Drawing by Grigory Avoyan.
Grigory Avoyan
The English language has more than 1 million words. Nevertheless, it’s difficult to find an exact translation for certain Russian words, especially if the meaning is related to the enigmatic «Russian soul.»
1. Poshlost
Russian-American writer Vladimir Nabokov, who lectured on Slavic Studies to students in America, admitted that he couldn’t translate this word, which every Russian easily understands.
What is poshlost (пошлость)? Nabokov gives the following example: «Open any magazine and you’ll certainly find something like this — a family just bought a radio (a car, a refrigerator, silverware, it doesn’t matter), and the mother is clapping her hands, mad with joy, the children gathered around her with their mouths agape; the baby and the dog are leaning towards the table on which the `idol’ has been hoisted… a bit to the side victoriously stands the father, the proud breadwinner. The intense «poshlosity» of such a scene comes not from the false exaggeration of the dignity of a particular useful object, but from the assumption that the greatest joy can be bought and that such a purchase ennobles the buyer.»
«This word includes triviality, vulgarity, sexual promiscuity and soullessness,» added the late Professor Svetlana Boym from Harvard University.
2. Nadryv
German Wikipedia has an entire article dedicated to the word nadryv (надрыв). This is a key concept in the writings of Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. The word describes an uncontrollable emotional outburst, when a person releases intimate, deeply hidden feelings.
Moreover, Dostoevsky’s nadryv implies a situation in which the protagonist indulges in the thought that he can find in his soul something that may not even exist. That’s why the nadryv often expressed imaginary, excessively exaggerated and distorted feelings. One part of the novel, Brothers Karamazov, is called «Nadryvs.»
3. Khamstvo
Soviet émigré writer Sergei Dovlatov wrote about this phenomenon in the article «This Untranslatable Khamstvo,» commenting that «Khamstvo is nothing other than rudeness, arrogance and insolence multiplied by impunity.»
In Dovlatov’s view, it’s with impunity that khamstvo (хамство) outright kills us. It’s impossible to fight it; you can only resign yourself to it. «I’ve lived in this mad, wonderful, horrifying New York for ten years and am amazed by the absence of khamstvo. Anything can happen to you here, but there’s no khamstvo. You can be robbed but no one will shut the door in your face,» added the writer.
4. Stushevatsya
Some linguists believe stushevatsya (стушеваться) was introduced by Fyodor Dostoevsky, who used it for the first time in a figurative sense in his novella, The Double. This word means to be less noticeable, go to the background, lose an important role, noticeably leave the scene, become confused in an awkward or unexpected situation, become meek.
5. Toska
This Russian word can be translated as «emotional pain,» or «melancholy,» but this does not transmit all of its depth. Vladimir Nabokov wrote that, «Not one word in English can transmit all the nuances of toska (тоска). This is a feeling of spiritual suffering without any particular reason. On a less dolorous level, it’s the indistinct pain of the soul…vague anxiety, nostalgia, amorous longing.»
6. Bytie
This word comes from the Russian byt’(to exist). In Russian-English dictionaries this philosophical concept is translated as «being.» However, bytie (бытие) is not just life or existence, it’s the existence of an objective reality that is independent of human consciousness (cosmos, nature, matter).
7. Bespredel
Eliot Borenstein, professor of Slavic Studies at New York University, explains that bespredel (беспредел) literally means «without restrictions or limits.» Translators often use «lawlessness» (bezzakonie). In Russian, however, the meaning of bespredel is much broader, and refers to the behavior of a person who violates not only the law, but also moral and social norms.
8. Avos’
It’s rather difficult to explain to people of other nationalities what this means. Interestingly, many people believe that avos’ (авось) is the main Russian national trait. Hoping for the avos’ means doing something without planning, without putting in much effort, counting on success.
9. Yurodivy
Yurodivys (юродивые) in ancient Rus’ were people who voluntarily renounced earthly pleasures in the name of Christ. Such people looked like madmen, and led a wandering lifestyle with the aim of obtaining inner peace and defeating the root of all sin — pride. They were valued and were considered close to God. Their opinions and prophecies were taken into consideration and they were even feared.
