же

See also: жэ and Appendix:Variations of "ze"

Old Church Slavonic

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *že, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ge, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰi.

Conjunction

же • (že)

1. and
   • from the Vita Constantini:

     егда же и роди мати...

     egda že i rodi mati...

     And when his mother bore him...

   • from the Vita Methodii:

     по сихъ же вьсѣхъ ...

     po sixŭ že vĭsěxŭ ...

     And after all these ...

2. but
3. however
   • from the Vita Constantini:

     отроче же не рачи се ѥти тꙋждь съсьць никакоже, развѣ по матерꙿнꙇи, донꙿдеже ѡтьдоѥнь бꙑсть.

     otroče že ne rači se jeti tuždĭ sŭsĭcĭ nikakože, razvě po materü̆nii, donü̆deže ōtĭdojenĭ bystĭ.

     However, until the child was weaned he would not take any other breast but his mother’s.

4. then
   • from the Vita Constantini:

     онь же рече: вѣрꙋ ми ими, жено

     onĭ že reče: věru mi imi, ženo

     Then he said: “Believe me, wife, I place my hope in God.

5. after
   • from the Vita Methodii:

     сътворь же въ томь кнѧжии лѣта многа

     sŭtvorĭ že vŭ tomĭ knęžii lěta mnoga

     After spending many years in that principality

6. as
   • from the Homily against the Bogumils, 329:

     о крьстѣ же господьни ...

     o krĭstě že gospodĭni ...

     As for the Lord's cross ...

References

• Old Church Slavonic: An Elementary Grammar by S. C. Gardiner, Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Further reading

• “же”, in GORAZD [Old Church Slavonic Digital Hub], http://gorazd.org, 2016—2026

Old East Slavic

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *že. Cognates include Old Church Slavonic же (že) and Old Polish że.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʑɛ/→/ʑɛ/→/ʑɛ/

• (ca. 9^th CE) IPA^(key): /ʑɛ/
• (ca. 11^th CE) IPA^(key): /ʑɛ/
• (ca. 13^th CE) IPA^(key): /ʑɛ/

• Hyphenation: же

Conjunction

же (že)

1. and, but
   • 1076, Sviatoslav's izbornik‎^[1], page 3:

     рекоу же· оуꙁда коневи правитель ѥсть и въꙁдьржаниѥ·

     reku že· uzda konevi pravitelĭ jestĭ i vŭzdĭržanije·

     But I say: A bridle is a leader to a horse and a restriction.

   • c. 1425, Hypatian Codex‎^[2], page 7:

     Се же соуть и҆мена кнѧ̀ꙁемь кие҆вьскыⷨ кнѧжившиⷨ в кие҆вѣ.

     Se že sutĭ imena knę̀zemĭ kijevĭsky^m knęživši^m v kijevě.

     And these are the names of the Kievan princes who ruled in Kiev.

Synonyms

• а (a)

Descendants

• Old Ruthenian: же (že)
  • Belarusian: жа (ža)
  • Carpathian Rusyn: же (že)
  • Ukrainian: же (že), ж (ž)
• Russian: же (že), ж (ž)

References

• Sreznevsky, Izmail I. (1893), “же”, in Матеріалы для Словаря древне-русскаго языка по письменнымъ памятникамъ [Materials for the Dictionary of the Old East Slavic Language Based on Written Monuments]‎^[3] (in Russian), volume 1 (А – К), Saint Petersburg: Department of Russian Language and Literature of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, column 847

Pannonian Rusyn

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʒɛ]
• Rhymes: -ɛ
• Hyphenation: же

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *gʰe

Proto-Balto-Slavic *ge

Proto-Slavic *že

Old Slovak že

Pannonian Rusyn же

Inherited from Old Slovak že, from Proto-Slavic *že.

Alternative forms

• ж' (ž') — apocopic form

Conjunction

же (že)

1. to (indicates intention)

   рихта ше же пойдзе до валалу ― rixta še že pojdze do valalu ― he is getting ready to go to the village

2. that (connecting conjunction)

   прешвечени сом же придзе ― prešvečeni som že pridze ― I'm sure that he will come

   так ше од шерца шмеял же му слизи вдерели на очи ― tak še od šerca šmejal že mu slizi vdereli na oči ― he laughed so sincerely that tears came to his eyes

   блїскало и гирмело так же ше хижа тресла ― bljiskalo i hirmelo tak že še xiža tresla ― lightning flashed and thunder so loud that the house shook

   • 2025 January 10, О. Планчак Сакач, “Шветo виход зоз рутини”, in Руске Слово‎^[4]:

     На початку зме ище єдного календарского року и весело зме дочекали його приход. Нє знаме цо нам принєше, окреме же знаме же войни, хтори ше преляли и до того року, кельо ґод су далєко, охабяю пошлїдки и на нас шицких.

     Na počatku zme išče jednoho kalendarskoho roku i veselo zme dočekali joho prixod. Nje zname co nam prinješe, okreme že zname že vojni, xtori še preljali i do toho roku, kelʹo god su daljeko, oxabjaju pošljidki i na nas šickix.

     We are at the beginning of one more calendar year and we cheerfully awaited its arrival. We don't know what it will bring us, except that we know that the wars that have spilled over into this year, however far away they are, are leaving their effects on all of us.

