около vs возле

okolo vs vozle — near/about vs near/by

What it really means

Около and возле both mean near/by and take genitive: около дома, возле дома. Около also means approximately with numbers and can sound slightly broader; возле is mainly spatial and often feels more concrete.

Examples in natural speech

Около дома есть парк.
There is a park near the house.
Он ждёт возле метро.
He is waiting by the metro.
Около десяти человек пришли.
About ten people came.
Мы сели возле окна.
We sat by the window.
Около часа я ждал.
I waited about an hour.

Common mistakes

Use genitive after both: возле дома. Возле does not normally mean approximately.

Memory tip

Около works for closeness and estimates; возле is a physical beside.

Frequently asked questions

What case follows?

Genitive.

Which means about ten?

Около.

Are both spatial?

Yes.

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