10. Podvig
This word is often translated into English as «feat» or «achievement,» but it has other meanings. Podvig (подвиг) is not just a result, or the achievement of an objective; it’s a brave and heroic act, an action performed in difficult circumstances. Russian literature often mentions military, civilian podvigs and even scientific podvigs. Moreover, this word is a synonym for selfless acts, for example, a podvig in the name of love.
Read more:
5 easy ways to learn Russian
Nihilistic intelligentsia dine on beluga: Russian words that have entered the English language
Why Russians throw pearls to pigs
6 weird things Russians do that baffle foreigners
The Life and Philosophy of Leo Tolstoy in 15 Photos
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what’s the Russian for
наречие
Контексты
The Lada Niva (“нива” is the Russian for “crop field”) was an immensely advanced and forward-thinking concept.
«Лада-Нива» оказалась необычайно продвинутым и устремленным в будущее автомобилем.
The word «Ukraine» derives from the Russian for «at the outskirts,» an identity the leaders of the Orange Revolution have sought to uproot by promoting a unique Ukrainian identity.
Слово «Украина» происходит из русского языка, где оно звучит как «окраина». Лидеры «оранжевой революции» постарались ликвидировать такое представление о стране, рекламируя уникальную украинскую самобытность.
With nowhere to go, they stand around smoking and chatting at the vast project locals call Samolyot, Russian for “the plane,” after a nearby monument to World War II pilots.
Им некуда идти, и поэтому они просто стоят, курят и переговариваются между собой, и все это происходит на большой строительной площадке проекта «Самолет», получившего такое название из-за расположенного рядом памятника летчикам времен Второй мировой войны.
The principal place of business of the most significant joint ventures and associates disclosed above is the Russian Federation.
Основным регионом, в котором ведут деятельность существенные ассоциированные и совместные предприятия Группы, раскрытые выше, является Российская Федерация.
Pinchuk was ultimately forced to back down, writing an article in Russian for Ukrainska Pravda, a popular news site, explaining that his initial op-ed had been misinterpreted and edited for an American audience.
В итоге Пинчук был вынужден дать задний ход, опубликовав на популярном новостном сайте «Украинская правда» статью на русском языке, в которой он объяснял, что его публикацию в Wall Street Journal неправильно истолковали, так как она была отредактирована для американской аудитории.
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Выясните основные соображения с точки зрения
вашего
ведомства В чем состоит ваше взаимопонимание миссии и целей?
However the knowledge of these stages
is
needed for the correct understanding what is happening in the soul of your personnel, and not to hide- and in
your
own!
What you do with
your
life and how you treat others is a key factor in determining your understanding of life, and how you choose
your
next incarnation as it could quite easily be a complete contrast.
То что вы делаете со своей жизнью, и как вы поступаете с другими, является ключевым фактором в определении вашего понимания жизни, и как вы выбираете свое следующее воплощение, ибо оно запросто может быть совершенной противоположностью.
What is the guarantee of your safety- strong walls or a strong
understanding
of the situation around you?
Что есть гарантия твоей безопасности- прочные стены или понимание ситуации вокруг?
Ваше понимание того, что способствует эволюции души имеет неоценимое значение для эволюции!
Mr. Chairman, because paragraph 11 uses the term»recommending», and I think that refers back to the word»recommend» in paragraphs 8 and 9.
Я хочу знать, каково Ваше понимание, гн Председатель, поскольку
в пункте 11 используется термин<< рекомендуя>>, и я думаю, он связан со словом<< рекомендует>>, которое используется в пунктах 8 и 9.
It
is
like
what
would happen in your understanding of practical chemistry if you confused water and ethanol.
Это как если бы вы при изучении практической химии путали воду с этиловым спиртом.
And
what
follows from all these words of ours
is
that instead of saying,»For it is your wisdom and
your understanding
before the nations,» it should rightly say,»For this
is
the wisdom of the nations and their
understanding
before
your
eyes.
И тогда получается, что вместо« Ибо это мудрость ваша и разум ваш пред глазами народов» надо бы сказать:« Ибо это мудрость народов и разум их пред глазами вашими».
She stated in 1981 that her best role would
be
to
bring awareness about the dangers of drug abuse: Understanding what drugs can do to your children, understanding peer pressure and
understanding
why they turn to drugs is… the first step in solving the problem.
