Russian Vocabulary: General Word List
Below is a list of terms found in Russian records. Each word is generally listed first in its modern form, followed by relevant variants, including some with archaic spelling. If the word you are looking for is not here, consider looking at the FamilySearch Wiki Russian Genealogical Word List. If you're still struggling to find the right word, it may be a person's or place name. Follow the guidelines listed under Practical Suggestions and use other resources on our site such as those found on the Names page.
Using the keyboard commands Ctrl+F (Windows) or Command+F (Mac) can be helpful when searching through word lists. Simply type the first few letters or a part of the word you know, and the search function will highlight any words in the list that contain that sequence of letters.
This list is a compilation of entries from our topical word lists. Select a topic from the Genealogical Glossary main page to see more details and examples for each word from the following list.
Abbreviation | Meaning | Abbreviation | Meaning |
| nom. | nominative case | masc. | masculine |
| acc. | accusative case | fem. | feminine |
| gen. | genitive case | neut. | neuter |
| prep. | prepositional case | plu. | plural |
| dat. | dative case | past | past |
| instr. | instrumental case | pres. | present |
| arch. | archaic | s.f. | short form (for adjectives) |
Russian | English | Examples |
| а | and, while, yet, but (denotes a subtle contrast) | — |
| акт | document, record, certificate | 
(arch. актъ) |
| армия | army | — |
| артиллерист | artillery | — |
| бабушка | grandmother | — |
| батальон (gen. баталіона) | battalion | — |
| благородный | noble | — |
| благородство | nobility | — |
| благословить/поблагословить (past masc. поблагословилъ) | to bless (blessed) | — |
| близнец (plu. близнецы) | twin | — |
| болезнь (arch. болѣзнь) | disease | 
(arch. болѣзнь) |
| бомбардир (arch. бомбардиръ) | bombardier | — |
| брак (arch. бракъ) | marriage | — |
| бракосочетавшийся (prep. plu. бракосочетавшихсѧ) | the one who got married | — |
| бракосочетание (dat. бракосочетанiю) | wedding | — |
| брат (arch. братъ) | brother | — |
| бременная | pregnant | — |
| бывший | former | 
|
| быть (past masc. былъ, past fem. была, past plu. были) | to be (was) | — |
| в (во, arch. въ) | [+acc] - into, at (a time); [+prep] - in; at (a place) | — |
| вдова | widow | — |
| вдовец (arch. вдовецъ) | widower | — |
| вдовый (masc. s.f. вдовъ) | widowed | — |
| ведомость | register, record, list | 
|
| венчание (gen. вѣнчанiя) | wedding | — |
| венчать (past masc. вѣнчалъ) | to solemnize a marriage (solemnized) | — |
| вероисповедание (gen. вѣроисповѣданїя) | religion, denomination | — |
| вечер (gen. вечера; instr. вечеромъ) | evening | — |
| взрослый | adult | — |
| викарный | vicar | — |
| винословие | reason (excuse) | 
(arch. instr. винословїемъ) |
| владелец | bearer, owner, proprietor | — |
| властный | authoritative | 
|
| внебрачный ребёнок | illegitimate child | — |
| внук | grandson | — |
| внучка | granddaughter | — |
| военный | military, soldier | — |
| возраст (gen. возраста) | age | — |
| воинский (gen. воинской) | military | — |
| война | war | — |
| волость (gen. волости) | volost (type of administrative unit) | — |
| восприемник (plu. воспріемники, instr. воспріемниками) | godparent | — |
| восточной | eastern | — |
| вотчина (gen. вотчины) | patrimony, land inheritance | — |
| временный (prep. временной) | temporary | — |
| время | time | — |
| вступающий (plu. instr. вступающими) | the one entering (into marriage, for example) | — |
| вчера | yesterday | — |
| вчерашний | yesterday (adj.) | — |
