A1 adjective Neutral #2,526 most common

russian

/ˈrʌʃ.ən/

Relating to Russia, its people, its language, or its culture. It describes things that come from or are connected to the largest country in the world.

Examples

3 of 5
1

I bought a beautiful Russian doll while traveling in Moscow.

I bought a traditional doll from Russia while visiting Moscow.

2

The Russian ambassador will speak at the international summit.

The official representative from Russia will talk at the meeting.

3

My friend is Russian, and she makes amazing soup.

My friend comes from Russia and is a great cook.

Word Family

Noun
Russian
Adverb
Russially
Adjective
Russian
Related
Russia
💡

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'RUSH'. Russia is so big that if you want to see all of it, you have to 'rush' in your 'Russian' car!

Quick Quiz

Dmitry is from Saint Petersburg; he is ________.

Correct!

The correct answer is: Russian

Examples

1

I bought a beautiful Russian doll while traveling in Moscow.

everyday

I bought a traditional doll from Russia while visiting Moscow.

2

The Russian ambassador will speak at the international summit.

formal

The official representative from Russia will talk at the meeting.

3

My friend is Russian, and she makes amazing soup.

informal

My friend comes from Russia and is a great cook.

4

The course focuses on nineteenth-century Russian literature.

academic

The class studies books written by authors from Russia in the 1800s.

5

We are currently analyzing the trends in the Russian energy sector.

business

We are looking at how the energy business is changing in Russia.

Word Family

Noun
Russian
Adverb
Russially
Adjective
Russian
Related
Russia

Common Collocations

Russian language the language spoken in Russia
Russian history the past events of Russia
Russian salad a specific type of potato salad
Russian winter the very cold season in Russia
Russian citizen a person who officially belongs to Russia

Common Phrases

Russian roulette

a dangerous game of chance

Russian nesting doll

a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed inside one another

Russian dressing

a piquant salad dressing made of mayonnaise and ketchup

Often Confused With

russian vs Russia

Russia is the name of the country (noun), while Russian is the adjective or language name.

russian vs Prussian

Prussian refers to a historical region in Germany/Poland, not Russia.

📝

Usage Notes

Always capitalize 'Russian' because it is derived from a proper noun (the country Russia). It is used both as an adjective and a noun to describe people or the language.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners often use the country name 'Russia' when they should use the adjective 'Russian', for example saying 'I like Russia food' instead of 'I like Russian food.'

💡

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'RUSH'. Russia is so big that if you want to see all of it, you have to 'rush' in your 'Russian' car!

📖

Word Origin

Derived from 'Rus', the name of the medieval state and people who lived in that region.

Grammar Patterns

Used as a proper adjective before a noun (e.g., Russian tea). Used as a countable noun when referring to people (e.g., two Russians). Used as an uncountable noun when referring to the language (e.g., I speak Russian).
🌍

Cultural Context

The word is strongly associated with the Cyrillic alphabet, classical ballet, and famous novelists like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.

Quick Quiz

Dmitry is from Saint Petersburg; he is ________.

Correct!

The correct answer is: Russian

Related Words

to

A1

Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.

and

A1

A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.

a

A1

A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.

that

A1

This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.

I

A1

The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.

for

A1

Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.

not

A1

A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.

with

A1

A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.

he

A1

A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.

you

A1

Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.

Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Start learning languages for free

Start Learning Free