В 1981 году Нэнси Рейган заявила,
что
лучшее
что
она может сделать-
это привлечь внимание к опасности злоупотребления наркотиками:« Понимание того, что наркотики могут сделать с вашими детьми, понимание давления со стороны сверстников,
понимание,
почему они обращаются к наркотикам… есть первый шаг к решению проблемы».
Our job is to give you an understanding of what
is
happening in each of the cases and help you raise your consciousness so that you may be able to look from a higher point of view on
the events that happen at any moment around you and with you.
Наша работа заключается в том, чтобы дать вам понимание, что происходит в отдельных случаях, и помочь вам возвысить свое сознание так, чтобы вы были способны посмотреть с более высокой точки зрения на события,
которые происходят в любой момент вокруг вас и с вами.
The main research question was:‘What do you think is helpful in
your
work as an existential therapist for
your
client?’ This question contains at least two aspects:‘What do you think
is
helpful?’ and‘What
is
in your work as existential therapist?’ The first aspect of the question invites participants to reflect at quite a high level of conceptualisation on their work, while the second focuses on the understanding of their personal experience as an existential therapist.
Главным исследовательским вопросом было:« как вы считаете, чего помогающего для клиентов есть в
Твоей
работе как экзистенциального терапевта?» Этот вопрос содержит как бы два аспекта:«
что
считаете помогающим?» и«
что
в Твоей работе экзистенциального терапевта?» Первая часть вопроса задает для разговора с участниками исследования достаточно высокий уровень обобщения и концептуализации своей работы, а вторая часть фокусирует на понимании собственного опыта работы экзистенциальным терапевтом.
Concentration, clear understanding of your rights and attentiveness is what you need during a search, before anything else.
Собранность, четкое понимание своих прав и внимательность- вот что, прежде всего, необходимо при проведении обыска.
chest is about to explode.
This will bring an understanding as to why you are on Earth at this time of transition, and what your role is, in all that
is
happening.
yet you both cling to the illusion that she’s going to go to preschool, first communion,
Вы оба цепляетесь за иллюзию
что
ваша дочь пойдет в садик, потом в первый класс,
We
are
pleased to see that Lightworkers
taking up our challenge to now speak out about your knowledge and understanding of what
is
about to happen.
Нам приятно видеть,
We shall speak about those, and first we mention the most splendid effect- myriad sparkles
are
shooting upward from Earth, and each signifies that a soul
is
awakening,
Мы должны рассказать о них, и сначала мы обратим внимание на наиболее великолепный эффект- мириады искр стреляют вверх от Земли, и каждая означает,
что
душа пробуждается,
If the student is»intelligent», IE really knows what it’s all about the subject broadcast we can say that went through three phases abstraction necessary for your obtaining the knowledge, organization, time management and understanding of
what is
transmitted, i.e.
Если студент« умный», Т. Е действительно знает, что это все о предмете вещания, мы можем сказать,
что
прошли через три фазы абстракции, необходимых для вашего получения знаний, Организации, управления временем и понимание того,
что
передается, то есть извлечение ясно.
Due to the gradual assimilation of the proposed ideas and application of them in your life, everyone
is
able to rapidly intellectually develop and to quickly change own understanding of himself, the reality around us, and therefore to actively influence with their self-consciousness on all what
is
happening around.
За счет постепенного усвоения предлагаемых в этом знании
представлений
и применения их в своей жизни каждый человек получает возможность ускоренно интеллектуально развиваться и быстро менять
свои
представления о самом себе, окружающей нас действительности, а значит, активно влиять
своим
самосознанием на все, что происходит вокруг.
By
Last updated:
March 17, 2023
Word frequency lists can be a great resource for Russian language learners.
But there’s a caveat: most word frequency lists are taken from written texts, not spoken language.
As a result, commonly-spoken Russian words like привет (hi) and здравствуйте (hello) might not even make it onto some Russian word lists.
This practical, user-friendly, conversation-focused list of basic Russian words promises to fix that!
Contents
- Greetings and Departures
- Introductions
- Personal Details
- Language Ability
- Agreement, Disagreement and Confusion
- Manners and Polite Phrases
- Food and Drink
- Family and Friends (Including Pets!)
