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уже. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
уже, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
уже in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
уже you have here. The definition of the word
уже will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
уже, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Russian
Etymology 1
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *(j)uže.
Pronunciation
Adverb
уже́ • (užé)
- already; carries the sense of the perfect continuous tenses in English.
- Он уже́ ушёл. ― On užé ušól. ― He (has) already left.
- Я уже́ э́то сде́лал. ― Ja užé éto sdélal. ― I've already done it.
- Я игра́л уже́ неде́лю. ― Ja igrál užé nedélju. ― I had (already) been playing for a week.
- by now, (as of) now
- Synonyms: к настоя́щему вре́мени (k nastojáščemu vrémeni), на да́нный моме́нт (na dánnyj momént)
- Уже́ по́здно. ― Užé pózdno. ― It's late.
- Э́та э́ра сейча́с уже́ в про́шлом. ― Éta éra sejčás užé v próšlom. ― This era is now a thing of the past.
- Он наблюда́ет меня́ уже́ не́сколько лет. ― On nabljudájet menjá užé néskolʹko let. ― He's looked after me for a couple of years now.
- by then, by that point
- Synonyms: к э́тому моме́нту (k étomu moméntu), к тому́ моме́нту (k tomú moméntu), на тот моме́нт (na tot momént)
- Магази́ны закрыва́ются в 6 часо́в, и тебе́ уже́ сло́жно купи́ть что́-то. ― Magazíny zakryvájutsja v 6 časóv, i tebé užé slóžno kupítʹ štó-to. ― The shops close at 6, and by then it's hard for you to buy something.
- (in a negative sentence) anymore, any longer
- Я уже́ не могу́ бежа́ть. ― Ja užé ne mogú bežátʹ. ― I can't run anymore.
- Соба́ки происхо́дят от во́лка, но э́то уже́ не волк. ― Sobáki proisxódjat ot vólka, no éto užé ne volk. ― Dogs are descended from wolves, but they're no longer wolves.
Particle
уже́ • (užé)
- Used to emphasise an amount or quantity of something; now, already, as early as, as late as, as recently as
- Он не спал уже́ втору́ю ночь. ― On ne spal užé vtorúju nočʹ. ― It's now the second night he hasn't slept. / He hasn't slept for 2 nights now.
- Они́ сказа́ли, что должны́ бу́дут сде́лать э́то уже́ за́втра. ― Oní skazáli, što dolžný búdut sdélatʹ éto užé závtra. ― They said they should be able to do it as early as tomorrow.
- Суда́ вели́ торго́влю на реке́ уже́ в 1976 году́. ― Sudá velí torgóvlju na reké užé v 1976 godú. ― Ships were trading the river as late as 1976.
- Used to emphasise a certain word or collocation.
- Уже́ по зву́ку дви́гателя мо́жно определи́ть, что он неиспра́вен. ― Užé po zvúku dvígatelja móžno opredelítʹ, što on neispráven. ― By the sound of the engine alone one can determine that it's faulty.
Derived terms
Further reading
- Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “уже”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
Etymology 2
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ǫže.
Pronunciation
Adverb
у́же • (úže)
- comparative degree of у́зкий (úzkij)
- Э́та у́лица у́же, чем та́. ― Éta úlica úže, čem tá. ― This street is narrower than that one.
- comparative degree of у́зко (úzko)
Etymology 3
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ǫži (ending taken from the hard paradigm).
Pronunciation
Noun
уже́ • (užé) m anim
- prepositional singular of уж (už)
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ǫže.
Noun
у̏же n (Latin spelling ȕže)
- rope
- cord
Declension
Further reading
- “уже”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024
Ukrainian
Pronunciation
Adverb
уже́ • (užé) (no comparative)
- already
Usage notes
- The forms уже́ (užé) (used after consonants or at the beginning of a clause) and вже (vže) (used after vowels) differ in pronunciation but are considered variants of the same word.
Derived terms
References