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This lesson will introduce the most used words in Russian in the order that they are most used. This lesson is a vocabulary lesson to help you learn a
number of Russian words that you will use almost every day while you are in Russia. Many of these words you will already know from previous
lessons. Visit the vocabulary page to see the words in list form.
The examples included in this lesson are quite advanced. You will not understand all of the grammar, there are some concepts that you have not been
taught. The main thing is to learn the 100 words in this lesson. From this lesson and onwards we will use more complex examples to help you
passively learn more Russian vocabulary. You are not expected to memorise all the new Russian words.
1: - And
Russian's most used word is '' (and). '' is preceded by comma when it is used as a conjuction to join phrases with different subjects. Here are some
examples of it in use.
, . She went up to the blackboard, took the chalk and began writing on the blackboard.
When it is used like " ... " it can mean "both ... and".
. She's both beautiful and clever.
2: () - In, into, to
'' means 'in' when followed by the prepositional case. Refer to lesson 8 for more information). '' is pronounced as though it is part of the following
word. Sometimes this is difficult to say so '' is used instead. '' usually proceeds words that start with '' or a group consonants that are difficult to
pronounce.
. I live in Moscow.
When followed by the accusative case it means 'to' or 'into'. This is common following verbs of motion because there is a sense of direction.
Is used with expressions of time such as 'on Monday'. (Note: '' is used when the days are plural 'on Mondays')
. On Monday.
3: - Not
The word is used for negation. It usually precedes the verb it negates.
I don't know
Previously, not all children had access to preschool education.
.
When negative words are used such as (noone), (nothing), (nowhere (motion)), The word is often used. To the English
speaker this looks like a double negative, but this is normal in Russian.
. I see nothing.
. Nobody knows.
'' means 'on' or 'at' when followed by the prepositional case. (Refer to lesson 8 for more information)
Nadya is at work
, . We swam in the river, and grandmother was sitting on the grass at the river.
She spends the whole day in the country and returns to town at sunset.
.
5: - I
- I speak Russian
I understand
6: - He, it.
- He speaks Russian
He is a student
? Where is he going?
He is going home
.
Parents gave me a bike for my birthday. It is very modern and beautiful.
.
7: - What, that
The word "" is a question pronoun that means "what"". It can be phrased simply as a question "What?". The pronoun takes the following forms.
English What
Nominative Case
Accusative Case
Genitive Case
Dative Case
Instrumental Case
Prepositional Case
For example
Like in English "" can also be a relative pronoun (similar to a conjunction) . It can mean 'what'. It is preceded by a comma.
, ,
People sometimes ask me what Im going to do when I retire.
.
"" is also used for the conjunction "that". In Russian "" can not be omitted.
, . I know that you love music.
, ,
I know theres a problem, but I havent got time to worry about that now.
.
" " translates to the conjunction "because". It is usually preceded by a comma. However sometimes the comma is moved to the middle
', '. This is done to emphasise the reason, however the difference it subtle. ', ' might be translated to 'because of the fact'.
, . My girlfriend is not able to go for a walk with me today because she is very busy.
8: () - With, from
"" has different meanings depending on the following case. It is usually pronounced as though it is part of the following word. When "" it is followed
by two or more consonants, "" is normally used.
"" means "with" or "accompanied by" when it is followed by the instrumental case (see Lesson 14).
Merry Christmas
Happy birthday
corresponds to "this is", "that is", "it is". This pronoun does not change form.
Note: The neuter form of the word "" (word 20) is also spelt "".
That is true
? What is it?
It is tea.
is the verb for "to be" ("is", "will", "was"). In Russian this verb is rarely used in the present tense. There are only certain cases where it is used in
the present tense, these include the "to have" construction, and in the sense of "there is". (View Conjugated Verb)
? Is there vodka?
"" is a Russian conjunction that can mean 'and' or 'but'. It is used when two statements contrast each other, but do not contradict each other. Quite
often it is possible to translate it to either the word 'but' or 'and' in English. It's use is normally preceded by a comma.
, . You cook the lunch, and Ill look after the children.
12: (, , ) - All
"" is the Russian word for "all", or "the whole". It takes a number of different forms depending on it's place in the sentence.
All day.
13: - They
They work
14: - She
She is a student
In Russian '' is also used to make comparisons (similies). In this case it translates to 'as' or 'like'...
, As white as snow
" " is a conjuction meaning 'since'. It is commonly used at the start of a sentence
16: - We
is the personal pronoun for the first person plural.
