про

See also: ПРО, про-, and Appendix:Variations of "pro"

Russian

Etymology

Inherited from Old East Slavic про (pro), from Proto-Slavic *pro, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pra, from Proto-Indo-European *pró.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [prə]
• IPA^(key): [prɐ] (before a stressed syllable)

• Audio

  (file)

• IPA^(key): [ˈpro] (when stressed)

Preposition

про • (pro) (+ accusative case)

1. about, concerning

   А э́тот расска́з про тебя́. ― A étot rasskáz pro tebjá. ― This story is about you.

   Ты про меня́ ли́чно? ― Ty pro menjá líčno? ― Are you talking about me personally?

2. (colloquial) for

   А э́тот газ не про вас. ― A étot gaz ne pro vas. ― This gas is not for you.

   про чёрный день ― pro čórnyj denʹ ― for a rainy day (alteration of на чёрный день (na čórnyj denʹ))

   про вся́кий слу́чай ― pro vsjákij slúčaj ― just in case (alteration of на вся́кий слу́чай (na vsjákij slúčaj, literally “for any case”))

Usage notes

As a rule, про (pro) has a more superficial meaning than о (o) and is often used to merely indicate or inquire about a specific object of a story, narration, piece of text, someone's knowledge, etc.

Related terms

• про себя́ (pro sebjá)
• про- (pro-), пра- (pra-)

Ukrainian

Etymology

From Old East Slavic про (pro), from Proto-Slavic *pro, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *pra, from Proto-Indo-European *pró.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [prɔ]

• Audio

  (file)

Preposition

про • (pro) (+ accusative case)

1. about, concerning
2. for

Related terms

• про- (pro-), пра- (pra-)