How to Write the "To" Field in a Russian Application — Rules and Examples

In Russian official documents, the first thing after the header is the "Кому" (To) line — the recipient addressee. Getting this right matters: a mistake in the grammatical case can make a document look unprofessional or cause it to be returned. This guide explains exactly what to write and how.

What the "To" Line Means

The "Кому" (To) line identifies the recipient of your application or letter. It is not just a job title — it is the full official designation of the person or organization. The exact wording must match the founding documents of the recipient.

For a legal entity (company, government body), the "To" line typically includes:

• Position (in the dative case)
• Organization name
• Surname and initials (if known)

The Dative Case: the Core Rule

This is the most important rule and the most common mistake. In Russian, all words in the "Кому" line must be in the dative case, which answers the question "to whom?" (кому?).

Note: there is no preposition before the position. Write the position directly in the dative case.

Word Order

Standard order is:

1. Position (dative)
2. Organization (if any)
3. Surname + Initials (if known)

Example for an application to the CEO of an LLC:

Генеральному директору ООО «Вектор»
Иванову А.С.

If the recipient's full name is unknown, omit the last line:

Генеральному директору ООО «Вектор»

Capitalization Rules

• Only the first word of a line starts with a capital letter
• All other words — including nouns and adjectives — start with a lowercase letter
• Correct: «генеральному директору»
• Incorrect: «Генеральному Директору»
• Organization names in quotes: ООО «Вектор», АО «Энергия»

Examples for Different Situations

To a company CEO

Генеральному директору ООО «СтройМир»
Соколову П.К.

To a government department head

Начальнику Управления по работе с обращениями
Федеральной налоговой службы
Малинину Д.В.

Complaint about an employee

Генеральному директору ООО «СервисПлюс»
Кузнецовой Е.Л.

Common Mistakes

• Preposition "для": "Для Генерального директора" — wrong. Write "Генеральному директору" directly.
• Capitalization in the middle of words: "Генеральному Директору" — wrong. Capitalize only the first word.
• Incomplete position: "Директору магазина" — which store? Specify the organization.
• Missing empty line between "Кому" and "От кого"

How to Generate the "To" Line Quickly

When you need to prepare multiple applications for different recipients, checking each one manually takes time. The Addressee Generator lets you enter position, organization, and name — and get the correctly formatted "Кому" line in dative case.

This is especially useful when:

• you need to prepare several similar applications for different recipients;
• the position is uncommon and you are unsure of the grammatical form;
• the surname may be declinable or undeclinable and you want to verify.

What to Check Manually

The generator uses a built-in dictionary for common positions. For rare or compound positions, always verify the result against a reference. Also manually check:

• undeclinable surnames (Shevchenko, Kim, Li, Tsoi);
• surnames that look the same for men and women;
• whether the organization name matches your founding documents exactly.

FAQ

Can I write only the position without the organization?

You can if the organization is already stated in the document header. But repeating it makes the document self-contained.

What if the position is unknown?

Use a general form: "Руководителю организации" (To the Head of the Organization). If submitting to a specific company, call to confirm the exact position title.

Are quotes required around LLC, JSC names?

Yes: ООО «Вектор», АО «Энергия» — quotation marks are mandatory.

Should foreign surnames be declined?

No. Surnames of foreign nationals (except Belarusian and Ukrainian) are usually not declined. Leave in the nominative case: "John Smith".