| выписка | extract, record | 
|
| выходить замуж | to get married (for women) | — |
| где (arch. гдѣ) | where | — |
| глава (dat. главѣ) | head (of household) | — |
| год (arch. годъ, gen. года, gen. plu. лет, лѣтъ) | year | — |
| город (prep. городѣ) | city | — |
| господин (gen. господина) | sir, lord, master of an estate | — |
| гражданин | citizen (male) | — |
| гражданка | citizen (female) | — |
| грамота | literacy | 
|
| грамотный | literate | 
|
| губерния (arch. губернія) | governorate, province | — |
| дать | to give | — |
| двор (gen. двора) | yard, court, estate | — |
| дворянин | nobleman | — |
| дворянка | noblewoman | — |
| дворянство | nobility | — |
| двоюродная сестра | cousin (female) | — |
| двоюродный брат | cousin (male) | — |
| девица (arch. дѣвица) | maiden | — |
| девка (plu. девки) | girl | — |
| дед (дедушка) | grandfather | — |
| действие (arch. действо, arch. gen. дѣйства) | action | 
(arch. gen. дѣйства) |
| дело | case, matter, business | 
(arch. gen. plu. дѣлъ) |
| день (gen. дня) | day | — |
| деревня (gen. деревни) | village | — |
| диакон (arch. дiаконъ) | deacon | — |
| дитя (plu.дети) | child | — |
| для | [+gen] - for (in the sense of recipient or intended audience; regarding the purpose of an action) | — |
| договор | agreement | 
|
| дом | house, home, building | — |
| домашний (plu. домашнiе) | household (can act as an adjective or noun) | — |
| дочь (plu. дочери) | daughter | — |
| духовенство | clergy | — |
| духовная консистория | spiritual consistory | — |
| духовный (plu. духовные) | spiritual, soul | — |
| дядя | uncle | — |
| еврей | Jew (man) | — |
| еврейка | Jew (woman) | — |
| еврейский (arch. еврейскiй; prep. еврейской) | Hebrew, Jewish | — |
| епархия (gen. епархiи) | diocese | — |
| епископ | bishop | — |
| если | if | — |
| же | same (when paired with certain words, e.g., того же, такой же); sometimes acts as a modifier, adding emphasis | 
той же - of the same |
| жена | wife | — |
| женатый | married (of a man) | — |
| жениться | to get married (for men) | — |
| жених (prep. женихѣ) | groom | — |
| женский | female | 
(arch. gen. женска) |
| житель | inhabitant, occupant | — |
| за | [+acc] - for [+instr] - due to; for what reason/purpose | — |
| законный (fem. законная) | lawful (often paired with wife) | — |
| запасной | reserve | — |
| запись | record, recording, registration | 
(nom. plu. записи) |
| звание (arch. званїе) | social status, rank, title | 
(arch. званїе) |
| здесь (arch. здѣсь) | here | — |
| земледелец (arch. земледѣлецъ) | farmer | — |
| и | and | — |
| из (изъ) | [+gen] - from; of; originally born, nee | — |
| или | or | — |
| имение | estate | 
|
| имя | name | — |
| инвалидный (gen. інвалидной) | injured, disabled | — |
| исповедание (gen. исповѣданiя) | confession | — |
| к (ко, arch. къ) | [+dat] - to | — |
| как (arch. какъ) | how | — |
| какой (gen. какого, какогѡ; gen. plu. какихъ; instr. какимъ) | which, what | — |
| капитан (arch. капитанъ) | captain | — |
| кирхшпиль (gen. кирхшпиля) | parish (in some documents from the Baltic region) | — |
| кладбище (arch. кладбищѣ) | cemetery | — |
| книга | book | 
|
| когда | when | — |
| кой (gen. plu. коихъ) | which | — |
| коликократный | how many times; multiple times | 
Когда? гдѣ? кто? и по (prep.) коликократномъ оглашенiи? - When? where? who? and with how many marriage banns? |
| колония | colony | — |
| команда (gen. команды) | team, unit | — |
| который (gen. котораго) | which | — |
| крестьянин (arch. крестьянинъ, plu. крестьяане) | peasant | — |
| крещение (gen. крещенiя) | baptism | — |
| крещённый (fem. s.f. крещена; masc. s.f. крещёнъ) | baptized | — |
