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Russian Vocabulary: Prepositions and Conjunctions


Below is an alphabetical list of prepositions and conjunctions 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 found here, consider looking at our other word lists or 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.

Not all conjunctions and prepositions in Russian have direct translations in English. Sometimes a Russian preposition or conjunction will have multiple meanings and correspond to several English words. In other cases, several Russian words may all translate as one English word which itself has multiple meanings. This list focuses on meanings relevant to the documents on the Script Tutorial site and does not cover all possible meanings. Context, including links to the source documents for some examples, is provided to help differentiate between the various uses and meanings.

Abbreviation

Meaning

Abbreviation

Meaning

nom.nominative casemasc.masculine
acc.accusative casefem.feminine
gen.genitive caseneut.neuter
prep.prepositional caseplu.plural
dat.dative casepastpast
instr.instrumental casepres.present
arch.archaics.f.short form (for adjectives)

Russian

English

Examples

аand, while, yet, but
Denotes a subtle contrast

а воспріемниками - and the godparents

In this case, the conjunction "а" denotes a change of thought.

в
(во, arch. въ)
[+acc] into, at (a time)
[+prep] in; at (a place)

въ брачный союзъ - into a marriage union

въ четыре часа - at four o'clock

въ деревнѣ - in the village

въ январѣ - in January

для[+gen] for (in the
sense of recipient or
intended audience;
regarding the purpose
of an action)

для лицъ, обязанныхъ припискою - for persons required to register

еслиif
за[+acc] for
[+instr] due to; for
what reason/purpose

за какимъ винословiемъ - for what reason

иand
из
(arch. изъ)
[+gen] from; of;
originally born, nee

изъ села - from the village

изъ коихъ - of which

Маріанны изъ Адамковъ - Marianna nee Adamkov

илиor
к
(ко, arch. къ)
[+dat] to

препятствіяхъ къ бракосочетанію - obstacles to marriage

лиInterrogative particle,
indicates that the statement
is uncertain or hypothetical

Родился-ли ЗДѢСЬ - was [this person] born here

на[+acc] for
[+prep] on, at

на 1910 годъ - for the year 1910

на Варшавско-Вольскомъ православномъ кладбищѣ - at the Warsaw-Wola cemetery

на литургiю - at liturgy

ноbut
о
(об, arch. объ, ѡ)
[+prep] about

ѡ оумершихъ - about the deceased

от
(arch. отъ, ѿ)
[+gen] from

лѣтъ отъ роду - years from birth (years old)

Ѿ чегѡ оумеръ - from what [did this person] die

по[+dat] along, by

по железным дорогам - by railroad

по желанїю - by desire (optional)

после
(arch. послѣ)
[+gen] after
перед
(пред, arch. предъ)
[+instr] before, in front of

предъ народомъ - before the people

при[+prep] at the time of

при святомъ крещеніи - at the time of the holy baptism

с
(со, arch. съ)
[+gen] from
[+instr] with

съ обѣихъ сторонъ - from both sides

съ псаломщиками - with the parish clerks

у[+gen] at;
often use
to denote
possession

У Евграфа жена Пелагія - Yevgraf has a wife, Pelagiya

через
(arch. чрезъ)
through

чрезъ покаяніе - through repentance

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.


  1. Isaac Levitan, Мостик. Саввинская слобода, 1884, Oil on canvas. Wikimedia Commons.(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zbvenigorod_Savvinskaja_Sloboda_Levitan1884.jpg : accessed 27 August 2024). This image is in the public domain.
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