How to say "brother" in Russian - from the standard брат to affectionate братик - plus the irregular plural братья and the small group of nouns that share this -ья pattern.
Брат (brother) doesn't pluralize to *браты. It becomes братья - using the irregular -ья ending that appears in a small, unpredictable group of masculine nouns:
друг → друзья (friends, with a consonant mutation too)
стул → стулья (chairs)
лист → листья (leaves)
сын → сыновья (sons)
There's no rule for which nouns get -ья - you simply memorize them. The genitive plural adds another surprise: братья → братьев, друзья → друзей, стулья → стульев. Each behaves slightly differently even within this tiny group.
| Russian | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| брат | brat | brother | masc.; pl. братья |
| братик | bratik | little brother | masc.; affectionate diminutive |
| братишка | bratishka | bro (casual) | masc.; warm, informal |
| старший брат | starshiy brat | older brother | age always specified |
| младший брат | mladshiy brat | younger brother | age always specified |
| Case | Singular | Plural | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | брат | братья | irregular plural |
| Genitive | брата | братьев | -ьев in gen. pl. |
| Dative | брату | братьям | |
| Accusative | брата | братьев | animate = genitive |
| Instrumental | братом | братьями | |
| Prepositional | о брате | о братьях |
"Брат" is street slang for "dude." Among young Russian men, брат functions exactly like "bro" in English. "Привет, брат!" (Hey, bro!) is standard casual greeting. The 1997 film "Брат" (Brother) by Aleksei Balabanov cemented this usage in popular culture - it's one of the most iconic Russian films of the post-Soviet era.
Age order always gets specified. Russians almost never say just "мой брат" without clarifying старший (older) or младший (younger). Leaving it out feels incomplete - people will immediately ask. Birth order shapes Russian family dynamics and conversation.
Братья carries weight beyond biology. "Братья по оружию" (brothers in arms), "братские народы" (brotherly peoples) - the word брат extends into politics, military bonds, and national identity. It's a word with emotional gravity well beyond family.
Slova teaches брат with its irregular plural братья, every case form, and the number-agreement rules that change everything - not just a translation.
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