We understand
17: () - Towards, to
translates to 'towards'. It is followed by the dative case. '' is used when two or more consonants follow.
There is a trend towards healthier eating among all sectors of the population.
.
The Russian preposition "" can mean "to have". It will commonly be at the start of the sentence when it has this meaning. This sentence construction
is somewhat unusual but you should remember it from lesson 9. The person who has the object follows "" and is in the genitive case. The thing that is
possessed becomes the subject of the sentence.
I have a sister
When the preposition "" is not used in the above construction it means "by" or "near". Again, it is used with the genitive case.
. My grandfather went into the living room and sat in a chair by the fireplace.
19: - You
"" is the Russian pronoun for the second person plural. It is used when addressing a group of people. There is no English equivalent so English
speakers may be tempted to use "yous", or "you all" in colloquial speech.
"" is also used for the first person singular when you wish to address someone formally. "" is usually reserved for friends and children. It is
common to write with a capital letter when writing to someone as it is more formal.
,
If you exercise every day, youll feel a lot better.
.
20: (, , ) - This
"" is a demonstrative pronoun meaning "this". It declines based on case and gender. In some forms it has the same spelling as word 9 ""
which means "this is".
Masc. Fem. Neut. Plural
English This
Nominative Case
Accusative Case
(animate)
Genitive Case
Dative Case
Instrumental Case
Prepositional Case
"" is used with the accusative case when following verbs of motion because it has a sense of direction. In this case it still means "behind"
"" can also mean "for". It is used with the accusative to express thanks or the reason for a payment. In this meaning it has a sense of "in exchange
for". " +(accusative)" can also mean "for" in the sense of "in support of" (opposite of "against").
. There have been drought conditions for the last two summers.
"" followed by the instrumental can mean "for" in the sense of "to get".
. He went for (to get) milk.
22: (, , ) - That
"" is the Russian demonstrative pronoun meaning "that". It is very similar to "" (this).
23: - But
"" is the Russian conjunction meaning "but". It is used when two parts of a sentence contradict one another. Remember that "" (word 11) is used
when the clauses contrast one another but don't contradict.
, ,
I know theres a problem, but I havent got time to worry about that now.
.
, . There was a disco at the club last Saturday but he didn't go.
"" is the Russian pronoun for the second person singular. It is informal and commonly used with friends and children. Use "" instead when
formality is required.
? Do you understand?
, ,
. If you want your bread to be fresh, keep it only in the refrigerator.
"" is one of the most difficult Russian prepositions to translate. It has a number of different uses and meanings, and needs to be translated based on
context. It is most commonly used with the dative case. "" (+dative) can mean "around"
"" is normally used in expressions of place. '' (from) is the opposite of '' (to). '' is normally used in expressions of place. For example... "from
America", "from school". (Refer to '' and '' to translate 'from' in relation to time, distance and person.
. She took her hairbrush from her handbag and began to brush her hair.
Note: "-" means either 'from behind', or 'because of'.
27: (, ) - About
"" means "about" or "concerning" when it is used with the prepositional case. ", " and are used for readability when a word starting with a vowel
or multiple consonants follows.
, . Her mother had told her to buy some bread but she had forgotten about it.
"" is the Russian reflexive possessive pronoun. It is used when the owner of something is also the subject. (Its use is required in the 3rd person,
and optional in the 1st and 2nd. Although it is almost always used if the subject is ). More information about reflexives can be found in the Reflexive
Verbs grammar lesson.
Masc. Fem. Neut. Plural
English My own, his own, her own
Nominative Case
Accusative Case
(animate)
Genitive Case
Dative Case
Instrumental Case
Prepositional Case
29: - So
"" translates to 'so' and it's use in Russian is quite similar to English.
,
He was born in France, so he also has a French passport.
.
" " is a conjuction meaning 'since'. It is commonly used at the start of a sentence.
30: (, ) - One
? . How much are these pants? One hundred and fifty pounds.
"" can mean 'here' or 'there'. It is used when are pointing or gesturing towards something. If you are not pointing then 'here' will usually translate as
'' (word 74) instead.
, ! . Ah, here you are! Ive been looking everywhere for you.
In Russian the use of is more strict. In English we may ask "What book do you like?", but it is more correct to ask "Which book do you like?".
This distinction is important in Russian.
,
Ive been thinking about those questions which you asked me last week.
.