| ксёндз (arch. ксёндзъ) | priest (Catholic) | — |
| кто (acc/gen. кого prep. ком dat. кому instr. кем | who, whom | — |
| ли | interrogative particle, indicates that the statement is uncertain or hypothetical | — |
| литургия (acc. литургiю) | liturgy | — |
| люди (gen. людей) | people | — |
| лютеранский (gen. лютеранскаго) | Lutheran | — |
| мама | mama, mom | — |
| мать | mother | — |
| местечко (gen. мѣстечка) | village, shtetl (Yiddish) | — |
| место | place | — |
| месяц (gen. мѣсяца) | month | — |
| мещанин (arch. мѣщанинъ, fem. мѣщанка, plu. мѣщане) | petty bourgeois, middle-class | — |
| младенец (arch. младенецъ, gen. младенца) | baby | — |
| муж | husband | — |
| мужик | peasant | — |
| мужской | male | 
(arch. gen. мужеска) |
| мужчина | man | — |
| мусульманский | Islamic | — |
| на | [+acc] - for [+prep] - on, at | — |
| arch. надесять | teen (for example, пятого надесять means fifteenth) | 
archaic втораго надесять - twelfth |
| на лицо | present | — |
| не | not | 
|
| невеста (prep. невѣстѣ) | bride, fiancee | — |
| невестка | daughter-in-law, sister-in-law (brother's wife) | — |
| неграмотный | illiterate | — |
| незаконноприжитой | illegitimate (child) | — |
| незаконнорождёный | illegitimate (child) | — |
| нет | no; there is not | 
(arch. нѣт) |
| но | but | — |
| новобрачный | newlywed | — |
| новорождёный | newborn | — |
| нотариус | notary | — |
| ночь (gen. ночи instr. ночью) | night (at night) | — |
| ныне (arch. нынѣ) | now | — |
| о (об, arch. объ, ѡ) | [+prep] - about | — |
| оба | both | 
|
| область | oblast, region (type of administrative unit) | — |
| обрезание (gen. обрѣзанiя) | circumcision | — |
| обручение | engagement, betrothal | — |
| обряд (arch. обрядъ) | rite | — |
| общество | society | 
|
| объявлять/объявить (adv. part. объявляя, past masc. объявил) | to announce (announcing, announced) | — |
| округ | okrug, district (type of administrative unit) | — |
| оной | this, that, the said (referring back to something previously mentioned) | — |
| опекун | guardian | — |
| от (arch. отъ, ѿ) | [+gen] - from | — |
| отец (gen. отца) | father | — |
| от роду | from birth | — |
| отставный (gen. отставнаго) | retired | — |
| отчество | patronym | — |
| офицер (arch. офицеръ) | officer | — |
| папа | papa, dad | — |
| паспорт | passport | 
(dat. паспорту) |
| перед (пред, arch. предъ) | [+instr] - before, in front of | — |
| племянник | nephew | — |
| племянница | niece | — |
| по | [+dat] - along, by | — |
| погребение (arch. погребенїе) | burial | — |
| показание | testimony | 
(gen. показанїѧ) |
| пол | sex, gender | 
(gen. пола) |
| полковник | colonel | — |
| пономарь | sexton | — |
| посад | settlement | — |
| после (arch. послѣ) | [+gen] - after | — |
| потомок | descendant | — |
| прабабушка | great grandmother | — |
| правнук | great grandson | — |
| правнучка | great granddaughter | — |
| православный (gen. православнаго) | Orthodox | — |
| прадедушка | great grandfather | — |
| предок | ancestor, forefather | — |
| предъявить (past masc. предъявил) | to present (presented) | — |
| при | [+prep] - at the time of | — |
прибыть (past neut. прибыло) | to arrive (arrived) | — |
| присутствие (prep. присутствіи) | presence | — |
| приход (gen. прихода) | parish | — |
| прихожанин (gen. plu. прихожанъ) | parishioner | — |
| причастие (gen. причастiя, причастїѧ) | Communion | — |
| протоиерей (arch. протоiерей) | archpriest | — |
| псаломщик (arch. псаломщикъ) | acolyte, parish clerk | — |
| раввин (arch. раввинъ) | rabbi | — |
| разведник (arch. разведникъ) | divorcé | — |
| разведница | divorcée | — |
| развод (dat. разводу) | divorce | — |
| район | raion, area (type of administrative unit) | — |
