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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се́рдце [syér-tse] Noun, masculine

heart

Examples

Он разби́л ей се́рдце.

on raz-béel iei syér-tse

He broke her heart.
С глаз доло́й - из се́рдца вон.

s glas da-lói - ees syér-tsa von

Out of sight, out of mind.

прия́тный [pree-yát-nyi] Adjective

pleasant, agreeable, nice

Examples

Како́й прия́тный сюрпри́з!

ka-kói pree-yát-nyi syur-prées

What a nice surprise!
Заигра́ла прия́тная му́зыка.

za-eeg-rá-la pree-yát-na-ya mú-zy-ka

Some nice music started playing.

в́олос [vó-las] Noun, masculine, plural - во́лосы

hair

Examples

У неё бы́ли дли́нные во́лосы.

u nee-yó by-lee dléen-ny-ye vó-la-sy

She had long hair.
Я бы хоте́ла покра́сить во́лосы.

ya by ha-tyé-la pak-rá-seet' vó-la-sy

I'd like to dye my hair.

шёпот [shó-pat] Noun, masculine

whisper

Examples

Говори́ шёпотом, де́ти спят.

ga-va-rée shó-pa-tom, dyé-tee spyat

Speak low (whisper), the kids are sleeping.
В темноте́ послы́шался чей-то шёпот.

f teem-na-tyé pas-lý-shal-sya chéi-ta shó-pat

In the darkness, somebody whispered.

глаз [glas] Noun, masculine

eye

Examples

Откро́й глаза́!

atk-rói gla-zá

Open your eyes!
У него́ бы́ли ка́рие глаза́.

u nee-vó bý-lee ká-ree-ye gla-zá

He had brown eyes.

табуре́тка [ta-bu-ryét-ka] Noun, feminine, variation - табуре́т

stool

Examples

В ко́мнате не́ было никако́й ме́бели, кро́ме табуре́тки.

f kóm-na-tye nyé by-lo nee-ka-kói myé-bye-lee, kró-mye ta-bu-ryét-kee

The room had no furniture, except a stool.
На уро́ках труда́ ма́льчиков учи́ли де́лать табуре́тку.

na u-ró-kah tru-dá mál'-chee-kaf u-chée-lee dyé-lat' ta-bu-ryét-ku

In the shop classes (manual training), the boys were taught to make a stool.

лоб [lop] Noun, masculine

forehead

Examples

Она́ нахму́рила лоб.

a-ná nah-mú-ree-la lob

She frowned.
У него́ на лбу напи́сано, что он программи́ст.

u nee-vó na lbú na-pée-sa-na chto on prag-ram-méest

It's writ large on his face that he is a programmer.

зарпла́та [zar-plá-ta] Noun, feminine, short from за́работная пла́та

wages, salary

Examples

За после́дние два го́да его́ зарпла́та вы́росла в три ра́за.

za pas-lyéd-nee-ye dva gó-da ee-vó zar-plá-ta vý-ras-la f tree rá-za

Over the past two years, his salary has grown three-fold.
На каку́ю зарпла́ту вы рассчи́тываете?

na ka-kú-yu zar-plá-tu vy ras-chée-ty-va-ee-tye

What salary do you expect?

ту́мбочка [túm-bach-ka] Noun, feminine

bedside-table

Examples

Во́зле крова́ти стоя́ла небольша́я ту́мбочка.

vóz-lee kra-vá-tee sta-yá-la nee-bal'-shá-ya túm-bach-ka

There was was a small bedside table near the bed.
Ключи́ в ту́мбочке, в ни́жнем я́щике.

klyu-chée f túm-bach-kye, v néezh-neem yá-schee-kye

The keys are in the bedside-table, in the bottom drawer.

ше́я [shé-ya] Noun, feminine

neck

Examples

Ты мне так ше́ю слома́ешь.

ty mnye tak shé-yu sla-má-eesh

You are going to break my neck like that.
Де́ти бро́сились ему́ на ше́ю.

dyé-tee bró-see-lees' ye-mú na shé-yu

Kids threw themselves at him (on his neck).