Intermediate Russian

When you are learning Russian or any other language, one of the things that separates you from beginner to intermediate and from intermediate to advanced is your vocabulary.

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

Below, you can find the intermediate Russian vocabulary 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

то́рмоз [tór-mas] Noun, masculine

brake; (slang) dumbo, retard

Examples

Отключи́ дви́гатель и поста́вь маши́ну на ручно́й то́рмоз.

at-klyu-chée dvée-ga-teel' ee pas-táf' ma-shée-nu na ruch-nóî tór-mas

Turn off the engine and put the car on the handbrake.
Ли́бо я то́рмоз, ли́бо э́то не име́ет никако́го смы́сла.

lée-ba ya tór-mas, lée-ba é-ta nye ee-myé-eet nee-ká-kó-va smýs-la

Either I'm a dumbo or it doesn't make any sense.

возвраща́ть [vaz-vra-schát'] Verb, imperfective. Perfective - верну́ть

to return, to give back, to restore; to send back

Examples

Вот, я возвраща́ю тебе́ твои́ инструме́нты. Спаси́бо, о́чень пригоди́лись.

vot, ya vaz-vra-schá-yu tee-byé tva-ée eenst-ru-myén-ty. spa-sée-ba, ó-cheen' pree-ga-dée-lees'

Here, I give you your tools back. Thank you, they came very in handy.
Он никогда́ не возвраща́л свои́ долги́.

on nee-kag-dá nye vazv-ra-schál sva-ée dal-gée

He never paid his debts back.

име́ть в виду́ [ee-myét' v vee-dú] Phrase

to mean, to imply; to keep in mind

Examples

Име́йте ввиду́, что по выходны́м слу́жба подде́ржки не рабо́тает.

ee-myéî-tye v vee-dú, chto pa vy-had-nym slúzh-ba pad-dyérsh-kee nye ra-bó-ta-yet

Please note that customer support does not work on weekends.
Что ты име́ешь ввиду́?

chto ty ee-myé-eesh v vee-dú

What do you mean?

повесели́ться [pa-vee-see-lée-tsa] Verb, perfective. Imperfective - весели́ться

to enjoy oneself, to amuse oneself, to have fun

Examples

Иди́те и хорошо́ повесели́тесь!

ee-dée-tye ee ha-ra-shó pa-vee-see-lée-tyes'

Go and have fun!
Повесели́лись и хва́тит, пора́ возвраща́ться к рабо́те!

pa-vee-see-lée-lees' ee hvá-teet, pa-rá vazv-ra-schá-tsa k ra-bó-tye

That's enough enjoying ourselves, it's time to get back to work!

штраф [shtraf] Noun, masculine

fine, penalty

Examples

Разме́ры штра́фов за э́ти наруше́ния превыша́ют разу́мные но́рмы.

raz-myé-ry shtrá-fof za é-tee na-ru-shé-nee-ya pree-vy-shá-yut ra-zúm-ny-ye nór-my

The fines for these violations exceed reasonable limits.
Ему́ вы́писали штраф за превыше́ние ско́рости.

ye-mú vý-pee-sá-lee shtraf za pree-vy-shé-nee-ye skó-ras-tee

He was given a fine for speeding.

чуде́сный [chu-dyés-nyî] Adjective

wonderful, miraculous, lovely, beautiful, marvellous

Examples

Чуде́сные лю́ди, на́ши сосе́ди, с ни́ми всегда́ интере́сно.

chu-dyés-ny-ye lyú-dee, na-shee sa-syé-dee, s née-mee fseeg-dá een-tee-ryés-na

Our neighbors are wonderful people, it's always interesting in their company.
Пого́да кака́я чуде́сная, пошли́ погуля́ем?

pa-gó-da ka-ká-ya chu-dyés-na-ya, pash-lée pa-gu-lyá-eem

What wonderful weather, let's go for a walk?

шва́бра [shváb-ra] Noun, feminine

mop, swab

Examples

Ты не мог бы принести́ шва́бру? Она́ в шкафу́ в коридо́ре.

ty ne mok by pree-nees-tée shváb-ru? a-na f shka-fú f ka-ree-dó-rye

Could you bring a mop? It's in the closet in the hallway.
В помеще́нии не оказа́лось ни шва́бры, ни тря́пки, что́бы вы́тереть грязь.

f pa-mee-schyé-nee-ee nye a-ka-zá-las' nee shváb-ry, nee tryáp-kee, chtó-by vý-tee-ryet' gryas'

There was neither mop, nor rag in the room to wipe off the dirt.

привлека́тельный [pree-vlee-ká-teel'-nyî] Adjective

attractive, alluring, inviting, fetching

Examples

Улы́бчивый и привлека́тельный, он по́льзовался спро́сом у же́нщин.

u-lýp-chee-vyî ee pree-vlee-ká-teel'-nyî, on pól'-za-val-sya spró-sam u zhén-scheen

Smiling and attractive, he was in demand among women.
Я не нахожу́ э́ту иде́ю привлека́тельной.

ya nye na-ha-zhú é-tu ee-dyé-yu pree-vlee-ká-teel'-naî

I don't find this idea appealing.

засну́ть [zas-nút'] Verb, perfective. Imperfective - засыпа́ть

to fall asleep

Examples

Она засну́ла сра́зу же, как её голова́ косну́лась поду́шки.

a-ná zas-nú-la srá-zu zhe, kak ye-yó ga-la-vá kas-nú-las' pa-dúsh-kee

She fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.
Я вот-вот засну́.

ya vot-vot zas-nú

I'm about to fall asleep.

ска́зочный [ská-zach-nyî] Adjective

unreal, of fairy tale, magical; fabulous, fantastic, improbable

Examples

Э́то назначе́ние открыва́ло пе́ред ним ска́зочные возмо́жности, о кото́рых он ра́ньше не реша́лся и мечта́ть.

é-ta naz-na-chyé-nee-ye atk-ry-vá-la pyé-reed neem ská-zach-ny-ye vaz-mózh-nas-tee, a ka-tó-ryh on rán'-she nye ree-shál-sya ee meech-tát'

This appointment opened up fabulous possibilities for him which he had never dared to dream of before.
Они́ живу́т в како́м-то своём ска́зочном ми́ре, име́ющем ма́ло отноше́ния к реа́льности.

a-née zhee-vút f ka-kóm-ta sva-yóm ská-zach-nam mée-rye, ee-myé-yu-schyem má-la at-na-shyé-nee-ya k ree-ál'-nas-tee

They live in some kind of fairy-tale world of their own which has little to do with reality.