- Useful Adjectives
- Introductory Verbs
- Requesting Assistance and Reading Common Signs
- Basic Russian Slang
- Tips for Learning Russian Words
-
- 1. Learn the Alphabet
- 2. Emphasize Listening and Speaking
- 3. Focus on Simple Sentences First
- 4. Keep Formality in Mind
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Greetings and Departures
Naturally, one of the first things any language learner should grasp is the ability to greet other individuals, so here are some of the most common Russian greetings:
| Russian | Romanization | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Привет | Privet | Hi | Informal |
| Здравствуйте | Zdravstvujte | Hello | Formal |
| Добро пожаловать | Dobro pozhalovat’ | Welcome | Formal or informal |
| Доброе утро | Dobroe utro | Good morning | Used between dawn and noon |
| Добрый день | Dobryj den’ | Good afternoon | Used from late morning to sunset |
| Добрый вечер | Dobryj vecher | Good evening | Used in evening hours before dinner |
| Спокойной ночи | Spokojnoj nochi | Good night | Only use when you or someone else is going to bed |
| Пока | Poka | Bye | Informal |
| До свидания | Do svidanija | Good-bye | Most common way to say good-bye |
| До скорого | Do skorogo | See you soon | Informal, use with people you know you’ll see again very soon |
Introductions
You’ll want to be prepared to introduce yourself and cover some of the basics:
| Russian | Romanization and Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Как Вас зовут | Kak Vas zovut? | What’s your name? | Formal |
| Как тебя зовут? | Kak tebja zovut? | What’s your name? | Informal, used if asking a child or classmate |
| Меня зовут… | Menja zovut… | My name is… | Formal |
| Я… | Ja… | I am… | Informal |
| Очень приятно | Ochen’ prijatno | Nice to meet you | Formal or informal |
| Приятно с Вами познакомиться | Prijatno s Vami poznakomit’sja | Nice to meet you | More formal than Очень приятно |
| Как дела? | Kak dela? | How are things? | Russians don’t really ask strangers how they are, so you’ll only use this with friends and acquaintances. |
| Как ты? | Kak ty? | How are you? | More casual than Как дела? |
| Вы давно в России? | Vy davno v Rossii? | Have you been in Russia long? | |
| Вам нравится Россия? | Vam nravitsja Rossija? | Do you like Russia? |
Personal Details
Continuing the conversation from above, it’s helpful to be able to explain where you’re from and what you do for a living as these are the two most common questions asked of foreigners.
| Russian | Romanization | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Откуда Вы? | Otkuda Vy? | Where are you from? | |
| Я из… | Ja iz | I’m from… | |
| Из какого Вы штата? | Iz kakogo Vy shtata? | Which state are you from? | If you’re from the U.S, a well-traveled Russian may want to know more details |
| Вы студент / студентка? | Vy student / studentka? | Are you a student? | Male/Female |
| Кем Вы работаете? | Kem Vy rabotaete? | What do you do for work? | |
| Какая у Вас профессия? | Kakaja u Vas professija? | What profession do you have? | |
| Я… | Ja… | I am a… | Used when telling someone your profession |
| Преподаватель | Prepodavatel’ | Teacher | |
| Врач | Vrach | Doctor | |
| Адвокат | Advokat | Lawyer | |
| Есть ли у Вас хобби? | Est’ li u Vas hobbi? | Do you have an hobbies? | |
| Я катаюсь на лыжах | Ja katajus’ na lyzhah | I ski | |
| Я играю в баскетбол | Ja igraju v basketbol | I play basketball | |
| Я люблю путешествовать | Ja ljublju puteshestvovat’ | I love to travel |
Language Ability
