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.

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Flashcards Subscribe Lesson of the day

прогу́ливаться [pra-gú-lee-va-tsa] Verb, imperfective. Perfective - прогуля́ться

to walk, to stroll, to go for a walk/a stroll

Examples

Мы прогу́ливались по вече́рней на́бережной.

my pra-gú-lee-va-lees' pa vee-chyér-nyeî ná-bee-ryezh-naî

We were strolling along the embankment by the evening.
Кто-то прогу́ливался в па́рке.

kto-ta pra-gú-lee-val-sya v pár-kye

Someone was walking in the park.

ухажёр [u-ha-zhyór] Noun, masculine

admirer, a man (guy) who is trying to court a woman (girl)

Examples

Мари́на со свои́м ухажёром ушли́ в кино́.

ma-rée-na sa sva-éem u-ha-zhyó-ram ush-lée v kee-nó

Marina and her admirer went to the movies.
У тебя́ ка́ждый день но́вый ухажёр.

u tee-byá kázh-dyî dyen' nó-vyî u-ha-zhyór

You have a new admirer every day.

мни́тельный [mnée-teel'-nyî] Adjective

suspicious, mistrustful; hypochondriac

Examples

Он всегда́ был чрезвыча́йно мни́тельным и оби́дчивым.

on vseeg-dá byl chreez-vy-cháî-na mnée-teel'-nym ee a-béet-chee-vym

He was always extremely suspicious and touchy.
У неё о́чень мни́тельный хара́ктер.

u nee-yó ó-cheen' mnée-teel'-nyî ha-rák-teer

She has a very suspicious nature.

пререка́ться [pree-ree-ká-tsa] Verb, imperfective

to argue, to wrangle, to bicker

Examples

Не пререка́йся со ста́ршими!

nye pree-ree-káî-sya sa stár-shee-mee

Don't you talk back to the elders!
Он пререка́ется с ма́терью по любо́му по́воду.

on pree-ree-ká-ee-tsa s má-teer'-yu pa lyu-bó-mu pó-va-du

He always (for any reason) wrangles with his mother.

зла́чный [zlách-nyî] Adjective

(place) of carouse and debauchery, bawdy (place)

Examples

Мы забрели́ в како́й-то зла́чный кварта́л и заблуди́лись там.

my za-bree-lée v ka-kóî-ta zlách-nyî kvar-tál ee za-blu-dée-lees' tam

We wandered into some kind of a bawdy district and got lost there.
Он устро́ил нам экску́рсию по зла́чным места́м го́рода.

on ust-ró-eel nam eks-kúr-see-yu pa zlách-nym mees-tám gó-ra-da

He gave us a tour of the bawdy places of the city.

слыть [slyt'] Verb, imperfective. Perfective - прослы́ть

to have the reputation for, to be said / reputed / known

Examples

Он слывёт больши́м знатоко́м в э́том вопро́се.

on sly-vyót bal'-sheem zna-ta-kóm v é-tam va-pró-sye

He is known as a great connoisseur in this matter.
Они́ слыву́т профессиона́лами.

a-née sly-vút pra-fye-see-a-ná-la-mee

They are said to be professionals.

кишка́ тонка́ [keesh-ká tan-ká] Phrase

not enough strength, abilities, means (to do something)

Examples

Да они́ никогда́ на тако́е не пойду́т, у них кишка́ тонка́!

da a-née nee-kag-da na ta-kó-ye nye paî-dút, u neeh keesh-ká tan-ká

They will never do anything like this, they don't have guts!
Он по́нял, что неправ, но призна́ться оказа́лась кишка́ тонка́.

on pó-nyal chto nye praf, no preez-ná-tsa a-ka-zá-las' keesh-ká tan-ká

He realized that he was wrong but didn't have guts to admit it.

oпростоволо́ситься [a-pra-sta-va-ló-see-tsa] Verb, perfective

to blunder, to make a blunder / gaffe / howler

Examples

Тебе́ сто́ит отрепети́ровать речь, е́сли ты не хо́чешь опростоволо́ситься.

tee-byé stó-eet at-ree-pee-tée-ra-vat' ryech, yés-lee ty nye hó-chesh a-pra-sta-va-ló-see-tsa

You should rehearse the speech if you do not want to mess up.
Я немно́го опростоволо́силась, перепу́тав его́ и́мя.

ya nee-mnó-ga a-pra-sta-va-ló-see-las', pee-ree-pú-taf ye-vó ée-mya

I looked rather silly when I got his name wrong.

са́нки [sán-kee] Noun, plural

sled

Examples

Де́ти и их роди́тели пришли́ ката́ться с го́рки на са́нках.

dyé-tee ee eeh ra-dée-tee-lee preesh-lée ka-tá-tsa s gór-kee na sán-kah

Children and their parents came slide the hill on the sled.
Зимо́й па́па обы́чно вози́л нас в са́дик на са́нках.

zee-móî pá-pa a-bých-na va-zéel nas v sá-deek na sán-kah

In the winter, dad usually took us to the kindergarten on a sled.

ва́ленки [vá-leen-kee] Noun, plural, singular - "ва́ленок"

felt boots

Examples

Ру́сские ва́ленки счита́ются одни́м из са́мых тёплых ви́дов о́буви.

rús-kee-ye vá-leen-kee schee-tá-yu-tsa ad-nóî eez sá-myh tyóp-lyh vée-daf ó-bu-vee

Russian boots are considered to be one of the warmest kind of shoes.
Просты́е в произво́дстве и эффекти́вные в сугро́бах ва́ленки спасли́ мно́гих сове́тских солда́т во вре́мя войны́.

pras-tý-ye v pra-eez-vódst-vye ee e-feek-téev-ny-ye v sug-ró-bah vá-leen-kee spas-lée mnó-geeh sa-vyets-keeh sal-dát va vryé-mya vaî-ný

Simple in production and effective in drifts, the felt boots saved many Soviet soldiers during the war.