Russian Expressions Explained

so-so / mediocre / not great

just now / just (did something)

so / so then / therefore

it doesn't matter / all the same / anyway

after all / still / nevertheless

exactly / just right / precisely / right on time

maybe / I wonder / ...or what?

just in case / if anything comes up / if you need anything

unlikely / I doubt it / probably not

for now / so far / at the moment

still / up until now / to this day

somehow (specific) vs somehow (any way) / some time

something (specific) vs something/anything (open-ended)

but / after all / come on / exactly (emphatic particle)

after all / you see / surely / (it's obvious that...)

in general / at all (вообще) vs actually / to be honest (вообще-то)

so what / no way / come on / okay okay

but at least / on the other hand / to make up for it

so it turns out / that means / the way I see it

really / come on / truly / of all things

also / too — same meaning, different grammar and register

to look/watch vs to see

to hear vs to listen

can/may vs need to / must

still/yet vs already

now (at this moment) vs now (from this point on)

after (a noun/event) vs later/afterwards

probably vs certainly vs most likely

to dress someone vs to put on clothing

to teach/memorize vs to study/learn vs to study in depth

to know vs to find out / recognize

homeward/to home vs at home

why (cause) vs what for/why (purpose)

because vs therefore/that is why

any/whichever vs each/every

this vs that

one's own vs my / your

to come regularly/ongoing vs to arrive once

to speak/say repeatedly vs to say once

to do/make repeatedly vs to complete once

to ask/request vs to ask a question

to like vs to love / enjoy

to want something vs to feel like doing something

to use something vs to make use of something regularly

to wear/carry regularly vs to put on

to look for vs to find

to remember/keep in mind vs to recall

it seems/I think vs it looks like/apparently

in/to vs on/at/to

from inside/from vs from a surface or activity

to/toward someone vs at someone’s place

about (neutral) vs about (colloquial)

for/on behalf of vs for/intended for

in/from now vs within/in the time it takes

after an event vs in a period from now

go on foot now vs go regularly/around vs set off once

go by vehicle now vs travel regularly vs set off once

know a fact/person vs know how vs be able to/can

whole/all of a thing vs everything vs everyone/all (plural)

which/what kind vs which one/that (relative)

what/that vs so that/in order to

when vs if

along/by/per vs behind/for/within

year forms after numbers and in age expressions

put/place repeatedly or generally vs put once

take repeatedly/in progress vs take once

carry in one direction now vs carry regularly/around

lead or take in one direction vs lead/take regularly or drive

transport in one direction now vs transport regularly

fly in one direction now vs fly regularly or around

run in one direction now vs run regularly or around

understand as a process/state vs understand fully once

wait as an ongoing action vs wait for a while/once

begin as a process/repeated action vs start once

finish as a process/repeated action vs finish once

meet/welcome repeatedly or in progress vs meet once

put/set repeatedly or in progress vs put/set once

Russian (adjective/noun) vs in Russian (adverb)

all the time vs always

completely/not at all vs very

usually vs often

such/that kind of vs this/that specific

self/alone vs one/only

one's own vs one's own/personal (emphatic)