These phrases can help you clarify and avoid misunderstandings:
| Russian | Romanization | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Вы говорите по-русски? | Vy govorite po-russki? | Do you speak Russian? | Formal |
| Вы говорите по-английски? | Vy govorite po-anglijski? | Do you speak English? | Formal |
| Вы понимаете? | Vy ponimaete? | Do you understand? | Formal |
| Я не понимаю | Ja ne ponimaju | I don’t understand | |
| Вы можете говорить медленнее? | Vy mozhete govorit’ medlennee? |
Can you speak slower? | Formal |
| Помедленнее, пожалуйста | Pomedlennee, pozhalujsta | Please speak more slowly | |
| Повторите, пожалуйста | Povtorite, pozhalujsta | Please repeat that | |
| Как сказать … по-русски? | Kak skazat’ … po-russki? | How do you say… in Russian? |
Agreement, Disagreement and Confusion
These words and phrases are self-explanatory and commonly heard multiple times a day:
| Russian | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| Да | Da | Yes |
| Нет | Net | No |
| Может быть | Mozhet byt’ | Maybe |
| Что это? | Chto eto? | What is that? |
| Кто это? | Kto eto? | Who is that? |
| Я не знаю | Ja ne znaju | I don’t know |
| Это… | Eto… | That is… |
Manners and Polite Phrases
Russians are often perceived as being unfriendly, but good manners are appreciated, especially if you’re asking someone for assistance:
| Russian | Romanization | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Пожалуйста | Pozhalujsta | Please | |
| Спасибо | Spasibo | Thank you | |
| Спасибо большое | Spasibo bol’shoe |
Thank you very much | |
| Пожалуйста | Pozhalujsta | You’re welcome | Doubles for «please» |
| Извините | Izvinite | I’m sorry | Formal/plural |
| Извини простите | Izvini prostite | I’m sorry | Informal/singular |
| Простите | Prostite | Excuse me | Can be used interchangeably with Извините |
| Всё в порядке | Vsjo v porjadke | Everything’s ok | In response to Извините and Простите |
| Я не могу… | Ja ne mogu… | I can’t… | Fill in according to your needs, especially important for someone that has a dietary restriction or limitation |
Food and Drink
Russians love their traditional foods. While you may not eat borscht or smetana on a regular basis, it’s good to know some basic food vocabulary:
| Russian | Romanization | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Я хочу есть | Ja hochu est’ | I’m hungry | |
| Я хочу пить | Ja hochu pit’ | I’m thirsty | |
| Борщ | Borshh | Borscht | Traditional sour soup |
| Сметана | Smetana | Smetana | Type of sour cream |
| Блины | Bliny | Bliny | Russian crêpes |
| Икра | Ikra | Caviar | |
| Пироги | Pirogi | Pie | |
| Пельмени | Pel’meni | Pelmeni | Type of Russian dumpling |
| Водка | Vodka | Vodka | |
| Фрукт | Frukt | Fruit | |
| Яблоко | Jabloko | Apple | |
| Банан | Banan | Banana | |
| Овощи | Ovoshhi | Vegetables | |
| Лук | Luk | Onion | |
| Морковь | Morkov ‘ | Carrot | |
| Помидор | Pomidor | Tomato | |
| Картофель | Kartofel ‘ | Potatoes | |
| Салат | Salat | Salad | |
| Мясо | Mjaso | Meat | |
| Колбаса | Kolbasa | Sausage | |
| Рыба | Ryba | Fish | |
| Курица | Kurica | Chicken | |
| Говядина | Govjadina | Beef | |
| Соль | Sol ‘ | Salt | |
| Чёрный перец | Chjornyj perec | Pepper | |
| Хлеб | Hleb | Bread | |
| Масло | Maslo | Butter | |
| Макароны | Makarony | Pasta | |
| Сыр | Syr | Cheese | |
| Чай | Chaj | Tea | |
| Кофе | Kofe | Coffee | |
| Вода | Voda | Water | |
| Сок | Sok | Juice | |
| Молоко | Moloko | Milk | |
| Сахар | Sahar | Sugar |
Family and Friends (Including Pets!)
