа́рь (gospodárʹ)
• госпо́день (gospódenʹ)
• госпо́дний (gospódnij)
• госпо́дский (gospódskij)
• Госпо́дь (Gospódʹ)
• госпожа́ (gospožá)

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *gospodinъ, from *gospodь (“lord, master”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡospǒdin/
• Hyphenation: гос‧по‧дин

Noun

госпо̀дин m (Latin spelling gospòdin)

1. gentleman
2. mister
3. Mr.
4. sir

Declension

Declension of господин

	singular	plural
nominative	господин	господа
genitive	господина	господе
dative	господину	господи
accusative	господина	господу
vocative	господине	господо
locative	господину	господи
instrumental	господином	господом

References

• “господин”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025