Questions & Answers about Пока, друг!
I thought goodbye was до свидания. Why use пока here?
Пока is the informal way to say bye. You use it with friends, family, and anyone you would address with ты (the informal you). For teachers, strangers, or formal situations, you should stick to до свидания.
Does пока have another meaning? I feel like I've seen it before.
Yes, пока normally means 'while' or 'for now'. When used as a goodbye, it is actually short for a longer phrase meaning 'until we meet again'. It is just like saying 'for now!' when leaving.
Why is the first letter in пока pronounced like an 'a' instead of an 'o'?
This is because of a Russian pronunciation rule called vowel reduction. The letter 'o' is only pronounced as a clear 'o' when it is stressed. In пока, the stress is on the second syllable, so the unstressed 'o' softens into an 'a' sound.
Does the word друг change its ending because I am talking directly to the person?
No, it stays exactly like the dictionary form. When you address someone directly in Russian, you generally just use the basic dictionary form (the nominative case). However, you always separate the name or word of the person you are talking to from the rest of the sentence with a comma!
Learn Пока, друг and more in Russian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free