You’ll likely be asked about family members, so be ready to talk about your relatives as well as any pets:
| Russian | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| Семья | Sem ‘ ja | Family |
| Родители | Roditdeli | Parents |
| Мама | Mama | Mom |
| Папа | Papa | Dad |
| Брат | Brat | Brother |
| Сестра | Sestra | Sister |
| Сын | Syn | Son |
| Дочь | Doch | Daughter |
| Бабушка | Babushka | Grandma |
| Дедушка | Dedushka | Grandpa |
| Друзья | Druz’ja | Friends |
| Парень | Paren ‘ | Boyfriend |
| Девушка | Devushka | Girlfriend |
| Домашнее животное | Domashnee zhivotnoe | Pet |
| У тебя есть домашнее животное? | U tebja est’ domashnee zhivotnoe? | Do you have a pet? |
| Собака | Sobaka | Dog |
| Кошка | Koshka | Cat |
| Птица | Ptica | Bird |
| Черепаха | Cherepaha | Turtle |
| Кролик | Krolik | Rabbit |
| Рыба | Ryba | Fish |
Useful Adjectives
Here are some common adjectives you’ll need to know:
| Russian | Romanization | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Красный | Krasnyj | Red | |
| Белый | Belyj | White | |
| Чёрный | Chjornyj | Black | |
| Синий | Sinij | Blue | |
| Зелёный | Zeljonyj | Green | |
| Жёлтый | Zhjoltyj | Yellow | |
| Розовый | Rozovyj | Pink | |
| Оранжевый | Oranzhevyj | Orange | |
| Красивый | Krasivyj | Beautiful | |
| Симпатичный | Simpatichnyj | Cute/nice | Nice, in reference to temperament; or cute, in reference to appearance |
| Вкусный | Vkusnyj | Delicious | |
| Большой | Bol’shoj | Big | |
| Маленький | Malen’kij | Small | |
| Хороший | Horoshij | Good | |
| Плохой | Plohoj | Bad | |
| Жаркий | Zharkij | Hot | In reference to weather or climate |
| Горячий | Gorjachij | Hot | In reference to an object |
| Холодный | Holodnyj | Cold | Works for weather and objects |
| Старый | Staryj | Old | |
| Новый | Novyj | New |
Introductory Verbs
There are a few basic verbs that most Russian learners almost immediately use. Here are a few to get you started:
| Russian | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| Думать | Dumat’ | To think |
| Знать | Znat’ | To know |
| Любить | Ljubit’ | To love |
| Жить | Zhit’ | To live |
| Хотеть | Hotet’ | To want |
| Смотреть | Smotret’ | To watch |
| Слушать | Slushat’ | To listen |
| Играть | Igrat’ | To play |
| Спать | Spat’ | To sleep |
| Читать | Chitat’ | To read |
| Писать | Pisat’ | To write |
Requesting Assistance and Reading Common Signs
It’s always good to know how to ask for help and read basic signs so you can find your way:
| Russian | Romanized | English |
|---|---|---|
| Туалет | Tualet | Toilet |
| Где туалет? | Gde tualet? | Where is the toilet? |
| Открыто | Otkryto | Open |
| Закрыто | Zakryto | Closed |
| Вход | Vhod | Enter |
| Выход | Vyhod | Exit |
| Помогите! | Pomogite! |
Help! |
| Пожар! | Pozhar! |
Fire! |
| Полиция! | Policija! | Police! |
| Стой! | Stoj! | Stop! |
| Я болею | Ja boleju | I am sick |
| Больница | Bol’nica | Hospital |
Basic Russian Slang
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to impress a new Russian acquaintance with some fun slang phrases, here are a few you can try:
| Russian | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| Мобильник | Mobil’nik | Cell phone |
| Чёрт! | Chjort | Shoot |
| Бомба | Bomba | Awesome |
| Класс | Klass | Great |
| Круто | Kruto | Cool |
Tips for Learning Russian Words
Here are some important tips and tricks to advance your Russian studies:
1. Learn the Alphabet
Hopefully, you’re already aware that Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, not the Roman alphabet.
Be sure to learn the 33 letters of the Russian alphabet and the corresponding pronunciations. To a large extent, Russian sounds the way it’s spelled, so you can see words written and sound them out if you know how the individual letters are pronounced.
2. Emphasize Listening and Speaking
Linguistic input is crucial, especially when starting a new language. Input-based learners may attempt to immerse themselves in a language by reading, practicing with flashcards, listening to music, watching movies or a host of other techniques.
If your aim is to communicate with people, be sure you’re training your ear. Don’t hesitate to watch YouTube clips with vital words over and over again.
By the same token, be sure you’re speaking. Listen to a clip and then repeat it. Your mouth needs to become comfortable making the unfamiliar sounds common in Russian.
Tutors are also invaluable resources. They can help you perfect your pronunciation to ensure you’re well understood. They can also get you accustomed to the pace of speech.
As with any language, some Russians speak quickly, mumble or run their words together. A tutor can help you get used to deconstructing what you’re hearing.
Getting into authentic Russian content is also important. As a beginner, this might get a bit overwhelming, so you might want to start with material aimed at children.
