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Russian vocabulary·рабо́та · work

Russian work vocabulary

Short answer: work is рабо́та (ra-BO-ta), and “I work” is я рабо́таю. To say what you work as, put the job in the instrumental case: Я рабо́таю врачо́м, “I work as a doctor”. This guide gives 24 jobs, the workplace, the working day and the phrases for emails and meetings.

Мари́я Ивано́ва инжене́р ООО «Се́вер» · Москва́ +7 495 000-00-00 Я рабо́таю инжене́ром. I · work · as an engineer On the card: инжене́р. In a sentence: инжене́ром.
A job title is written in the dictionary form, but after рабо́тать (to work) it takes the instrumental ending -ом.
On this page 24 jobsSaying what you doThe workplaceThe working dayEmails and meetingsRelated guides

24 jobs

Many Russian job titles are masculine nouns that are used for women too: a woman doctor is still врач. Others have a separate feminine form (a version of the word for women), shown in the third column. Tap any word to hear it. When you write at work in English too, see our guides to business emails and cover letters.

JobPronunciationWoman“I work as…”English
vrach same word Я рабо́таю врачо́м doctor
myet-sis-TRA медсестра́ Я рабо́таю медсестро́й nurse
sta-ma-TO-lak same word Я рабо́таю стомато́логом dentist
far-ma-TSEFT same word Я рабо́таю фармаце́втом pharmacist
u-CHEE-til’ учи́тельница Я рабо́таю учи́телем teacher
pri-pa-da-VA-til’ преподава́тельница Я рабо́таю преподава́телем lecturer
u-CHO-ny same word Я рабо́таю учёным scientist
stu-DYENT студе́нтка Я рабо́таю студе́нтом student
in-zhi-NYER same word Я рабо́таю инжене́ром engineer
pra-gra-MEEST same word Я рабо́таю программи́стом programmer
bu-GAL-tir same word Я рабо́таю бухга́лтером accountant
MYE-ned-zher same word Я рабо́таю ме́неджером manager
yu-REEST same word Я рабо́таю юри́стом lawyer
si-kri-TAR’ секрета́рша Я рабо́таю секретарём secretary
zhur-na-LEEST журнали́стка Я рабо́таю журнали́стом journalist
pi-ri-VOT-chik перево́дчица Я рабо́таю перево́дчиком translator
va-DEE-til’ same word Я рабо́таю води́телем driver
PO-var same word Я рабо́таю по́варом cook
a-fi-tsy-ANT официа́нтка Я рабо́таю официа́нтом waiter
pra-da-VYETS продавщи́ца Я рабо́таю продавцо́м shop assistant
stra-EE-til’ same word Я рабо́таю строи́телем builder
e-LYEK-trik same word Я рабо́таю электри́ком electrician
pa-rik-MA-khir same word Я рабо́таю парикма́хером hairdresser
FYER-mir same word Я рабо́таю фе́рмером farmer

Saying what you do

There are two ways to state your job. The short one uses no verb at all, because Russian drops “am, is, are” in the present. The longer one uses рабо́тать and the instrumental case, the case for “as” or “by means of”. The place you work takes в or на with the prepositional case, the case for location.

SHORT · NO VERBFULL · WITH рабо́тать Я врач. I · doctor Dictionary form, nothing else. Я рабо́таю врачо́м в больни́це. I · work · as a doctor · in · hospital -ом instrumental: “as”. -е prepositional: “in”.
Feminine jobs in -а/-ница take -ой/-ей in the instrumental: учи́тельница → учи́тельницей.
kyem vy ra-BO-ta-yi-tye Кемas whomвыyouрабо́таетеwork What do you do? The standard question. кем is the instrumental of кто: literally “as whom do you work?”.
ya ra-BO-ta-yu u-CHEE-til’-ni-tsey f SHKO-lye ЯIрабо́таюworkучи́тельницейas a teacherвinшко́леschool I work as a teacher at a school. Feminine -а → -ей after ц in the instrumental; шко́ла → шко́ле for location.
gdye vy ra-BO-ta-yi-tye Гдеwhereвыyouрабо́таетеwork Where do you work? Asks about the place, not the job.
ya ra-BO-ta-yu v BAN-kye ЯIрабо́таюworkвinба́нкеbank I work at a bank. в + prepositional: банк → ба́нке.
ya na PYEN-si-i ЯIнаonпе́нсииpension I’m retired. Literally “I am on pension”: на + prepositional.
ya i-SHCHU ra-BO-tu ЯIищу́look forрабо́туwork I’m looking for a job. рабо́та is the object, so accusative: -а → -у.

The workplace

Places take в (in) or на (at, on). The choice is fixed for each word, so learn the word with its preposition. Most buildings take в; на goes with open areas and some institutions.

компью́терпри́нтердокуме́нтыкре́слостол computerprinterdocumentsoffice chairdesk
At the desk: на столе́ (on the desk), за столо́м (sitting at the desk).
в + place на + place

The working day

One day at the office, hour by hour. Each verb is shown in the form you would use about yourself.

  1. 9:00 ya pri-kha-ZHU na ra-BO-tu ЯIприхожу́arriveнаatрабо́туwork I arrive at work.
  2. 9:30 ya pra-vi-RYA-yu POCH-tu ЯIпроверя́юcheckпо́чтуmail I check my email.
  3. 11:00 u nas sa-vi-SHCHA-ni-ye Уatнасusсовеща́ниеmeeting We have a meeting.
  4. 13:00 ya a-BYE-da-yu s ka-LYE-ga-mi ЯIобе́даюhave lunchсwithколле́гамиcolleagues I have lunch with colleagues.
  5. 15:00 ya pi-SHU at-CHOT ЯIпишу́writeотчётreport I write a report.
  6. 18:00 ya u-kha-ZHU da-MOY ЯIухожу́leaveдомо́йhome I leave for home.

Emails and meetings

Work Russian is formal by default: colleagues you do not know well are вы, and senior people are addressed by first name and patronymic (a middle name made from the father’s name). Below, a short work email, line by line.

Кому́ (to): Ива́н Петро́вич Смирно́вТе́ма (subject): Встре́ча в четве́рг
u-va-ZHA-yi-my i-VAN pi-TRO-vichУважа́емыйrespectedИва́нIvanПетро́вичPetrovich Dear Ivan Petrovich,The formal greeting: name plus patronymic, followed by “!”.
bla-ga-da-RYU vas za VA-she pis’-MOБлагодарю́thankвасyouзаforва́шеyourписьмо́letter Thank you for your email.благодарю́ is more formal than спаси́бо.
prid-la-GA-yu FSTRYE-tit’-sya f chit-VYERK v DYE-syat’Предлага́юI proposeвстре́титьсяto meetвonчетве́ргThursdayвat10:00ten I suggest we meet on Thursday at 10:00.Days and times both take в.
BU-du rat VA-she-mu at-VYE-tuБу́дуI’ll beрадgladва́шемуyourотве́туreply I look forward to your reply.рад takes the dative. A woman writes бу́ду ра́да.
s u-va-ZHE-ni-yem, ma-REE-ya i-va-NO-vaСwithуваже́ниемrespectМари́яMariaИвано́ваIvanova Kind regards, Maria IvanovaThe standard sign-off, literally “with respect”.