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Russian vocabulary

3,709 words from real stories, organized by topic and frequency. Hear the pronunciation, read examples and find pictures for concrete words. Practice any list for free, without an account.

3,709words to discover
6,424meanings in context
164stories to explore

Russian vocabulary lists by topic

Choose a topic to see its words and their meanings. Listen to any word, then practice the whole list.

Family & relationships

FlashcardsMeaning quiz
  • другдругfriend
  • мамама́маmother
  • семьясемья́family
  • отецоте́цfather
  • матьматьmother
  • женажена́wife

The 100 most common Russian words

Ranked by how often each word appears across 164 Russian stories. Start here: these words make up a large share of everything you read.

  1. 1ииand
  2. 2ввin
  3. 3ненеnot
  4. 4чточтоwhat
  5. 5нанаon
  6. 6ссwith
  7. 7яяI
  8. 8бытьбытьbe
  9. 9этоэ́тоthis
  10. 10попоacross
  11. 11этотэ́тотthis
  12. 12ононhe
  13. 13ааand
  14. 14каккакlike
  15. 15ооabout
  16. 16ноноbut
  17. 17изизfrom
  18. 18ототfrom
  19. 19мымыwe
  20. 20всевсеeveryone
  21. 21тытыyou
  22. 22зазаbehind
  23. 23весьвесьall / whole
  24. 24длядляfor
  25. 25тактакso
  26. 26ккto
  27. 27тотоthat
  28. 28ууwith
  29. 29что-точто́-тоsomething
  30. 30а-а/aː/ah-ah
  31. 31ужеуже́already
  32. 32тоттотthat
  33. 33ктоктоwho
  34. 34времявре́мяtime
  35. 35из-заиз-за́because of
  36. 36вывыyou
  37. 37ониони́they
  38. 38жежеsame
  39. 39мочьмочьbe able to
  40. 40додоbefore
  41. 41толькото́лькоonly
  42. 42годгодyear
  43. 43одиноди́нone
  44. 44такойтако́йsuch
  45. 45когдакогда́when
  46. 46еслие́слиif
  47. 47дадаyes
  48. 48нетнетno
  49. 49онаона́she
  50. 50которыйкото́рыйwho/which
  51. 51егоего́his
  52. 52Егоего́his
  53. 53вотвотhere is/there is
  54. 54илии́лиor
  55. 55какойкако́йwhich/what
  56. 56ихихthem
  57. 57гдегдеwhere
  58. 58приприduring
  59. 59естьестьthere is / are
  60. 60чтобычто́быthat
  61. 61сейчассейча́сnow
  62. 62двадваtwo
  63. 63послепо́слеafter
  64. 64нунуwell
  65. 65кто-токто́-тоsomeone
  66. 66оченьо́ченьvery
  67. 67тамтамthere
  68. 68первыйпе́рвыйfirst
  69. 69сказатьсказа́тьsay
  70. 70людилю́диpeople
  71. 71человекчелове́кperson
  72. 72хотетьхоте́тьwant
  73. 73подподunder
  74. 74знатьзнатьknow
  75. 75дажеда́жеeven
  76. 76почемупочему́why
  77. 77новыйно́выйnew
  78. 78простопро́стоjust
  79. 791/ɐˈdʲin/1st
  80. 80говоритьговори́тьsay
  81. 81большебо́льшеno longer
  82. 82хорошийхоро́шийgood
  83. 83деньденьday
  84. 84быбыwould
  85. 85всегдавсегда́always
  86. 86где-тогде́-тоsomewhere
  87. 87работарабо́таjob
  88. 88безбезwithout
  89. 89ниниneither … nor …
  90. 90себясебя́oneself
  91. 91многомно́гоmany
  92. 92теперьтепе́рьnow
  93. 93сегоднясего́дняtoday
  94. 94всеговсего́only
  95. 952/dva/two
  96. 96местоме́стоplace
  97. 97всё/fsʲɵ/everything
  98. 98большойбольшо́йlarge
  99. 99ещё/ɪˈɕːo/more
  100. 100черезче́резin
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3,709 words · Illustrated discoveries

Illustration for на

на

on · at · onto · for

130 stories
Illustration for хотеть

хоте́ть

want

85 stories
Illustration for видеть

ви́деть

see · understand · see differently

81 stories
Illustration for смотреть

смотре́ть

look

80 stories
Illustration for знать

знать

know · know what to do · know someone’s work

76 stories
Illustration for один

оди́н

one · alone · same

75 stories
1 / 619
From a word to a whole world

You’ve met the words.
Now follow the story.

Every example in this library comes from an Inklingo story. Read at your level, listen to the narration, and tap a word whenever you need its meaning.

  1. Pick a story that interests you.
  2. Tap unfamiliar words as you read.
  3. Save the ones you want to remember.

A little guidance before you start

What are the most common Russian words?

The most common Russian words are short, everyday words such as и, в, не, что, на, с, я, быть. The list above ranks them by how often they appear in our stories. Learn the first 100 and you will recognize a large share of the words in any text. The 100 most common Russian words

How many Russian words do I need to know?

A few hundred frequent words are enough to follow simple texts and conversations. Around 1,000 to 2,000 cover most everyday reading, and the rest comes naturally as you read. Learn frequent words first, then the topic words for the situations you care about.

What’s the best way to learn Russian vocabulary?

Start with a small set of useful words. Recall their meanings in an exercise, then read their story examples. Save words you want to revisit and return to them over several short sessions.

Can I practice without an account?

Yes. Browse the library and use all five exercises freely. Create a free account when you want to keep a word in your Word Bank and review it later on the web or in the app.

Why does a word have several meanings?

The right translation depends on the sentence. Open any word to compare its meanings, pictures, and original examples instead of memorizing a single translation.

Are these words for beginners?

You can filter by the reading level of the stories where each word appears, starting at A0 or A1. That tells you about the story’s difficulty; it is not a certified level for the word itself.

Learn the meaning, not just the translation.
A word can express different ideas in different stories. This library brings its meanings, images, and examples together. The level filter refers to the source story’s reading level, not a certified level for the word. Translations are available in 26 languages. Free practice progress stays in this browser. Save words to your account to keep them in your Word Bank.

Learn Russian words in context

A Russian word changes form with case, number and tense. Search a dictionary form or a form found in these stories, then compare the cached contextual senses and original examples. Source-story levels describe the story, not a certified level for each word. Search accepts е for ё but keeps й distinct from и.