similar to vs such as/like

then/at that time vs whereas/while

while/until/bye vs until something happens

write as a process vs write/finish one text

read as a process vs read all of something

open repeatedly/in progress vs open once

close repeatedly/in progress vs close once

turn on repeatedly/in progress vs turn on once

turn off repeatedly/in progress vs turn off once

leave regularly/in progress vs leave once

enter regularly/in progress vs enter once

go out regularly/in progress vs go out once

sit down regularly/in progress vs sit down once

lie down regularly/in progress vs lie down once

memorize as a process vs remember once

forget repeatedly/in progress vs forget once

solve/decide as a process vs solve/decide once

explain repeatedly/in progress vs explain once

choose as a process vs choose once

collect/assemble as a process vs collect/assemble once

lift/raise as a process vs lift/raise once

bring regularly/in progress vs bring once

send regularly/in progress vs send once

think / be thinking vs think for a while or decide

help regularly/in progress vs help once successfully

try/taste repeatedly or in progress vs try once

continue as a process vs continue/start the next stage

remain/stay as a state vs stay or be left behind

replace/exchange generally vs alter something once

cook/prepare in general vs prepare and have ready

check repeatedly/in progress vs check and confirm once

be late habitually/in progress vs arrive late once

manage/have time habitually vs manage in time once

wake up habitually/in progress vs wake up once

fall asleep habitually/in progress vs fall asleep once

get acquainted as a process vs meet/get acquainted once

agree generally/repeatedly vs agree once

refuse/give up habitually vs refuse once

enter regularly/in progress vs go in or drop by once

go out/exit vs leave/go away

take/pick up from somewhere vs bring to here

set upright/in position vs lay or place down

hang as an action vs hang up once vs be hanging

pay money vs pay for a bill, service, or item

think/ponder vs consider, believe, or count

do/make vs be engaged in, study, or work on

receive regularly/in progress vs receive once

lose repeatedly/in progress vs lose once

find regularly/in progress vs find once

leave regularly/in progress vs leave once

return/give back regularly vs return/give back once

carry/move or reschedule vs carry/move once

write down/record regularly vs write down/record once

sign regularly/in progress vs sign once

translate/transfer/lead across vs do so once

bring in/contribute regularly vs bring in/contribute once

carry out/tolerate regularly vs carry out/tolerate once

bring/lead regularly vs bring/lead once

approach/suit regularly vs approach/suit once

pass/go through regularly vs pass/go through once

cross/switch regularly vs cross/switch once

begin/start vs proceed to formally begin

finish/complete vs finish, often colloquial

speak/say vs have a conversation

know facts/people vs understand meaning

see/perceive vs notice

hear vs hear/catch once

meet/greet someone vs meet up

collect/pack vs gather/plan to

open something vs open itself/be open

receive/get vs turn out/succeed

buy regularly/process vs buy once

sell regularly/process vs sell once

come on/let's (informal) vs polite or plural let's

immediately/all at once vs at first/first

again/anew vs again, often with annoyance

soon vs quickly

long ago/for a long time vs for a long time

recently vs just now

although vs despite

since/as vs because

so that/to vs in order to

instead of vs instead of doing

believe (a claim/person) vs trust/rely on

hope vs wait/expect

be afraid of vs fear/be wary of

participate vs be present

work/function vs do/make

ride for pleasure vs travel regularly/by vehicle

begin something vs begin/start itself

change/replace vs exchange

return something vs return/come back

only/just vs only/merely

exactly/specifically vs exactly/just at the right time

even vs exactly/specifically

still/as before vs still/up to now

here is/this vs there is/that over there

probably vs maybe/perhaps

therefore/that is why vs so/with the result that

but at least/in compensation vs however

if/whether vs whether/question particle

as if/as though vs as/like/how

between/among vs among/in the midst of

have vs own/command

stand/be situated vs be located

lie/be lying vs be located

continue something vs continue/last

seat/plant regularly vs seat/plant once

prepare/cook something vs prepare oneself

lead/conduct vs be conducted/behave

distinguish vs differ

provide/exert vs turn out/be found

stop something/someone vs stop oneself

someone specific vs anyone/someone

anyone/someone vs nobody

some particular kind vs any kind

such/that kind vs what kind/which

one’s own vs his/her

we vs you plural/polite

self/alone vs very/the most

once/one day vs sometime

especially vs particularly/not especially

the same kind vs such/a kind

really?/surely not? vs can it really be?

here is/look vs this/it

why vs because/for that reason

also vs in the same way

never vs not once

and/but contrast vs and/addition

but vs and/but contrast

or vs either/or

but at least vs therefore

so that/to vs so as not to

near/about vs near/by

before/in front of vs before/until

under vs above/over

to call regularly/process vs call once

pay generally vs pay one bill

solve/decide vs dare or make up one’s mind

advise generally vs give one piece of advice

change something vs change oneself

allow generally vs permit once

forbid generally vs impose a ban

succeed/turn out repeatedly vs succeed once

answer regularly vs give one answer

pick up/take regularly vs collect once

here vs there

always vs constantly

then/later vs then/after that

again vs anew/from the beginning

about to happen vs soon

too/excessively vs very

therefore vs because of this

whether/question particle vs rhetorical “really?”

after all/you know vs emphatic “indeed”

