Russian words for beginners

In the section “Russian Words for Beginners” you can find basic Russian vocabulary that will help you to gain some confidence in making basic conversations and don’t look for your words when you want to express some simple ideas in Russian.

This section is not for complete beginners. If you are a complete beginner, we recommend you to start here: Survival Russian – Russian for dummies.

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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не за что [nye za chto] Phrase

don't mention it, there is nothing to thank me for, no problem

Examples

Спаси́бо большо́е. - Да не́ за что, пустяки́.

spa-sée-ba bal'-shó-ye. - da nye za chto, pus-tee-kée

Thank you so much. - Don't mention it, these are small things.
Спаси́бо. - Не́ за что, ра́да помо́чь.

spa-sée-ba. - nye za chto, rá-da pa-móch'

Thank you. - Don't mention it, I'm happy to help.

заболе́ть [za-ba-lyét'] Verb, perfective. Imperfective - боле́ть

to get sick; to start hurting/aching

Examples

Ма́ша не пое́хала с на́ми, она́ заболе́ла.

má-sha nye pa-yé-ha-la s ná-mee, a-ná za-ba-lyé-la

Masha did not go with us, she fell ill.
От всего́ э́того шу́ма у меня́ заболе́ла голова́.

at vsee-vó é-ta-va shú-ma u mee-nyá za-ba-lyé-la ga-la-vá

I got a headache from all this noise.

ва́нная [ván-na-ya] Noun, feminine

bathroom

Examples

Ва́нная здесь совмещённая с туале́том.

ván-na-ya zdyes' sav-mee-schyón-na-ya s tu-a-lyé-tam

The bathroom here is combined with a toilet.
Он закры́лся в ва́нной и не выхо́дит.

on zak-rýl-sya v ván-naî ee nye vy-hó-deet

He closed himself in the bathroom and does not come out.

интервью́ [een-terv'-yú] Noun, neuter

interview (a correspondent's conversation with somebody)

Examples

Наш корреспонде́нт взял интервью́ у уча́стников собы́тий.

nash kar-ryes-pan-dyént vzyal een-terv'-yú u u-chást-nee-kaf sa-bý-teeî

Our correspondent interviewed the participants of the events.
Она́ немно́го не́рвничала пе́ред интервью́.

a-ná neem-nó-ga nyérv-nee-chee-la pyé-ryet een-terv'-yú

She was a little nervous before the interview.

влюбля́ться [vlyu-blyá-tsa] Verb, imperfective. Perfective - влюби́ться

to fall in love

Examples

Говоря́т, что же́нщины влюбля́ются умо́м, а мужчи́ны – эмо́циями.

ga-va-ryát, chto zhén-schee-ny vlyub-lya-yu-tsa u-móm, a muzh-chée-ny e-mó-tsee-ya-mee

They say that women fall in love with the mind, and men with emotions.
Ка́ждый день он влюбля́лся в неё сно́ва и сно́ва.

kázh-dyî den' on vlyub-lyál-sya v nee-yó snó-va ee snó-va

Every day he was falling in love with her again and again.

дождь [dozhd'] Noun, masculine

rain

Examples

На сего́дня обеща́ли дождь.

na see-vód-nya a-bee-schá-lee dozhd'

The weather forecast for today says it's going to rain. (Lit. - For today they promised rain.)
Дождя́ не́ было уже́ па́ру ме́сяцев.

dazh-dyá nyé by-la u-zhé pá-ru myé-sya-tsef

There has not been any rain for a couple of months already.

боле́ть [ba-lyét'] Verb, imperfective. Perfective - заболе́ть

to be sick / ill; to hurt, to ache

Examples

У меня́ живо́т боли́т.

u mee-nyá zhee-vót ba-léet

My stomach hurts.
Я не приду́ сего́дня, боле́ю.

ya nye pree-dú see-vód-nya, ba-lýe-yu

I'm not coming today, I'm ill.

стоп [stop] Interjection

stop

Examples

Стоп, хва́тит руга́ться!

stop, hvá-teet ru-gá-tsa

Stop, enough arguing!
Он уви́дел сигна́л стоп и останови́лся.

on u-vée-deel seeg-nál stop ee as-ta-na-véel-sya

He saw the stop signal and stopped.

но́вый [nó-vyî] Adjective

new

Examples

Мы купи́ли но́вый холоди́льник.

my ku-pée-lee nó-vyî ha-la-déel'-neek

We bought a new refrigerator.
По но́вым пра́вилам э́то не допуска́ется.

pa nó-vym prá-vee-lam é-ta nye da-pus-ká-ee-tsa

Under the new rules, this is not allowed.

бра́узер [brá-u-zyer] Noun, masculine

browser

Examples

Каки́м бра́узером ты по́льзуешься?

ka-kéem brá-u-zye-ram ty pól'-zu-yesh-sya

What browser do you use?
Е́сли страни́ца не отобража́ется до́лжным о́бразом, почи́стите кэш бра́узера.

yés-lee stra-nee-tsa nye a-ta-bra-zhá-ee-tsa dólzh-nym ób-ra-zam, pa-chées-tee-tye kesh brá-u-zye-ra

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