Russian in Russian: How to say?

Jul 05, 2020 | How to say it in Russian?

Saying Russian in Russian depends on the context, as there are multiple ways to do it.

If you want to say, for example, Russian language, you need to use the adjective ру́сский:

– ру́сский язы́к
[rús-keeî ya-zýk]
Russian language

Ру́сский in this case is masculine, as well as the noun which it describes (язы́к). Let look at how it will look in feminine and neuter genders:

– ру́сская жена́
[rús-ka-ya zhee-ná]
Russian wife

– ру́сское о́бщество
[rús-ka-ye óp-scheest-va]
Russian society

In plural, it will be:

– ру́сские лю́ди
[rús-kee-ye lyú-dee]
Russian people

Keep in mind, that Russian adjectives also change in cases. It means their endings can change depending on which role the noun, that the adjective describes, plays in the sentence. You can find more information about it here: declension of Russian adjectives.

Another sentence where you would want to say Russian would be, for example, I speak Russian.

In this case, you need to use the adverb по-ру́сски which literally means in Russian:

– Я говорю́ по-ру́сски.
[ya ga-va-ryú pa-rús-kee]
I speak Russian (lit.: I speak in Russian).

Here are more sentences of this type:

– Ты говори́шь по-ру́сски?
[ty ga-va-réesh’ pa-rús-kee]
Do you speak Russian?

– Здесь напи́сано по-ру́сски.
[zdyes’ na-pée-sa-na pa-rús-kee]
It’s written in Russian here.

The difference between the adjective (ру́сский) and and adverb (по-ру́сски) is that the adjective describes a noun or a pronoun, and the adverb describes a verb. Following this principal and the rules of Russian adjectival declension, you can be always sure that you are able to pick the right way to say Russian in Russian.

If you get confused in the grammatical explanations, we invite you to study Russian grammar online on another of our websites.

Listen to "Russian" in Russian

по-ру́сски

[parúskee] Phrase

in Russian

ру́сский

[rúskeeî] Adjective

Russian

Examples of "Russian" in Russian

Я говорю́ по-ру́сски.

ya gavaryú parúskee

I speak Russian.
Вы говори́те по-ру́сски?

vy gavaréetye parúskee

Do you speak Russian?
Он отли́чно говори́т по-ру́сски.

on atléechna gavaréet parúskee

He speaks excellent Russian.
Я могу́ чита́ть по-ру́сски, но говори́ть мне сло́жно.

ya magú cheetát' parúskee, no gavaréet' mnye slózhna

I can read in Russian, but it's difficult for me to talk.
Здесь не по-ру́сски напи́сано.

zdyes' nye parúskee napéesana

It is not written in Russian here.
Он изуча́ет ру́сский язы́к.

on eezucháeet rúskeeî yazýk

He is learning Russian language.
На́ши са́йты предоставля́ют возмо́жность учи́ть ру́сский язы́к беспла́тно.

náshee sáîty preedastavlýayut vazmózhnast' ucheet' rúskeeî yazýk beesplátna

Our sites provide the opportunity to learn Russian for free.
Она́ рабо́тает учи́телем ру́сского языка́ в шко́ле.

aná rabótayet uchéeteelyem rúskava yazyka f shkólye

She works as a teacher of Russian language in school.