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B1How to sayvy nye protiv

How to say “Do you mind?” in Russian

A question where a Russian “no” is the permission you were hoping for.

Quick answer

Вы не про́тив?

vy nye protiv — про́тив takes the genitive — and “no” means yes here

The options

Вы не про́тив?Do you mind?
Ты не про́тив?Do you mind? — informal
Ничего́, е́сли я откро́ю окно́?Is it all right if I open the window?
Вас не беспоко́ит?Does it bother you?
Мо́жно, я ся́ду здесь?May I sit here?

The logic of the answer

The question is literally “are you not against?”, so Нет, не про́тив — no, I’m not against — is a yes. A bare Нет is also a yes, which feels backwards at first and quickly stops being confusing.

про́тив + genitive

Про́тив takes the genitive: про́тив э́того (against this), я не про́тив ко́фе (I don’t mind coffee). Without an object it stands alone: Я не про́тив.

What you hear back

Нет, не про́тив.No, I don’t mind.
Коне́чно, пожа́луйста.Of course, go ahead.
Вообще́-то, про́тив.Actually, I do mind.
Лу́чше не на́до.I’d rather you didn’t.

Typical mistakes

Вы про́тив? — meaning “do you mind?”

Вы не про́тив?

The negative question is the polite form; the positive one sounds confrontational.

про́тив э́тому

про́тив э́того

про́тив takes the genitive.

Check yourself

Someone answers Нет, не про́тив. Can you proceed?

“I am not against” — go ahead.

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