Family is central to Russian culture. This lesson covers family vocabulary, possessive pronouns, adjective agreement (Russian adjectives change based on gender!), and how to describe people's appearance and personality.
Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes
| Russian | Transliteration | English | Russian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| мама | mama | mom | папа | papa | dad |
| мать | mat' | mother (formal) | отец | atyets | father (formal) |
| сестра | sistra | sister | брат | brat | brother |
| дочь | doch' | daughter | сын | syn | son |
| бабушка | babushka | grandmother | дедушка | dyedushka | grandfather |
| жена | zhina | wife | муж | muzh | husband |
| тётя | tyotya | aunt | дядя | dyadya | uncle |
| внучка | vnuchka | granddaughter | внук | vnuk | grandson |
| двоюродная сестра | dvayurodnaya sistra | female cousin | двоюродный брат | dvayurodniy brat | male cousin |
💡 Cultural Insight: The word "бабушка" (babushka) has made it into English, but in Russia it means much more than just "grandmother." Бабушки are legendary — they're the backbone of Russian families, often living with or near their children, helping raise grandchildren, and preparing elaborate meals. The stereotype of a fierce бабушка guarding her apartment building or garden is very real!
| Pronoun | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| my | мой (moy) | моя (maya) | моё (mayo) | мои (mai) |
| your (inf.) | твой (tvoy) | твоя (tvaya) | твоё (tvayo) | твои (tvai) |
| his | его (yivo) — doesn't change! | |||
| her | её (yeyo) — doesn't change! | |||
| our | наш (nash) | наша (nasha) | наше (nashe) | наши (nashi) |
| your (formal) | ваш (vash) | ваша (vasha) | ваше (vashe) | ваши (vashi) |
| their | их (ikh) — doesn't change! | |||
Possessives match the thing possessed, not the owner:
мой брат (my brother, m.) · моя сестра (my sister, f.) · моё имя (my name, n.)
A woman says "мой брат" (not "моя") because брат is masculine.
Exception: его, её, их never change form regardless of the noun.
| Russian (m./f.) | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| высокий / высокая | vysokiy / vysokaya | tall |
| низкий / низкая | nizkiy / nizkaya | short (height) |
| красивый / красивая | krasiviy / krasivaya | beautiful/handsome |
| молодой / молодая | maladoy / maladaya | young |
| старый / старая | stariy / staraya | old |
| худой / худая | khudoy / khudaya | thin |
| сильный / сильная | sil'niy / sil'naya | strong |
Masculine: -ый / -ий / -ой (красивый, синий, большой)
Feminine: -ая / -яя (красивая, синяя)
Neuter: -ое / -ее (красивое, синее)
Plural: -ые / -ие (красивые, синие)
| Russian (m./f.) | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| добрый / добрая | dobriy / dobraya | kind |
| умный / умная | umniy / umnaya | smart |
| весёлый / весёлая | visyoliy / visyolaya | cheerful |
| серьёзный / серьёзная | sir'yozniy / sir'yoznaya | serious |
| ленивый / ленивая | liniviy / linivaya | lazy |
| трудолюбивый / -ая | trudolyubiviy | hardworking |
| общительный / -ая | abshchitel'niy | sociable |
| скромный / скромная | skromniy / skromnaya | modest |
| Russian | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| светлые волосы | svyetliye volosy | light/blond hair |
| тёмные волосы | tyomniye volosy | dark hair |
| рыжие волосы | ryzhiye volosy | red/ginger hair |
| короткие волосы | karotkiye volosy | short hair |
| длинные волосы | dlinniye volosy | long hair |
| голубые глаза | galubiye glaza | blue eyes |
| карие глаза | kariye glaza | brown eyes |
| зелёные глаза | zilyoniye glaza | green eyes |
💡 Cultural Insight: Russian has two words for blue: голубой (light blue/sky blue) and синий (dark blue/navy). These aren't shades of the same color — Russians perceive them as completely different colors, like English speakers see "red" and "orange." When describing eyes, голубой is used for the typical "blue eyes."
— У тебя есть братья или сёстры?
(U tibya yest' brat'ya ili syostry?) — Do you have brothers or sisters?
— Да, у меня есть старший брат и младшая сестра.
(Da, u minya yest' starshiy brat i mladshaya sistra.) — Yes, I have an older brother and younger sister.
— Какой твой брат?
(Kakoy tvoy brat?) — What is your brother like?
— Он высокий и весёлый. У него тёмные волосы.
(On vysokiy i visyoliy. U nivo tyomniye volosy.) — He's tall and cheerful. He has dark hair.
— А сестра?
(A sistra?) — And your sister?
— Она красивая и умная. У неё голубые глаза.
(Ana krasivaya i umnaya. U niyo galubiye glaza.) — She's beautiful and smart. She has blue eyes.
1. How do you say "my sister" in Russian?
2. What's special about "его" (his), "её" (her), and "их" (their)?
3. What is "бабушка"?
4. What's the feminine form of "красивый" (beautiful)?