3. that (in attributive sentences)

   тельо сом писмени же можем и сам написац єдну молбу ― telʹo som pismeni že možem i sam napisac jednu molbu ― I am so literate that I can write a request myself

4. that (in interrogative causal sentences)

   цо ци же ши цихо? ― co ci že ši cixo? ― what's the matter with you being silent? (literally, “what's with you that you are quiet?”)

5. that (causal)

   гнїва ше же му робота нє идзе ― hnjiva še že mu robota nje idze ― he is angry that his job is not going well

6. if (conditional)

   Synonym: кед (ked)

   же надумаш присц, яв ми ― že nadumaš prisc, jav mi ― if you decide to come, let me know

Derived terms

conjunctions

• же би (že bi)
• нє же (nje že)
• прето же (preto že)

particles

• же но (že no)

Adverb

же (že)

1. apparently, allegedly

   Synonym: нїби (njibi)

   нє може присц бо же є завжати ― nje može prisc bo že je zavžati ― he can't come today because he's allegedly busy

Particle

же (že)

1. question-forming interrogative particle

   Synonyms: лєм (ljem), чи (či)

   кеди же уж раз придзе? ― kedi že už raz pridze? ― when will he come then?

References

• Medʹeši, H.; Fejsa, M.; Timko-Djitko, O. (2010), “же”, in Ramač, Ju., editor, Руско-сербски словнїк [Rusyn-Serbian Dictionary] (in Pannonian Rusyn), Novi Sad: Faculty of Philosophy, page 278
• Fejsa, M.; Šlemender, M.; Čelʹovski, S. (2022), “that”, in Анґлийско-руски словнїк [English-Rusyn Dictionary] (in Pannonian Rusyn), Novi Sad: Faculty of Philosophy; Ruska matka, →ISBN, page 326

Etymology 2

Probably from an earlier *зє (*zje). See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

же (že)

1. third-person singular future indicative of жесц (žesc)

Russian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old East Slavic же (že), from Proto-Slavic *že, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ge, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰi. Cognate with Czech že, Ancient Greek γε (ge), Sanskrit हि (hi), Ukrainian ж (ž).

Alternative forms

• ж (ž) — senses 3–5

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʐɨ] (nearly always unstressed)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛ

Conjunction

же • (že)

1. (contrasting) and, but
2. on the other hand, whereas, as for, as to

   Он—америка́нец, она́ же ру́сская.

   On—amerikánec, oná že rússkaja.

   He’s an American; she, on the other hand, is Russian.

Usage notes

Unlike other conjunctions, же is used after the first stressed word in a clause.

Particle

же • (že)

1. Emphasises identity: very, same

   тако́й же (са́мый) ― takój že (sámyj) ― the same, similar

   Я купи́л таку́ю же кни́гу. ― Ja kupíl takúju že knígu. ― I bought the same book.

   тот же (са́мый) ― tot že (sámyj) ― the same, identical

   Он всё тот же! ― On vsjo tot že! ― He's always the same!

   Э́то то́ же са́мое. ― Éto tó že sámoje. ― It's the same thing.

2. With expressions of time and order: emphasises promptitude: very, right, immediately, without delay

   На пе́рвой же страни́це была́ оши́бка. ― Na pérvoj že straníce bylá ošíbka. ― Right on the first page there was a mistake.

   На сле́дующий же день рабо́та была́ гото́ва. ― Na slédujuščij že denʹ rabóta bylá gotóva. ― The very next day the work was finished.

   Прекрати́те сейча́с же! ― Prekratíte sejčás že! ― Stop immediately!

   После у́жина она́ сра́зу же легла́ спать. ― Posle úžina oná srázu že leglá spatʹ. ― After dinner she went straight to bed.

3. Marks an objection by pointing to the rationale behind said objection: after all, but

   Почему́ вы не понима́ете? Это же ру́сский! ― Počemú vy ne ponimájete? Eto že rússkij! ― Why don't you understand? After all, it’s Russian!

   -Я не знал, что за́втра экза́мен. -Я же тебе́ сказа́л! ― -Ja ne znal, što závtra ekzámen. -Ja že tebé skazál! ― -I didn't know the exam was tomorrow. -But I told you!

4. Especially in questions: expresses consequence of or reaction to what was said before: then, so

   Что ж? ― Što ž? ― What then?

   Что ж! ― Što ž! ― Well then!

   Когда́ же? ― Kogdá že? ― When then?

   Где же э́то? ― Gde že éto? ― Where is it then?

   Ну что же? ― Nu što že? ― What of it, then?

   Ну и что ж? ― Nu i što ž? ― Well, what of it? / So what?

   Что ж из э́того? ― Što ž iz étovo? ― So what of it?

   Что ж, он сам э́то сде́лает! ― Što ž, on sam éto sdélajet! ― Why, he'll just do it himself!

5. In questions and imperatives: imparts a note of insistence and urgency: ever, on earth, for goodness' sake

   Что же ему́ де́лать? ― Što že jemú délatʹ? ― What on earth can he do?

   Говори́те же! ― Govoríte že! ― Aren’t you going to say anything!

   Отвеча́йте же! ― Otvečájte že! ― Answer me then!

   Пойдём же! ― Pojdjóm že! ― So come along!

Descendants

• → Ingrian: že
• → Kildin Sami: шэ (še, topic particle)

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

• жэ (žɛ)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʐɛ]

Noun

же • (že) n inan (indeclinable)

1. zhe: The name of the Cyrillic-script letter Ж.
2. gee: The name of the Latin-script letter G.

   Synonym: гэ (gɛ)