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.

     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.

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.

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]‎^[2] (in Russian), volume 1 (А – К), Saint Petersburg: Department of Russian Language and Literature of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, column 847

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.

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)