100 Essential Russian Words Every Beginner Should Know

Russian

Pronunciation

English

Привет

[pree-VET]

Hi

Здравствуйте

[ZDRAHST-vooy-teh]

Hello (formal)

Доброе утро

[DOB-rah-yeh OOT-rah]

Good morning

Добрый день

[DOB-riy den']

Good afternoon

Добрый вечер

[DOB-riy VEH-cher]

Good evening

Пока

[pah-KAH]

Bye

До свидания

[daw svee-DAH-nee-yah]

Goodbye

Спасибо

[spah-SEE-bah]

Thank you

Пожалуйста

[pah-JAH-loos-tah]

Please / You're welcome

Извините

[eez-vee-NEE-teh]

Excuse me / Sorry

Russian

Pronunciation

English

Да

[dah]

Yes

Нет

[net]

No

Может быть

[MAW-jet bit]

Maybe

Конечно

[kah-NESH-nah]

Of course

Хорошо

[khah-rah-SHAW]

Good / Okay

Плохо

[PLAW-khah]

Bad

Не знаю

[neh ZNAH-yoo]

I don't know

Понимаю

[pah-nee-MAH-yoo]

I understand

Не понимаю

[neh pah-nee-MAH-yoo]

I don't understand

Помогите!

[pah-mah-GHEE-teh]

Help!

Russian

Pronunciation

English

человек

[chee-lah-VEK]

person

люди

[LEW-dee]

people

мужчина

[mooj-CHEE-nah]

man

женщина

[JEN-shshee-nah]

woman

мальчик

[MAHL-cheek]

boy

девочка

[DEH-vahch-kah]

girl

друг

[drook]

friend (male)

подруга

[pahd-ROO-gah]

friend (female)

семья

[seem-YAH]

family

ребёнок

[ree-BYAW-nahk]

child

Russian

Pronunciation

English

один

[ah-DEEN]

one

два

[dvah]

two

три

[tree]

three

четыре

[chee-TIH-reh]

four

пять

[pyaht']

five

шесть

[shest']

six

семь

[sem']

seven

восемь

[VAU-sem']

eight

девять

[DEH-vyaht']

nine

десять

[DEH-syaht']

ten

Russian

Pronunciation

English

быть

[bit']

to be

жить

[jeet']

to live

говорить

[gah-vah-REET']

to speak

понимать

[pah-nee-MAHT']

to understand

знать

[znaht']

to know

хотеть

[khah-TET']

to want

любить

[lew-BEET']

to love / like

есть

[yest']

to eat

пить

[peet']

to drink

работать

[rah-BAW-taht']

to work

Russian

Pronunciation

English

дом

[dom]

house

квартира

[kvahr-TEE-rah]

apartment

машина

[mah-SHEE-nah]

car

книга

[KNEE-gah]

book

телефон

[tee-lee-FON]

phone

деньги

[DEN-ghee]

money

вода

[vah-DAH]

water

еда

[yee-DAH]

food

кофе

[KAW-feh]

coffee

чай

[chai]

tea

Russian

Pronunciation

English

магазин

[mah-gah-ZEEN]

shop

ресторан

[rees-tah-RAHN]

restaurant

кафе

[kah-FEH]

café

школа

[SHKAW-lah]

school

университет

[oo-nee-veer-see-TET]

university

гостиница

[gahs-TEE-nee-tsah]

hotel

аэропорт

[ah-eh-rah-PORT]

airport

вокзал

[vahk-ZAHL]

train station

улица

[OO-lee-tsah]

street

город

[GAW-raht]

city

Russian

Pronunciation

English

сегодня

[see-VOD-nyah]

today

завтра

[ZAHVT-rah]

tomorrow

вчера

[vchee-RAH]

yesterday

сейчас

[siy-CHAHS]

now

потом

[pah-TOM]

later

утро

[OOT-rah]

morning

день

[den']

day

вечер

[VEH-cheer]

evening

ночь

[noch']

night

время

[VREH-myah]

time

Russian

Pronunciation

English

кто

[ktaw]

who

что

[shtaw]

what

где

[gdeh]

where

когда

[kahg-DAH]

when

почему

[pah-chee-MOO]

why

как

[kahk]

how

какой, какая,

какое, какие

[kah-KOY, kah-KAH-yah,

kah-KAW-yeh, kah-KEE-yeh]

which / what kind

сколько

[SKOL-kah]

how much / how many

чей, чья, чьё, чьи

[chay, chayh, chyaw, chyee]

whose

куда

[koo-DAH]

where to

Russian

Pronunciation

English

большой

[bahl-SHOY]

big

маленький

[MAH-leen-kiy]

small

хороший

[hhah-RAW-shiy]

good

плохой

[plah-HHOY]

bad

новый

[NAW-viy]

new

старый

[STAH-riy]

old

красивый

[krah-SEE-viy]

beautiful

интересный

[een-tee-RES-niy]

interesting

русский

[ROOS-skiy]

Russian

английский

[ahng-LIY-skiy]

English