The core of Russian: the words you meet on every page
A small set of words does most of the work in any Russian text or conversation. This page gathers them by type, each with its stress, pronunciation and the forms you need. Learn these first and every other topic becomes easier to read.
A1 to A2·116 words·Audio for every word
At the centre, the tiny words in almost every sentence. Around them, the verbs and nouns of daily life. At the edge, the describing and linking words that make speech sound natural.
The short answer
The most frequent Russian words are short function words (и, в, не, на, что), the personal pronouns (я, ты, он…), and a few dozen verbs and nouns: быть (to be), мочь (can), знать (to know), челове́к (person), вре́мя (time), год (year). Learn each verb with its я and ты forms, each noun with its gender and plural, and always with the stress. The 116 words below are the foundation for every topic on this site.
The twenty smallest words
These are the words that hold sentences together: “and”, “in”, “not”, “that”. Most are one syllable and unstressed in speech, so they blend into the next word: в шко́ле is said as one word, “FSHKO-lye”. Several are prepositions (linking words before a noun), each with its own case; see prepositions. For general methods that work in any language, see our guide to building vocabulary.
People and questions
The eight personal pronouns (words that stand in for a noun) and eight question words. Together they let you ask and answer almost anything. Pronouns change their form in each case; see pronouns and questions.
The 24 most useful verbs
Each verb is shown with its я (I) and ты (you) forms, which together reveal the whole present tense and its stress. Verbs marked pf. are perfective (they describe a completed action), so those forms mean the future: скажу́, “I will say”. See verb aspect and verb tables.
Verb
Meaning
я
ты
to be (future forms)
can, to be able
to say, tell (pf.)
to speak, say
to know
to become; to start (pf.)
to want
to go (on foot, now)
to see
to give (pf.)
to think
to live
to do, make
to look, watch
to take (pf.)
to work
to love, like
to understand
to begin (pf.)
to sit, be sitting
to stand, be standing
to receive, get (pf.)
to wait (for)
to write
The 24 most useful nouns
Each noun shows its gender (m. masculine, f. feminine, n. neuter), which decides its endings, and its plural, because many of the commonest nouns have irregular ones: челове́к → лю́ди, ребёнок → де́ти. See noun gender and plurals.
Sixteen describing words
Adjectives (describing words) are listed in their masculine form. They change their ending to match the noun: но́вый дом, но́вая кни́га, но́вое окно́. See adjective endings. Many come in opposite pairs, shown side by side here.
Sixteen adverbs and linking words
These never change their form. They say when, where, how much and why, and link one idea to the next. See adverbs and joining sentences.
Real sentences from core words only
Every word in these sentences is on this page. They show how far the core alone can take you: these are things people say every day.
With the twenty smallest words and a handful of verbs you can already build whole sentences like this; the vocabulary below is chosen for exactly that.