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Tea and coffee

The two drinks you will be offered most — and the grammar question Russians still argue about.

Quick answer

Additions use с + instrumental: с молоко́м, с са́харом. Omissions use без + genitive: без са́хара.

The drinks

чайchaytea
ко́феkófecoffee (m., indeclinable)
чёрный чайchyórnyy chayblack tea
зелёный чайzelyónyy chaygreen tea
эспре́ссоespréssaespresso
капучи́ноkapuchínocappuccino

What goes in

молоко́molokómilk
са́харsákharsugar
лимо́нlimónlemon
мёдmyodhoney
варе́ньеvarényejam (eaten with tea)
сли́вкиslívkicream (pl.)

The kit

ча́шкаcháshkacup
кру́жкаkrúzhkamug
ча́йникcháynikteapot, kettle
самова́рsamovársamovar
ло́жкаlóshkaspoon
зава́ркаzavárkatea concentrate

Being offered tea

Ча́ю хо́чешь?Want some tea? — genitive, a partial amount
С молоко́м и́ли без?With milk or without?
Без са́хара, пожа́луйста.No sugar, please.
Ещё ча́ю?More tea?
Спаси́бо, бо́льше не бу́ду.Thanks, no more for me.

Ча́ю, not чай

Tea is one of a handful of nouns with a special partitive form in -у: ча́ю, са́хару, ко́фе. Хо́чешь ча́ю? means “want some tea”; Хо́чешь чай? is also heard and sounds a shade more concrete.

Ко́фе: masculine or neuter?

Traditionally masculine — чёрный ко́фе — because it came from the older form ко́фий. Neuter is now officially tolerated in speech, but in writing and with anyone who cares about language, use masculine. Tea has no such problem.

Typical mistakes

чёрное ко́фе

чёрный ко́фе

ко́фе is traditionally masculine.

с са́хар

с са́харом

с takes the instrumental.

Check yourself

Which is correct?

Ко́фе is masculine.

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