Suppose you want to ask someone for directions or to attract someone's attention. What is the appropriate way to address this person?
Context:
..., подскажите, как выйти на улицу Чехова?
or
..., вы платок уронили.
In English it would be "mister" or "miss(is)", in French people say "monsieur" or "madame". Is there something like this in Russian?
A boy or girl can be addressed мальчик and девочка.
A person looking between about 14 and 35 could be addressed молодой человек (male) or девушка (female).
A more senior person lacks the proper addressing in the modern language. There are several forms of address of limited use:
гражданин / гражданка (used by law enforcement, may also be used by strangers, but this sounds too official)
товарищ (widely used in Soviet time but almost obsolete now, though still acceptable. Without adding a surname, only appropriate for males)
мужчина / женщина (are only appropriate to draw attention of a complete stranger you're unlikely to ever talk to again, in an urgent case).
Мужчина, вы кошелёк уронили.
Женщина, вы не выходите на следующей остановке?
уважаемый / уважаемая can be used (somewhat ironically) to make a polite remark to a person violating the norms of behavior:
Уважаемый, разрешите пройти.
Уважаемая, уберите тележку.
If in doubt, it would be best to use an impersonal addressing: прошу прощения, извините etc.
A child before about 8 can call an adult дядя / тётя or бабушка / дедушка. The latter are also appropriate for younger people to address senior people, but only if they called them сынок, дочка, внучек or внучка first.
An Orthodox priest, monk or a nun can be addressed батюшка / матушка.
A police officer can be addressed товарищ полицейский, or, if you can read insignia, товарищ with addition of their rank: товарищ сержант, товарищ капитан. Usually, servicemen are very sensitive to rank formalities so use the first if in doubt.
When starting a letter, the recipient can be addressed уважаемый with compulsory addition of their first name (and probably patronymic) if you know it: уважаемый Василий Львович, уважаемая Светлана. Without the name, this addressing would sound derogatory (as in the previous examples).
I just say "sorry, ..." ("простите / извините") in situations like that. Moreover, it's more or less okay to use "sorry" with people you know but whose names you don't remember (I used to begin most of conversations with my teachers at the university with "sorry").
It is perfectly normal not to address a person at all. Both подскажи́те, как пройти́ на у́лицу Че́хова? and вы урони́ли плато́к are normal.
You can also use
I child may address an adult as дя́дя / тётя.
Немного устаревшее, но до сих пор встречающееся сейчас обращение сударь/сударыня. Лучше всего подойдет в форме обращения к официанту:
"Сударь, налейте чашку кофе"
There is no such a word as universally polite form of address to an unknown person in modern Russian.
The reason is that such words are used to emphasise a polite distance, a concept being nearly extinct after the Soviet times.
Часто можно окликнуть человека просто словом "извините". Если требуется уточнение, если человек не слышит, или место слишком людное, можно сказать "молодой человек" или "девушка". Но только если они действительно молоды :) Для более старших подойдут "женщина" и "мужчина", в том числе и для людей преклонного возраста. Это никоим образом не будет звучать вульгарно.
What I know usually is the following for referring to unknown persons in the street or in a restaurant:
Women in post-Soviet countiries are still rather sensitive about their age. Some middle aged ladies here might feel offended when addressed "zhenschina". Sometimes a little bit flattering form of address ("devushka") can do you good. In such a way, you demonstrate that you believe she is still young and looking good. So, use your common sense.
You can use this:
— Не могли бы вы мне подсказать, как пройти на улицу xxx?
— Простите, как пройти на улицу xxx?
В русском языке мы редко употребляем мисс, мистер (можно сказать, совсем не употребляем).
There’s one more way — none, that is without any special word. Works for me.
Just make your speech self-attractive and addressive.
А не подскажете…
Though initial А above is also an addressing word, it can be omitted.
Seems not very polite maybe? Universal.
(Вам шашечки или ехать?)
The best way to address (not old) male is to say "Молодой человек". For example - "молодОй человЕк, не подскАжите, как пройтИ к кремлЮ?".
Also, you can use "Парень": "пАрень, не подскАжешь, как пройтИ к кремлЮ?". First sentence is a bit more formal.
You don't have to address a person directly. You can always use an indirect form. Then a good start would be "Извини" or just an appropriate greeting, like "Добрый день".
For example:
"Извините, ты вы не подскажЕте, как мне пройти к Павелецкому вокзалу?"
"Добрый день, подскажите, пожалуйста, где ближайшая аптека?"
Простите, как пройти ... ?
(touch him/her:)Извините, вы тут ... .
