As I understand it, using the 2nd person ending already makes скажите polite. Is the form подскажите both more polite AND formal? Or do they say the same thing, in the same register, with a different choice of words?
3 Answers
Those are two different verbs, sometimes they can be used interchangeably, but in most cases they cannot.
сказать is "say, tell"
подсказать is "prompt, suggest"
The usage of the two verbs intersects when you ask someone to tell you some information, such as phone numbers, the way to a place, people's names, etc. In such case either verb can be used, usually with пожалуйста since you're asking for a favor. And, at least as for me, they are equally polite.
Скажите/Подскажите, как пройти в библиотеку?
Will you tell me the way to the library?
In the rest of situations, the two verbs are as interchangeable as their English counterparts I listed above.
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Thank you! Actually I'm familiar with the meaning of the verbs, my question was about the level of politeness or formality between one and the other as imperatives when asking for information. I suspect that one is direct and the other somewhat indirect and thus more formal. For example, in English we can ask the time two ways: What time is it? and I wonder if you could tell me the time. The latter is used with complete strangers on the street or anywhere you might risk interrupting their day as a complete stranger. It is somewhat indirect and thus slightly apologetic/formal to the ear.– CocoPopCommented Nov 22, 2014 at 13:21
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1To my ear "подскажите" in this use is mildly informal. I.e. if we undestand formal as "official; likely to be used in an official e-mail or when talking at a formal meeting" then "скажите" is the best neutral variant. However, "подскажите", "не можете подсказать" is a bit more indirect and polite in coversation (eg. asking directions in the street). You are not even asking people to TELL you something but merely give you a hint. Like, your request is really that small and unimportant ^_^ Commented Nov 22, 2014 at 17:48
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1I think that is central to politeness in many, many languages" — make your request indirect and insignificant. Commented Nov 22, 2014 at 17:49
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@Shady_arc: I agree and that answers my question. By formal, I mean the language you would use with elderly people or strangers on the street. Thanks!– CocoPopCommented Nov 23, 2014 at 1:12
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2@CocoPop If you meant using it to people on the street — it is OK and quite polite. "Подскажите" is only "informal" as in "not official" (eg. official documents). Commented Nov 23, 2014 at 2:40
Over the last 30-40 years подскажите has become widespread and almost totally replaced скажите in requests for help. Before that подсказать was used to describe a rather limited number of situations where verbal help was requested or offered:
- To quietly whisper a hint in a class.
- To remind one of something one used to (or is supposed to) know but forgets, to refresh one's memory.
When asking for help, saying Скажите, пожалуйста or Не скажете (ли)? sounds to my old-fashioned ear much more polite, educated and well-mannered than Подскажите, пожалуйста or Не подскажете? which bear a vague but undoubted colloquial shade.
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How exactly does
не скажете ли...translate? Or is it it one of those common Russian double negatives? Commented Nov 25, 2014 at 14:35 -
1Literally it translates "would you not tell?". Adequate translations I can suggest are: "would you tell me?", "I don't suppose you could tell me..." etc. I am not sure about a double negative in this particular case but the "не" here must look surplus to a non-native speaker. Somehow the polite way of asking if the other party CAN do something for you is asking whether they can NOT do it: "У вас нет карандаша?"; "Вы не можете мне позвонить завтра утром?" etc. Don't ask. :) I guess the closest English analogy is "You don't happen to have (to know, etc.) XYZ, do you?" Commented Nov 25, 2014 at 18:25
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I see- that concept does exist in English, so it makes sense. I guess something like
скажи мнеis direct and argumentative (tell me why you did that!) butне скажетеis more conversational and polite (could you let me know where xyz is). Is that correct? Thanks for the info! :) Commented Nov 25, 2014 at 18:58 -
1You are exactly correct. I guess direct imperatives exclude politeness, hence subjunctives or negations. :) Commented Nov 25, 2014 at 19:11
I would tend to agree with Avi Gordon's answer. Originally подскажите is not supposed to ask, "how can I get there?" for example. But some people, especially women, tend to use this word in various situations. For me it sounds a little bit gay, if I hear "не подскажете, сколько сейчас время?" from a man. However, I hear it from a woman quite often. So I personally would never say like that and would only use this word where it is adequate, and that means, only in rare specific situation, for example: I must tell a poem which I have learned by heart in a class and someone whispers me hints. Then the teacher says: "не надо подсказывать!". Probably I would accept this word in other grammatical construction, like "подскажите хороший ресторан" which is a worse (kind of travestied) variant of "посоветуйте хороший ресторан" and it's used (not by me) rather in a situation where someone must choose from some options and can't make his mind, or just forgot something (which day is it for example) and need a quick hint.
подскажитеindeed sounds a bit more polite and formal.подскажитеsounds LESS formal to me.