снаружи vs наружу
snaruzhi vs naruzhu — outside (location) vs outward/outside (direction)
Register: neutral
What it really means
Снаружи means “outside” as a location or visible external side. Наружу means movement outwards or to the outside. The pair parallels внутри/внутрь: location versus direction, with наружу often combining with из or verbs of taking, looking, or going out.
Examples in natural speech
Снаружи дом выглядит старым.
From the outside, the house looks old.
Снаружи было холоднее.
It was colder outside.
Он вышел наружу подышать.
He went outside to get some air.
Дым вырывался наружу.
Smoke was billowing out.
Не оставляйте лекарства снаружи.
Do not leave the medicines outside.
Common mistakes
Do not use снаружи to mark a destination after выйти: выйти наружу is directional. Наружу is not the normal word for static appearance; снаружи дом белый describes what the house looks like externally.
Memory tip
Снаружи stays on the outer side; наружу heads out.
Frequently asked questions
Can снаружи take a noun?
Yes, usually with из: снаружи здания means “on the outside of the building”; it can also stand alone.
Is выйти наружу redundant?
No. Выйти supplies the movement and наружу clarifies the destination, though simply выйти can be enough when context is clear.
How does наружу differ from из?
Из marks the source or exit from an enclosed place, while наружу highlights the outward direction: вынести из комнаты наружу.
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