Advanced Russian

Boost your Russian to a new level with the advanced Russian words and phrases!

We created Learn Russian Words to those who want to increase their Russian vocabulary and have more opportunities to practice.

Below, we have gathered all the advanced Russian words from our series Russian Word of the Day.

Every word comes with a picture, two examples and an audio recorded by a native Russian speaker. Click on the word or a picture for more details.

To mark the words as learned, please login. If you don't have an account, you can create it here.

Flashcards Subscribe Lesson of the day

косноязы́чие [kas-na-ee-zý-chee-ye] Noun, neuter

tongue-tie; inability to formulate thoughts properly

Examples

Он страда́ет небольши́м косноязы́чием.

on stra-dá-eet nee-bal'-sheem kas-na-ya-zý-chee-em

He is a little tongue-tied.
Косноязы́чие выступа́ющего утомля́ло.

kas-na-ya-zý-chee-ye vys-tu-pa-yu-schye-va u-tam-lyá-la

The badly constructed speech of the speaker was tiring.

ума́ не приложу́ [u-má nye pree-la-zhú] Phrase

I have no idea

Examples

Ума́ не приложу́, как тако́е могло́ случи́ться.

u-má nye pree-la-zhú, kak ta-kó-ye mag-ló slu-chée-tsa

I can not imagine how it could happen.
Я ума́ не приложу́, как тепе́рь быть в тако́й ситуа́ции.

ya u-má nye pree-la-zhú, kak tee-pyér' byt' f ta-kóî see-tu-á-tsee-ee

I have no idea what to do in such a situation now.

химчи́стка [heem-chéest-ka] Noun, feminine, comes from "хими́ческая чи́стка" (chemical cleaning)

dry cleaning

Examples

Э́ту ку́ртку нельзя́ стира́ть, но мо́жно сдать в химчи́стку.

é-tu kúrt-ku neel'-zya stee-rát', no mózh-na sdat' f heem-chéest-ku

This jacket can not be washed, but you can give it to dry clean.
В зда́нии че́рез доро́гу откры́лась химчи́стка.

v zdá-nee-ee chyé-ryes da-ró-gu atk-rý-las' heem-chéest-ka

In the building across the street, a dry cleaning opened.

мандра́ж [mánd-rásh] Noun, masculine

jitters

Examples

У меня́ мандра́ж пе́ред экза́меном.

u meen-nyá mand-rásh pyé-ryet ek-zá-mee-nam

I have jitters before the exam.
Он испы́тывал небольшо́й мандра́ж пе́ред выступле́нием на пу́блике.

on ees-pý-ty-val nee-bal'-shóî mand-rásh pyé-ryet vys-tup-lyé-nee-yem na púb-lee-kye

He experienced slight jitters before public speaking.

бо́жий одува́нчик [bó-zheeî a-du-ván-cheek] Phrase

(lit. - God's dandelion) about an old, quiet and harmless person (mostly women)

Examples

Как оказа́лось, прито́ном заправля́ла стару́шка – бо́жий одува́нчик.

kak a-ka-zá-las', pree-tó-nam za-pra-vlyá-la sta-rúsh-ka - bó-zheeî a-du-ván-cheek

As it turned out, an old woman, God's dandelion, was running the den.
У него́ о́чень ми́лая ста́ренькая ма́ма, ну про́сто бо́жий одува́нчик.

u nee-vó ó-cheen' mée-la-ya stá-reen'-ka-ya má-ma, nu prós-ta bó-zheeî a-du-ván-cheek

He has a very cute old mother, simply a God's dandelion.

новобра́чные [na-va-brách-ny-ye] Noun, plural

newly-weds, newly-married

Examples

В э́том оте́ле есть осо́бенные номера́ для новобра́чных.

v é-tam a-té-lye yest' a-só-been-ny-ye na-mee-rá dlya na-va-brách-nyh

This hotel has special rooms for newly-weds.
Новобра́чные бы́ли на седьмо́м не́бе от сча́стья.

na-va-brách-ny-ye bý-lee na seed'-móm nyé-bye at schást'-ya

The newly-weds were super happy (on the seventh heaven from happiness).

ко́рточки [kór-tach-kee] Noun, plural, used only in combinations

position of squatting/crouching

Examples

Она́ опусти́лась на ко́рточки, что́бы подня́ть упа́вшие докуме́нты.

a-ná a-pus-tée-las' na kór-tach-kee, chtó-by pad-nyát' u-páf-shee-ye da-ku-myén-ty

She squatted down to pick up the fallen documents.
Де́ти сиде́ли кру́гом на ко́рточках и что́-то увлечённо рассма́тривали.

dyé-tee see-dyé-lee krú-gam na kór-tach-kah ee chtó-ta uv-lee-chón-na ras-smát-ree-va-lee

The children were squatting in a circle and examining something with enthusiasm.

допото́пный [da-pa-tóp-nyî] Adjective

antediluvian, outdated, old-fashioned, ancient

Examples

На столе́ стоя́ла допото́пная печа́тная маши́нка.

na sta-lyé sta-yá-la da-pa-tóp-na-ya pee-chát-na-ya ma-shéen-ka

An antediluvian typewriter was standing on the table.
Он всё вре́мя носи́л допото́пного ви́да пиджа́к.

on fsyo vryé-mya na-séel da-pa-tóp-na-va vée-da peed-zhák

He was always wearing an old-fashioned jacket.

тропи́нка [tra-péen-ka] Noun, feminine

path, trail (usually a narrow trodden one)

Examples

Тропи́нка привела́ к забро́шенному до́му.

tra-péen-ka pree-vee-lá k za-bró-sheen-na-mu dó-mu

The path led to an abandoned house.
Лю́ди протопта́ли тропи́нку в само́й середи́не газо́на.

lyú-dee pra-tap-tá-lee tra-péen-ku f sá-maî see-ree-dée-nye ga-zó-na

People trampled a path in the middle of the lawn.

прихора́шиваться [pree-ha-rá-shee-va-tsa] Verb, imperfective

to smarten oneself up, to spruce up

Examples

В са́мом конце́ за́ла во́зле зе́ркала прихора́шивалась де́вушка.

v sá-mam kan-tsé zá-la vóz-lye zyér-ka-la pree-ha-rá-shee-va-las' dyé-vush-ka

At the very end of the hall near the mirror, a girl was sprucing up.
Она́ прихора́шивается пе́ред свида́нием.

a-ná pree-ha-rá-shee-va-ee-tsa pyé-ryet svee-dá-nee-yem

She made herself up to go to a date.