Some programs make it a bit easier to sort media according to difficulty. FluentU, for example, has six learner levels in its virtual immersion program.
3. Focus on Simple Sentences First
You’re not going to be able to form complex grammatical sentences as soon as you learn the Cyrillic alphabet. As with learning any language, you need to start with basic constructions such as:
Я хочу яблоко. — I want an apple.
Я хочу собаку. — I want a dog.
Я хочу парня. — I want a boyfriend.
As you learn new grammar concepts, your sentences will become longer and more complex, but it’s important to start small and build from there.
4. Keep Formality in Mind
Similar to French or Spanish, Russian uses two versions of the word “you” that differ based on formality.
Ты (you) is used in informal situations when speaking to an individual. Вы (you) is used in two instances: when speaking to two or more people and when speaking to an individual in a formal manner.
As a general rule, ты should really only be used when addressing children or close friends. The formal Вы should be used any time you’re speaking to strangers, acquaintances you don’t know well, anyone older than you or someone in a position of authority.
The list of basic Russian words and phrases above is far from comprehensive, but should help set you on track to start feeling comfortable speaking Russian from day one.
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Russian is one of the more difficult major languages to learn because of its crazy grammar (from the point of view of a native speaker of English). But grammar is only one piece of the puzzle. Another one is developing a good словарный запас (vocabulary) which means memorizing lots and lots of Russian words.
While there seems to be no easy way around memorizing grammar rules, growing your Russian vocabulary can perhaps be simplified. For example, you can concentrate on 100 most frequently used Russian words, learn those, and be well on your way to success. Ah, but which words to learn…
It depends on what it is you are trying to accomplish. Do you want to read Russian fiction, non-fiction, or newspapers and magazines? Or do you want to understand spoken conversations? If so, will those be formal, like newscasts or guided tours, or informal, between friends or at stores? Your lists will be considerably different in each case. Although there will be some overlap. You can put together your own “top 100” list using частотный словарь (frequency dictionary) here or look up existing lists, such as this one or the lists from this post.
So let’s get started. First, the words themselves. The lists below – 25 of each of the most used nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs (plus a bonus list) – are sort of a middle-ground between vocabulary for informal conversations (heavy on prepositions, adverbs, and verbs) and vocabulary for understanding news (more nouns and adjectives). Think of it as a well-rounded base. So here we go:
25 Most Used Russian Nouns
год (god) – year
человек (chelaVYEK) – person
время (VRYEmya) – time
дело (DYEla) – business, affair, matter
жизнь (zheezn’) – life
день (dyen’) – day
рука (rooKA) – arm
раз (ras) – one, once
работа (raBOta) – work, job
слово (SLOva) – word
место (MYEsta) – place
лицо (leeTZO)- face
друг (droog) – friend
глаз (glaz) – eye
вопрос (vaPROs) – question
дом (dom) – house, home
сторона (staraNA) – side
страна (straNA) – country
мир (meer) – world, peace
случай (SLOOchay) – occurrence, occasion, instance
голова (galaVA) – head
ребенок (ryeBYOnak) – child
сила (SEEla) – force
конец (kaNEtz) – end
вид (veed) – appearance, sight, view
25 Most Used Russian Verbs
быть (bit’) – to be Note on pronunciation: the sound “ы” is a hard sound. Pronouncing it incorrectly (too softly) will turn the word быть into an entirely different word бить (to hit)
мочь (moch) – to be able
сказать (skaZAt’)- to say
говорить (gavaREEt’)- to speak
знать (znat’)- to know
стать (stat’)- to become
хотеть (haTEt’)- to want
идти (eeTEE) – to go
иметь (eeMEt’) – to have
видеть (VEEdet’) – to see
думать (DOOmat’) – to think
сделать (zDElat’) – to do, to make
жить (zheet’) – to live
делать (DYElat’) – to do, to make
смотреть (smatRYEt’) – to watch
работать (raBOtat’) – to work
понять (paNYAt’) – to understand
пойти (payTEE) – to go
