When navigating the internet, reading the news, or listening to gossip, you will often encounter information you don't entirely trust. Russian uses specific particles to distance the speaker from a statement, signaling that it is hearsay, a rumor, or potentially false.
The Particle "якобы" (Supposedly / Allegedly)
Use the particle якобы to express doubt about the truthfulness of a statement. It translates to "supposedly" or "allegedly" and implies the information is likely untrue.
Unlike parenthetical words, якобы is not separated by commas. It is simply placed directly before the word or phrase you are casting doubt on.
| The journalist wrote that this is supposedly a fake. | Журналист написал, что это якобы фейк. |
| He allegedly did not read the article, although he spread the link. | Он якобы не читал статью, хотя распространял ссылку. |
The Particle "мол" (They Say / Quote)
The particle мол is used to report what someone else said. It acts like verbal quotation marks, often with a tone of skepticism. It is a conversational way to say "they claim that..." or "he says that..."
Unlike якобы, мол acts as a parenthetical word and must be set off by commas.
| The author of the post claims that this is supposedly reliable information. | Автор поста утверждает, мол, это достоверная информация. |
| The neighbors say he is allegedly very gullible. | Соседи говорят, мол, он очень доверчивый. |
Discussing Misinformation
Whether discussing gossip or official denials, these particles let you repeat what others say without endorsing it as fact.
| The minister allegedly refuted this misinformation. | Министр якобы опровергал эту дезинформацию. |
When discussing bad actors directly, you can state the facts plainly without particles:
| They spread misinformation to manipulate people. | Они распространяют дезинформацию, чтобы манипулировать людьми. |