, ,
A dog which was running about the streets of a little town saw a butcher's stall with a lo
.
, . My brother read to me an extract from the book which he had brought the day before.
can also mean "who" (or "whom" in formal English), usually in the sense of "the person who..."
33: - Our
"" is the Russian possessive pronoun for the plural 1st person. It means "our".
Masc. Fem. Neut. Plural
English Our
Nominative Case
Accusative Case
(animate)
Genitive Case
Dative Case
Instrumental Case
Prepositional Case
There is a little brown coffee table in our room in front of the sofa.
.
34: - Only
, , ,
Only when she was in the train, she remembered that she had left the book at home.
.
At the English lesson you must speak only English.
.
"" translates to the adverb 'still' or 'yet' depending on it's position in the sentence.
? Is it still spring?
36: - From
"" is one of the Russian words that translates to 'from' (refer also '' and ''). "" is usually used with the genitive case. "" (+genitive) is used
when receiving something from someone, 'from a person'.
Other expressions that still mean 'from a person' or 'from a persons place' also use "".
Expressions of distance commonly use "". Note that construction " ... " is used to express distance from one place to another.
950
Last week I drove from Minsk to Moscow, 950 miles.
.
37: - Such
"" means 'such' and it's use is quite similar to English. However it worth noting that the negative ' ' can mean 'different'.
He has always had such compassion and such concern for others.
.
,
The museum has paintings by such Impressionist artists as Manet and Degas.
.
, ,
He was keen on sporting pursuits such as golf, skiing and shooting.
.
, , ,
I was six when I discovered that there was no such person as Santa Claus.
.
. We could meet.
, . My girlfriend is not able to go for a walk with me today because she is very busy.
39: - Speak
"" means 'to speak'. It's perfective form is which is listed as word 40. (View Conjugations)
40: - Say
"" means 'to say'. It is the perfective form of "". (View Conjugations)
41: - For
"" translates to 'for' in the sense of "for the benefit of". It is followed by the genitive case. (Note: dependant on meaning, 'for' can also be translated
using '' or simply only the dative case).
. Ive brought a cup of tea for you.
,
Let's go in and see if we can buy a nice pair of trousers for you.
.
42: - Already
24, . Hes only 24, but hes already achieved worldwide fame.
, . I asked him to come to the exhibition but he'd already seen it.
43: - Know
means 'to know'. There is no perfective form of this verb. (View Conjugations)
44: - Yes
Usually one of the first words people learn in Russian. "" simply means 'yes'.
means 'what kind of'. Don't be tempted to use '', it is important to use when you are asking 'What kind of ...?'. However in some case
when translating from Russian to English it will still make sense to translate "" simply as 'what'.
. I asked Becky what kind of book her friend had brought her.
46: - When
Like English you will also find this word in the middle of a sentence.
The report will be of interest to teachers and others in the education field.
.
48: - First
. He has two daughters from his first marriage and a son from his second.
The conjunction "" means 'in order to' or 'so that'. Sometime in English it is possible to contract 'in order to' to 'to. In this case the meaning is the
same and "" should still be used.
, ,
He came home early in order to see the children before they went to bed.
.
It is also possible that "" can be the conjunction 'to'. It is commonly used to indicate what someone wants someone else to do.
50: - His
"" is the possessive pronoun for the masculine third person. It means 'his'. It is pronounced "yevo".
, ,
His parents were poor, so that Burns could not get a good education.
.
51: - Year
"" means 'year'. The plural is irregular. The plural is based on the last digit of the number.
1:
2-4:
5-0:
? How old are you?
I am 18 years old
I am 23 years old
He was London two years ago, so he could see English films every day.
.
. Two weeks are left before the end of the school year.
52: - Who
? Who are these people?
, Bramwell , . I think Bramwell was the one who first suggested the idea.
. , . I havent been here long. As a matter of fact, I just got off the plane yesterday.
. The matter was discussed some days ago.
54: - No
? , . . Do you want another cup of coffee? No, thanks. Ive had enough.
55: - Her
"" is the possessive pronoun for the feminine third person. It means 'her'.
56: - Very
On our way to the station we were joined by a large group of young people.
.
, . I was grateful to have been given a room with a large window.
58: - New
,
We have to invest in new technology if we are to remain competitive.
.
is an interesting Russian verb because it mostly used in the perfective. Commonly in the past tense. It can have varying meaning in Russian
and is sometimes hard to translate, but it's main meaning is 'became'. (View Conjugations) is commonly followed by the instrumental case or an
adjective indicating the state of something.
