# we have each other



## gdnsik

Hello! It would be much appreciated if anyone can tell me how to write - in Cyrillic and phonetically -  "we have each other" in Russian, as a man would say to another man. Google Translate tells me it's written as мы есть друг у друга / my yestʹ drug u druga, but I don't know if it's correct for a man to say that to another man or if the translation is for a man to say that to a woman.  Thank you for your help!  

Edit: My apologies for forgetting to add context. The relationship between the two men is they are best friends. But I must say, it's interesting to see the many translations so far, platonic and romantic. I didn't know there are that many ways to say "we have each other" in Russian.


----------



## vh16

Мы есть друг у друга is gramatically correct. Phonetically, it's more of: [my yestʹ druk u dru:ga] This phrase suits for people of any gender. However, I wouldn't rule out that other users might suggest better translations, as this one sounds a bit artificial to me.


----------



## WordOrder

_мы вместе_

?


----------



## Sobakus

WordOrder said:


> _мы вместе_
> 
> ?



That would be _we are together_, which is something different.


----------



## WordOrder

That is, there isn't an idiomatic equivalent in Russian?


----------



## WordOrder

For example, how would you translate the following:

_Natasha and Clint don't have much, but they have each other_?


----------



## gdnsik

Thanks for the replies! Yes, I would prefer something that sounds natural and not artificial/stilted. I got a slightly different translation from translation.paralink.com, which is 'мы имеем друг друга / my imeyem drug druga'. What is the difference from 'my yestʹ drug u druga'?


----------



## vh16

I think, Мы имеем друг друга is even worse, because it can be translated as 'we own each other' or even 'we possess each other' (meaning having sex with each other).
so, probably Мы есть друг у друга is an adequate translation unless an idiomatic equivalent is found (and it may not exist in Russian at all).


----------



## Sobakus

gdnsik said:


> Thanks for the replies! Yes, I would prefer something that sounds natural and not artificial/stilted. I got a slightly different translation from translation.paralink.com, which is 'мы имеем друг друга / my imeyem drug druga'. What is the difference from 'my yestʹ drug u druga'?



You cannot replace _быть у_ with _иметь_ in this case, it sounds awkward. The latter has sexual connotations as well.


----------



## gdnsik

Thank you very much for the help, everyone. Much appreciated! Russian is a fascinating language!


----------



## elemika

Sobakus said:


> You cannot replace _быть у_ with _иметь_ in this case, it sounds awkward.



Agree!

Another option could be "принадлежать друг другу": мы принадлежим друг другу.

(My prinadlezhim drug drugu)


----------



## Vektus

"У нас есть мы" is my suggestion.


----------



## LilianaB

WordOrder said:


> _мы вместе_
> 
> ?



I think this would be right, and sounds very natural.


----------



## gdnsik

elemika said:


> Agree!  Another option could be "принадлежать друг другу": мы принадлежим друг другу.  (My prinadlezhim drug drugu)


  That means 'we belong to each other', right? Is it platonic or romantic in meaning?


----------



## LilianaB

It is very Romantic and very Platonic, and forever.


----------



## gdnsik

LilianaB said:


> It is very Romantic and very Platonic, and forever.


  Wow! Something for someone to say to a very good friend, then?


----------



## LilianaB

I am not sure. It depends on the level of your friendship. I think you could double check with a man, because I don't know that much about male bonding. I personally would never say it to a friend. For me it belongs in the sphere of Romantic, absolute love, only.


----------



## Sobakus

gdnsik said:


> That means 'we belong to each other', right? Is it platonic or romantic in meaning?



I wouldn't say it's very romantic, but it definitely isn't platonic. It stresses complete ownership, without any sexual connotations but still.


----------



## LilianaB

I meant Platonic with the meaning of ideal and absolute.


----------



## rusita preciosa

gdnsik said:


> That means 'we belong to each other', right? Is it platonic or romantic in meaning?


Well, my first thought would be it is said about a couple, not friends. It is definitely romantic, but not very platonic.

You did not provide any *context*,(that is BTW required in this forum) so we can only guess here. If you explain what is the nature of the relationship between the two men, we would be able to actually help.


----------



## rusita preciosa

LilianaB said:


> I meant Platonic with the meaning of ideal and absolute.



That is not what "platonic" means. Look it up.


----------



## LilianaB

Platonic can also mean characteristic of Plato, and this is what Plato's ideas were about. As to the more common meaning of platonic, yes, the Russian expression mentioned in the posts immediatelly preceding this one, could be related to platonic relationships as well, even in the more common sense of the word, as the opposite of physical.


----------



## gdnsik

rusita preciosa said:


> Well, my first thought would be it is said about a couple, not friends. It is definitely romantic, but not very platonic.  You did not provide any *context*,(that is BTW required in this forum) so we can only guess here. If you explain what is the nature of the relationship between the two men, we would be able to actually help.


  Oops, my apologies for that. The relationship between the two men is they are best friends.

I've now added the context to the first post.


----------



## LilianaB

I think, you are really better off getting advice from men here. (in relation to this phrase, only -- what they would use in a similar situation)


----------



## Ptak

I think Russian men, if they are only friends really, would avoid any phrases like that. All variants given in this thread sound too 'romantic' (including the most neutral "мы есть друг у друга") to be said by one man to another. I think depending on context it can be sentences like "Ну мы же друзья", "Всегда обращайся", "Мы всегда можем друг к другу обратиться" and so on. I think the sentence would strongly depend on context in Russian.


----------



## LilianaB

I agree. I cannot talk for men, but this is at least what is heard around when you listen to male conversations.


----------



## gdnsik

Ptak said:


> I think Russian men, if they are only friends really, would avoid any phrases like that. All variants given in this thread sound too 'romantic' (including the most neutral "мы есть друг у друга") to be said by one man to another. I think depending on context it can be sentences like "Ну мы же друзья", "Всегда обращайся", "Мы всегда можем друг к другу обратиться" and so on. I think the sentence would strongly depend on context in Russian.



Thank you for your input, much appreciated. I guess I'll go with the last one, "we can always turn to each other".


----------



## Ptak

I repeat that I don't know the context, but another possible (and maybe a better) variant could be "Мы можем положиться друг на друга".


----------



## Angelo di fuoco

Vektus said:


> "У нас есть мы" is my suggestion.


Quite a good one, actually.


----------



## Ptak

Angelo di fuoco said:


> Quite a good one, actually.


I don't think so.


----------

