пока

Russian
Russian phrasebook
This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Etymology

Related to Ukrainian поки (poky), Belorusian покi (póki), Polish póki, from по (po)+кꙑи (kyi), in Russian with analogous formation after дока (doka), пота (pota) (Vasmer 1958).

(Interjection): Short of прощай пока (proščaj poka, “farewell so long”) or пока до свидания (poka do svidanija). Used since the early 20th century first as colloquial, thereafter as familiar. May be a calque from some other language, compare English so long (used since 19th century) and Swedish hej så länge.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [pɐˈka]
  • Audio(file)

Adverb

пока́ • (poká)

  1. for the present, for the time being
    пока́ что ― poká što ― meanwhile, in the meantime
    я пока́ что э́то сде́лаю ― ja poká što éto sdélaju ― I’ll do it in the meanwhile.
  2. for now (at the moment; until later)
    пока́ всё ― poká vsjo ― that’s all; that will do
    Пока́ хва́тит, а за́втра посмо́трим ― Poká xvátit, a závtra posmótrim ― Тhat's enough for now and let's see (again) tomorrow.

Conjunction

пока́ • (poká)

  1. so long as, while
    Пока́ есть госуда́рство, нет свобо́ды. Когда́ бу́дет свобо́да, не бу́дет госуда́рства. (Влади́мир Ле́нин)
    Poká jestʹ gosudárstvo, net svobódy. Kogdá búdet svobóda, ne búdet gosudárstva. (Vladímir Lénin)
    While the State exists, there can be no freedom. When there is freedom there will be no State. (Vladimir Lenin)
    • 1958, “Песня о тревожной молодости (Song of the Restless Youth)”, Lev Oshanin (lyrics), Aleksandra Pakhmutova (music)‎:
      Пока я ходить умею,
      Пока глядеть я умею,
      Пока я дышать умею,
      Я буду идти вперёд!
      Poka ja xoditʹ umeju,
      Poka gljadetʹ ja umeju,
      Poka ja dyšatʹ umeju,
      Ja budu idti vperjód!
      So long as I can walk,
      So long as I can see,
      So long as I can breathe,
      I will go forth!

Usage notes

The subordinate clause that has пока must have an imperfective verb. The main clause could either have an imperfective or a perfective verb.

See also
  • до́ндеже (dóndeže)

Interjection

пока́ • (poká)

  1. (familiar) bye; so long; I’ll see you later; see you soon.
  • покедова (pokedova)

Further reading
  • Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “пока”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
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