| ребёнок | child | — |
| реестр | register | 
(dat. реестру) |
| ремесло | trade, occupation | — |
| Римско-Католический (gen. Римско-Католическаго) | Roman Catholic | — |
| родитель (plu. родители, gen. родителей) | parent | — |
| родиться (past masc. родился, past fem. родилась, past plu. родились, past arch. родися ) | to be born (was born) | — |
| родной (abb. рдной) | native (language, for example) full or biological when referring to family relationships. For example, родной брат means "biological brother" (same parents), while двоюродный брат means "cousin" (literally "second brother") | — |
| рождающийся (prep. раждающихся, рождающихъ) | the one who was born | — |
| рождение (gen. рожденiя, рожденїѧ) | birth | — |
| рядовой | soldier, private (military rank) | — |
| с (со, arch. съ) | [+gen] - from [+instr] - with | — |
| свидетель (gen. plu. свидетелей) | witness | — |
| святой (abb. св.; gen. святаго, свѧтагѡ; prep. святомъ) | holy, saint | — |
| священник | priest | — |
| сделанный | done | 
(s.f. plu. сдѣланы) |
| сегодня | today | — |
| сегодняшний | today (adj.) | — |
| сей | this | — |
| село (gen. села) | village | — |
| семья (plu. семьи) | family | — |
| сестра | sister | — |
| cобор (gen. собора) | cathedral | — |
| cовершать (past masc. совершалъ) | to accomplish, complete (accomplished, completed) | — |
| cовершаться (3rd person sing. pres. совершается) | to be accomplished or completed (was accomplished, was completed) | — |
| солдат | soldier | — |
| солдатский (fem. солдатская) | of a soldier | — |
| состояться (past neut. состоялось) | to take place (took place) | — |
| сочетаться (past plu. сочетались) | to be combined, joined, married (was combined, was joined, was married) | — |
| стан (abb. ст.) | stan (type of administrative unit) | — |
| супруг (plu. супруговъ) | spouse, husband | — |
| супруга | spouse, wife | — |
| сын (arch. сынъ, abb. снъ, plu. сыновья) | son | — |
| таинство | ordinance, sacrament | — |
| таина (gen. plu. таинъ) | ordinance, mystery | — |
| только (arch. токмѡ, токмо) | only | 
только 
(arch. токмѡ) |
| у | [+gen] - at; often use to denote possession | — |
| уезд (gen. уѣзда) | uyezd (type of administrative unit) | — |
| умереть (past masc. умеръ, past fem. умерла, past plu. умерли) | to die (died) | — |
| умерший (gen. умершаго, оумершагѡ) | deceased (often acts as a noun) | — |
| унтер-офицер (arch. ундеръ офицеръ) | under officer (category of military rank) | — |
| урождённая (fem. gen. урождённой) | originally born, nee | — |
| утро (gen. утра, instr. утром) | morning | — |
| фамилия (arch. фамилїѧ) | surname | — |
| халица (acc. халицу) | halizah (Jewish religious ceremony) | — |
| хозяин (arch. хозяинъ) | master, head, host | — |
| холостой (s.f. masc. холостъ) | single, unmarried | — |
| христианский (arch. христiанскiй) | Christian | — |
| церковь (gen. церкви) | noun - church | — |
| час (gen. часа, gen. plu. часов) | hour (can mean "o'clock" when in the genitive case) | — |
| часть | part | 
(gen. части) |
| чей (dat. чьему) | whose | — |
| через (arch. чрезъ) | through | — |
| чин | rank | 
(arch. чин) |
| число (gen. числа) | date, number | — |
| член | member | 
(arch. член) |
| что | what | — |
| явиться (past masc. явился) | to appear (appeared) | — |
To view translations of specific words and phrases you may encounter in a certain document type, visit the corresponding Document Types page of this tutorial.
- Ilya Repin, Preparation for the exam, 1864, Oil on canvas. Wikimedia Commons.(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Repin_studying_exam.jpg : accessed 15 August 2024). This image is in the public domain.