. We became friends.
. It became stuffy.
. The night became cold.
"" can also mean 'begin'. Much like the verb "". In many cases the are "" and "" interchangeable. However there are some
differences. "" is only used in the perfective, so it is not used in the present tense. Using "" may infer that the action is an ongoing one and
will likely continue without change. "" on the other hand may infer the action will develop into something. Here are some examples of using both
words "" and "".
60: - Work
"" is Russian for 'work'. It is a noun. The verb "" (to work) is word 83.
61: - Now
62: - Time
,
I couldnt do it last week, I had no time.
.
,
A lot of people are listening to the music and they are really having a good time.
.
. He reads all the time and does not like to watch TV.
63: - Person
"" is Russian for 'person'. The plural is "" (people) (word 76).
$ 70 . A meal at the restaurant costs about $70 for two persons.
It is also worth noting that the phrase " " means 'young man' and is commonly used to address men
"" is Russian for 'go'. It implies to go somewhere by walking. Refer Verbs of Motion. (View Conjugations)
65: - If
, ,
Are you planning to return to work, and if so, who is going to look after the baby?
?
66: () - Two
, . Mike told the teacher that his sister knew two foreign languages.
67: - My
,
I didnt have my own room till my sister left for college.
.
68: - Life
,
I knew a man who had travelled very much in his life.
.
69: - Until
70: - Where
Each of the companies supports a local charity.
.
, ,
We each wanted the bedroom with the balcony, so we tossed a coin to decide.
.
72: - Most
Even the most carefully prepared plans sometimes go wrong.
.
73: - Want
Is it necessary for all of us to be present at the meeting this afternoon?
?
76: - People
"" is Russian for 'people'.
, , . These people, whom I have known for a long time, were fired yesterday.
77: - Now
. Now they are sitting in the drawing room and talking about them.
, . Winter has come, and now we can often go to the skating rink again.
, ,
Now, when Mary became an adult, she can go to the disco.
.
, ,
Coat, which I bought last year, is too little for me now.
.
78: - House
"" is Russian for 'Go'. It is the perfective of "". It implies to go somewhere by walking. Refer Verbs of Motion. (View Conjugations)
"" is used when explaining how many times something happened. Russians also usually use it as the number one when they are counting ",
, ..."
,
Im only going to say this once, so listen carefully.
.
,
We met just the once, but I still remember him very clearly.
.
81: - Day
,
Every day we read texts, do exercises and write new words in our exercise-books.
.
82: - Or
,
You can pay now or when you come back to pick up the paint.
.
- ? Did she go to the St.Petersburg or to Moscow last week?
83: - Work
. He is working fast.
-
I have lived in St. Petersburg for many years and know the city very well.
.
, ,
It is an exciting city to visit, but a very expensive place to live.
, .
85: - There
,
Theyre going to Hawaii, and they plan to stay there until the end of March.
.
86: - Word
, ,
It's sometimes difficult to find exactly the right word to express what you want to say.
.
87: - Eye
,
When we met for the first time, we couldnt take our eyes off each other.
.
, . They were best friends, but then they had a falling out.
.
First, peel the fruit. Next, prepare a chocolate sauce.
.
89: - See
, . From the window we could see the children playing in the yard.
We saw Hamlet at the National Theatre last week.
.
90: - Their
, . The workers are afraid that they will lose their jobs.
She has made a study of chemical fertilizers and their effect on the environment.
.
91: - Under
92: - Even
- ,
It's a very difficult job - it might even take a year to finish it.
.
, ,
Even now, after all these years, he cannot mention her name without crying.
.
93: - Think
,
I think our English teacher was very patient.
.
. The weather has been really good for the time of year.
,
The concert was well enough advertised but ticket sales were poor.
.
95: - It is possible
96: - Here
97: - Thousand
, ,
These old legends must have been composed about a thousand years ago.
.
98: - Whether
,
I was merely questioning whether we have the money to fund such a project.
.
, ,
Anyway, it's a good story, whether or not it's true.
.
99: - Water
100: () - Nothing
'' means 'nothing'. This word declines like the word ''. Like most negatives in Russian the genitive case is commonly used, so the form
'' is most common.
The word '' is commonly used in spoken Russian to indicate that there is no point, or not to worry.
There is no point
When '' is used with a preposition the word is split into two. (This also occurs with '/')