# All Slavic languages: Comrade (socialist term)



## alex1000

What term was used in your country to refer to government officials during communism? I know in Russian it's tovarish, I am not sure what's the origin of that word. In Serbo-Croatian we used "drug", literally meaning a "friend". The term is still commonly used among Social Democrats in Croatia.


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## Panceltic

In Slovenian, it is tovariš (and tovarišica). These two words have kinda held on in schools where children use it to address teachers. I was in primary school until 2006 and called my teachers tovariš and tršica (heavily reduced as you can see ).

BTW the origin of tovariš is Turkic.


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## polskajason

In Polish it's towarzysz/towarzyszka


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## pimlicodude

In Russian, it's тов*а*рищ (tovarišč). This is used for both male and female. There is a colloquial female тов*а*рка.


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## vianie

Czech and Slovak - soudruh and súdruh

feminine form - soudružka and súdružka


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## jasio

With regards to the origins, both in Russian and in Polish it means comrade (like in comrade-in-arms), companion, colleague, mate - something along those lines, depending on context. In the context of the communist party it's usually translated as comrade.


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## Anemona61

Serbian: drug/drugarica


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## alex1000

vianie said:


> Czech and Slovak - soudruh and súdruh
> 
> feminine form - soudružka and súdružka


Interesting, I wonder what the origin of the words are. Are they used in non-political context?


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## Panceltic

alex1000 said:


> Interesting, I wonder what the origin of the words are. Are they used in non-political context?



As for the etymology, it’s pretty clear. *sǫ- (as in *su*sjed or *su*radnik ) + *drugъ (the same word as in S-C).


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## DarkChild

In Bulgarian drugar/drugarka. Something like friend or companion.


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## nizzebro

jasio said:


> With regards to the origins, both in Russian and in Polish it means comrade (like in comrade-in-arms), companion, colleague, mate - something along those lines, depending on context. In the context of the communist party it's usually translated as comrade.


Yes; and I personally prefer this word in conversations when talking about people I know closely, as it implies some adulthood and self-responsibility. In Russian, друг (druh, przyjaciel) is a really close friend, but, I don't like this word much and consider it somewhat childish - because many people have an idea of that like "I am to cover my friend whenever he messes up or lets everybody down, because he would cover me in same situation" - while I don't play these games and so prefer "comrades". Приятель that corresponds to przyjaciel, is in Russian rather a znajomy, only with some mutual sympathy that involves chattering and other occasional carefree pastime.
In principle, comrade is a really good notion, only that dogmatic communism (along with anti-communism) spoiled it.


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## francisgranada

alex1000 said:


> Are they used in non-political context?


As  far as I know, not.


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