спросить (spraSEEt’) – to ask
дать (dat’) – to give
понимать (paneeMAt’) – to understand
получить (palooCHEEt’)- to receive
сидеть (seeDEt’) – to sit
оказаться (akaZAtza) – to happen
взять (vzyat’) – to take
25 Most Used Russian Adjectives
новый (NOviy) – new
большой (bal’SHOy)- large
должен (DOlzhen) – have to, owe (as in он должен работать – he has to work)
последний (paSLEdney) – last
российский (raSEEyskey) – Russian
русский (ROOskey) – Russian
общий (Obsh_chiy)- common
высокий (vySOkey) – tall
хороший (haROshiy) – good
главный – (GLAvniy) main
лучший (LOOch_shiy) – the best
маленький (MAlen’key) – small
молодой (malaDOy) – young
государственный (gasooDArstveniy) – state, public
полный (POlniy) – full, complete
советский (saVEtzkey) – Soviet
настоящий (nastaYAshiy) – real
старый (STAriy) – old
разный (RAzniy) – different
нужный (NOOzhniy) – necessary
белый (BEliy) – white
собственный (SObstveniy) – own
чёрный (CHOrniy) – black
основной (asnavNOy)- main
далёкий (daLYOkey) – distant
25 Most Used Russian Adverbs
ещё (yeSHYO) – more, too
уже (ooZHE) – already
очень (Ochen’) – very
можно (MOzhna) – may
надо (NAda) – need
нет (net) – no
тоже (TOzhe) – too, also
более (BOlehye) – more
конечно (kaNEshna) – of course
также (TAKzhe) – as well
вдруг (vdroog) – suddenly
почти (pachTEE) – almost
сразу (sRAzoo) – immediately
хорошо (haraSHO) – good
сегодня (seVOdnya) – today
совсем (savSEm)- completely
вообще (vaabSHE) – generally
больше (BOl’she) – more
вместе (vMEste)- together
например (napreeMEr)- for example
нужно (NOOzhna)- need
опять (aPYAt’) – again
снова (SNOva)- again
нельзя (nel’ZYA) – cannot, not allowed
особенно (aSObena)- especially
25 More Must-Know Russian Words
я (ya) – I
он (on) – he
это (Eta) – this
она (aNA) – she
этот (Etat) – this
они (anee) – they
мы (mi) – we
который (kaTOriy) – which
то (toh) – that
что (shtoh) – what
свой (svoy) – one’s own
весь (ves’) – entire
так (tak) – so
ты (ti) – you
все (vsye) – everyone
всё (vsyo) – all
вы (vi) – you
такой (taKOy) – such
его (yeVO) – his
себя (seBYA) – oneself
один (aDEEn) – one
как (kak) – how
сам (sam) – self
другой (drooGOy) – another
наш (nash) – our
Now, these lists are not specific to a particular delivery mode or literary genre. But they provide a good starting point.
So now you have 125 out of some of the most frequently used Russian words. Doesn’t seem like much. But each time you memorize a noun, a verb or an adjective, you have to also memorize its plural form. For each verb you will need to remember its past, present and future tenses. For each verb and adjective – their feminine, masculine and neuter forms.
For example, you’ll need to memorize дела (affairs) along with дело (affair); был, была, было (was), были (were) and будет, будут (will be) along with быть (to be); молодая, молодое, молодые along with молодой (young).
To make things more interesting, search for news articles that have these words in their headlines. Here are top 3 headlines for the noun работа (work):
В Якутии началась работа по трудоустройству выпускников.
Работа в Норвегии: слишком хорошо, чтобы было правдой.
Работа по нестандартному графику может сделать счастливее?
You can use Google Translate (or any other translation tool you prefer) to translate the headlines to get a better idea of how a word is used in the sentence. Also, search for some idioms, folk wisdom, and popular quotes that use your word. For the word работа these might include
поиск работы – work search
работа не волк, в лес не убежит – work is not a wolf, won’t run away into the woods
топорная работа – clumsy work
Try to imagine how you’d use the word in a conversation. Keep it simple:
My friend is looking for work – Моя подруга ищет работу
I like my job – Мне нравится моя работа
Today was a busy day at work – Сегодня был занятой день на работе
Sure, going through all the 125 words this way might take you a while. But in the end, you will learn some of the most useful and frequently used Russian words. Конечно, вы не будете ещё говорить по-русски, как русский человек, но вы уже сможете больше понимать. (Of course, you will not yet speak like a Russian, but you will already understand more.) Note: this sentence, although a bit awkward, uses only the word from the above lists.
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