here/look vs already

nobody vs nothing

who vs which/who that

my vs our

that vs the very/same/most

what kind/which vs any kind/some

no/none of any kind vs any/some kind

out of/from inside vs from/away from

from/off vs from/away from

except/besides vs without

thanks to vs because of

to be vs be/occur regularly

exist vs be located

stand vs stand for a while

sit vs sit for a while

lie/be lying vs lie down for a while

sleep vs get some sleep

introduce vs get acquainted

be getting ready/intend vs get together

negotiate/arrange vs reach an agreement

return repeatedly vs return formally once

come back regularly vs return formally once

stop repeatedly vs stop once

stop oneself/repeatedly vs come to a stop

continue/be ongoing vs continue after a point

arise repeatedly vs arise once

refuse/deny habitually vs refuse/deny once

promise habitually/in progress vs make one promise

offer/suggest generally vs make a specific offer

open/be opening vs open completely

close/be closing vs close completely

break/damage repeatedly vs break/damage once

smash/shatter repeatedly vs smash/shatter once

clean/remove/put away regularly vs once

wash something/someone vs wash oneself

shave someone/something vs shave oneself

dress someone vs get dressed

undress someone vs get undressed

be afraid vs get frightened/startled

be cross/annoyed vs be angry

laugh vs smirk

smile vs smirk

need vs demand/require

miss/be bored vs annoy/become tiresome

doubt vs hesitate/waver

compare vs compare once

see each other regularly vs meet once

leave/set off regularly vs set off once

arrive by transport regularly vs arrive once

leave by transport regularly vs leave once

go in/drop by regularly vs go in/drop by once

make use of once vs use

at the beginning vs first/at first

ask/request generally vs make a specific request

thank generally/in progress vs thank once

influence vs exert a directed effect on

around/surrounding vs near/about

call by a name vs name/label

get used to gradually vs become accustomed

say/tell briefly vs tell or narrate in detail

attempt vs make an effort

here/there it is vs you know/after all

exactly/surely vs correctly/true

whether/if vs or

besides/in addition vs moreover/what is more

in general/anyway vs overall/as a whole

after all/eventually vs ultimately/in the final analysis

but at least/however vs for that

from behind/because of vs from under/out of

during/within vs throughout/over

during/in continuation of vs as a result of

because of/due to vs thanks to

according to vs respectively/accordingly

contrary to/despite vs despite/in spite of

on the contrary/opposite vs instead of

regarding vs concerning/about

about/regarding vs about/concerning

thanks to + noun vs thanks to the fact that

whether it is a question vs a question

before vs before that

since/because vs because/as

in short/in a word vs in a nutshell

here vs right here/this is where

there vs right there/that is where

here/there it is vs exactly/that’s precisely it

yes/indeed vs well, yes/quite

well/come on vs well, yes

wow, that's something vs now that's yes

sort of/as if vs as though

as if/that vs allegedly, supposedly

like, sort of vs kind of, apparently

simply/just vs only/just

hardly likely vs unlikely

perhaps, hopefully vs suddenly/in case

in vain/unwisely vs in vain

involuntarily vs unintentionally/by accident

by accident/by chance vs deliberately

to remind repeatedly vs to remind once

to replace habitually/in process vs replace completely

to connect/join repeatedly vs connect completely

to separate/divide vs separate off

to be permitted vs be resolved

to look/watch vs take a glance

to look for/search vs have a search

turn out to be vs become clear

turn out/work out vs come out/turn out

remain/stay vs leave/leave behind

rise/go up vs rise once/reach upward

go/lower down vs descend/lower completely

take apart/analyze vs take apart completely

support/keep supporting vs support once

even vs after all/you know

neither … nor

not exactly/not that

nevertheless vs after all/still

nevertheless vs anyway/still

by the way vs incidentally

in short vs generally/anyway

so/that means vs consequently

probably vs probably/likely

apparently/seemingly vs as if

as if/as though vs as if

at least vs at a minimum

approximately vs about/around

almost vs nearly (but did not)

hopefully/by luck vs here/there

supposedly/as if vs as if

let/allow vs let’s/go ahead

indeed/actually did vs so, here’s the point

but at least/in return vs but

exactly/right vs precisely/just

exactly/surely vs specifically/precisely

only/just vs if only/as long as

still/as before vs still/yet

first/at first vs first/to begin with

then/thereafter vs after that

finally (at last in a sequence) vs finally/at long last

shortly/soon afterward vs soon

recently vs shortly before

rarely vs occasionally

обязательно/required or definitely vs 반드시/without fail

quite/entirely adequately vs completely/utterly

too vs excessively

according to (formal) vs according to/by

concerning (formal) vs about/regarding

regarding/about (formal) vs about/concerning

near/by (formal or literary) vs near/about

against/opposite vs toward/ to meet

past/by (without stopping) vs near/beside

inside (location) vs inward/inside (direction)

outside (location) vs outward/outside (direction)

toward/to meet vs to/toward

toward/in relation to vs regarding/in respect of

return (oneself) vs return/give back

receive/get vs accept/take

give (ongoing/repeated) vs give (completed)

take/pick up vs take/accept

look for/search vs track down/search officially

consider/assume vs suppose/assume

count/consider vs count up

differ/be distinguished vs distinguish/tell apart

nowhere available vs nowhere (with negation)

nowhere to go vs nowhere (in direction)

no source to get something from vs from nowhere

no time to vs never

no one to do something with vs nobody

nothing to do/use vs nothing

no one to be with vs with nobody

nothing to talk/think about vs about nothing

nothing to use with vs with/by nothing

why vs for what purpose

why vs because of what

such/that kind vs that one

where to vs where

yes vs of course

no vs not

I can vs it is possible/allowed

must vs need/is necessary

want vs need

likes/pleases vs seems

engage in/study vs study/attend

from where vs where to

answer/respond vs react

forget vs remember

how many/how much vs many/a lot

little/not much vs a little

see vs catch sight of

go on foot vs travel by vehicle

swim/sail in one direction vs swim habitually

be flying vs set off/fly

carry/wear habitually vs transport by vehicle

lay/place horizontally vs put upright

nonstandard ‘put’ vs standard класть

open vs unfold/reveal

close vs finish

begin vs enter/introduce

complete/graduate vs finish

solve/decide vs manage/succeed

try/test vs attempt

help vs hinder/interfere

permit vs may/be allowed

conveniently/it is convenient vs convenient

it seems vs it turns out

turns out/works out vs manages/succeeds

that means/so vs it turns out/works

at home vs in the house

homeward vs into the house

in Russian (context) vs in Russian (manner)

in Russian vs in the Russian manner/style

two years vs two summers

at/by someone vs from someone

from a surface/with vs from inside

many/a lot vs a multitude

each/every vs any/every kind

which/what kind vs how

during/within a period vs in time needed to complete

therefore/so vs then/afterward

what if/suddenly vs possibly

probably vs maybe

exactly/just right vs excellent