As always when politicians make the covers of doubtful gossip magazines, I was mighty intrigued to see the following «Дмитрий и Светлана Медведевы: Как они построили свою любовь» [Dmitry and Svetlana Medvedev: how they built their love] on my favorite, uh, not really, gossip magazine called: «Стархит - журнал Андрея Малахова» [Star Hit - the magazine of Andrei Malachov (whoever that is?)].
Today is February 14th and one of the most successful artificially-made holidays ever (worldwide!) – «день Святого Валентина» [St. Valentine's Day] or, as it is also called in Russia, for example – «день всех влюблённых» [the day of all people in love]. Today is as a rule date day Number One in most countries; Russia is no exception to this rule. If you have a prettier or more handsome half in Russia (or a Russian one, for that matter), you must take precautions and be careful to put your most romantic side to use today and a) give a romantic postcard, b) give heart shaped chocolate, c) give red or pink flowers, d) cook dinner (or e) take her/him out to dinner), or you, товарищ [comrade], might just find yourself alone with a bottle of cheap wine and an old videotape with “Pretty Woman” dubbed into Estonian next year. For those of us finding ourselves – gasp! – single on this fateful festival dedicated to ‘coupledom’, there are, however, quite a few options as how to survive without downing inexpensive alcohol and watching something with Julia Roberts. For example, one can always hang out with other single friends. In Russia on this day the tradition is to give everyone you love, no matter if you’re going steady with them or just friends with them, cards shaped like tiny hearts, all sorts of candy or just small gifts. Among women and young people this tradition is perhaps a little stronger than among men and member of the older generation. Thus being single in Russia doesn’t have to mean you won’t been shown a little lovin’ today anyway. One could also take the day to spend with some of the world’s greatest love stories, and enjoy seeing others finding the love of their life and through that receive a little hope in finding the same for oneself. For example, one can do as I did, and learn a lesson in love from the president of Russian Federation and his wife, Svetlana, from the article mentioned above in ‘Star Hit’.
Here’s the beginning of the article, or of the «Спецпроект: совет да любовь!» [Special project: love and advice!], in which the first couple confess the story of their 28 years of married life. «Дмитрий и Светлана Медведевы: Дружба, любовь, трудности… как у всех…» [Dmitry and Svetlana Medvedev: Friendship, love, difficulties... like everybody has...].
Not only does the article contain fascinating information about the president of this country and his immediate family, it is also full of just the right kind of phrases to use when speaking about love and relationships in Russian. Let’s sort them out and learn something new!
The couple met for the first time in 1972 (both born in 1965) when starting first class in school number 305 in Leningrad, back when that was still the name of Saint Petersburg. And «дочь военнослужащих Свету Линник Дмитрий Медведев полюбил с первого взгляда» [the daughter of servicemen Sveta Linnik Dmitry Medvedev fell in love with at first glance].
«полюбить с первого взгляда» – to fall in love; come to love at first glance; at a glance; from the first
«А в 7-м (седьмом) классе начали встречаться» [And in 7th grade they started dating].
«встречаться» – (here) to date
«подруга» – (here) girlfriend
«друг» – (here) boyfriend
«В 1989 году Дмитрий и Светлана поженились и поселились в квартире её родителей» [In 1989 Dmitry and Svetlana were married and moved into the apartment of her parents].
«жениться» – to get married; (for a man – for a woman it’s «выйти/выходить замуж») (the perfect «пожениться» is only used if the subject consists of two people, like in the sentence above).
«Через семь лет, в 1995 году, в семье Медведевых родился сын Илья» [Seven years later, in 1995, in the Medvedev family the son Il'ya (Russian variant of the name Elijah) was born].
«Когда в 2007-м Медведев начал свой подход к посту президента, его супруга была рядом, готовая помочь и поддержать в любую минуту» [When in 2007 Medvedev began his approach to the post of president, his spouse was near, ready to help and support at any moment].
«супруга» – spouse (female); «жена» – wife, genitive plural: «жён»
«супруг» – spouse (male); «муж» – husband, genitive plural: «мужей»
On the page above we see pictures from their wedding on December 24th 1989, a walk in «парк Победы» [the Victory park] in Moscow in 1996 (if the pictures was bigger I would’ve asked you to pay extra attention to Dima’s fluffy hair) and a tiny snapshot of the couple with their son who’s 12 years old and «поражён и немножко расстроен» [amazed and a little upset] that his dad’s the president.
How many of you knew that Dima had been with the same woman all his life? I, for one, had heard something random and vague about it before, but most of the stuff in the article above was news to me. Of course, reading about such couples can make even the most cynic of us believe that true love can last a lifetime. And that hitting the highest layer of society doesn’t mean we must all automatically start dating models. I know in many ways Dima’s just a political puppet, and that Putin is the one really running the show, but on a day like this that’s alright. Because Dima’s has stayed true to his childhood sweetheart and to me, the incurable romantic, that’s what means the most on a day like this. Let’s celebrate not only love today, but dedication – dedication not only to that one person, but to friends and family and all our close and loved ones.
«С днём Святого Валентина!» Happy Valentine’s Day!
