In Russian, people often add special endings, called suffixes, to create words for different jobs. These endings help explain what kind of work a person does. Let’s look at some common suffixes and what they mean:

1. -щик / -щица: This ending shows what job someone does.

   • Here are a couple of examples:
     • Книжник means bookkeeper. It comes from the word книга, which means book.
     • Учитель means male teacher, and Учительница means female teacher. Both come from the word учить, which means to teach.

2. -ист / -ка: This ending is usually for jobs in schools or the arts.

   • Examples include:
     • Футболист means football player. It comes from футбол, which means football.
     • Литературовед means literary scholar. It comes from литература, which means literature.

3. -ер / -ка: This ending is often used for trade jobs.

   • Here are some examples:
     • Кухарка means female cook. It comes from кухня, which means kitchen.
     • Механик means mechanic. It comes from механика, which means mechanics.

By learning these suffixes, you can understand how jobs are named in Russian. Plus, you’ll build your vocabulary!