How to Ask for a Word in Russian

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Russian by RussianPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask how to say something in Russian.

For example, "What's “book” in Russian?" is

Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?)

Marina Maslova is at a cafe doing a language exchange with her classmate, Natalia Ivanova .

It’s the Russian portion of the exchange, and she points at a book and asks what it's called in Russian.

Before you hear the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.

русский (russkiy)

"Russian"

русский

Listen to the conversation, and focus on Marina 's comment.

Ready?

Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?)

Книга. (Kniga.)

Once more with the English translation.

Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?)

"What's “book” in Russian?"

Книга. (Kniga.)

"Book."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Marina asks,

"What's “book” in Russian?"

Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?)

The standard way to ask for the meaning of a word in Russian follows a simple pattern.

First is как (kak), "how," but translating as "what" in this context. Как . Как.

Next is будет (budet), "will be." Будет.

Будет is from the verb быть (byt’), "to be." быть

Together, Как будет (Kak budet), "how will be," but translates as, "What's" in this context. Как будет.

After this is the English word, "book."

Last is the phrase, на русском (na russkom), meaning "in Russian." На русском.

First is, на (na), literally "on," but it translates as "in" in this context. На . На.

After this is русском (russkom), "Russian," as in "the Russian language." Русском . Русском.

Русском (Russkom) is from русский (russkiy) "Russian." Here, русском (russkom) is in this form as it follows the preposition "на" (na).

The grammatical term for this is the prepositional case.

Together на русском (na russkom), literally "on Russian," but translates as "in Russian." На русском (Na russkom).

All together, Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?) literally means something like, "How will be ‘book’ in Russian?" but translates as "What's “book” in Russian?"

Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?)

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Natalia Ivanova says,

"Book."

Книга. (Kniga.)

"Book." Книга (Kniga) . Книга (Kniga).

Книга. (Kniga.)

The pattern is:

Как будет "ENGLISH WORD" на русском? (Kak budet "ENGLISH WORD" na russkom?)

"What’s "ENGLISH WORD" in Russian?"

Как будет "ENGLISH WORD" на русском?

To use this pattern, simply replace the ENGLISH WORD placeholder with the word you want to know.

Imagine you want to know the Russian word for "pen."

Ask

"What’s ‘pen’ in Russian?"

Ready?

Как будет "pen" на русском? (Kak budet "pen" na russkom?)

"What’s ‘pen’ in Russian?"

Как будет "pen" на русском? (Kak budet "pen" na russkom?)

During your Russian language journey, you may hear the phrase "Как будет "ENGLISH WORD" по-русски? (Kak budet "ENGLISH WORD" po-russki?).

"What’s "ENGLISH WORD" in Russian?" "Как будет "ENGLISH WORD" по-русски? (Kak budet ENGLISH WORD po-russki?).

It means the same as Как будет "ENGLISH WORD" на русском? (Kak budet "ENGLISH WORD" na russkom?)

However, по-русски (po russki) is used in place of на русском (na russkom).

Again, the pattern is

Как будет "ENGLISH WORD" на русском? (Kak budet "ENGLISH WORD" na russkom?)

"What’s "ENGLISH WORD" in Russian?"

Как будет "ENGLISH WORD" на русском?

Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?)

"What's “book” in Russian?"

Книга. (Kniga.)

Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?)

Как будет "pen" на русском? (Kak budet "pen" na russkom?)

"What's "pen" in Russian?"

Ручка. (Ruchka.)

Как будет "pen" на русском? (Kak budet "pen" na russkom?)

Как будет "bag" на русском? (Kak budet "bag" na russkom?)

"What's "bag" in Russian?"

Сумка. (Sumka.)

Как будет "bag" на русском? (Kak budet "bag" na russkom?)

Как будет "pencil" на русском? (Kak budet "pencil" na russkom?)

"What's “pencil” in Russian?"

Карандаш. (Karandash.)

Как будет "pencil" на русском? (Kak budet "pencil" na russkom?)

Как сказать "How are you?" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ "how are you?" po-russki?)

"How do you say 'How are you?' in Russian?"

Как дела? (Kak dela?)

Как сказать "How are you?" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ "how are you?" po-russki?)

Did you notice a different sentence pattern?

Как сказать "How are you?" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ "How are you" po-russki?)

"How do you say 'How are you?' in Russian?" Как сказать "How are you?" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ "How are you?" po-russki?)

First is Как (Kak), "How." Как.

Next is сказать (skazat’), "to say". Сказать . Сказать.

Together, Как сказать (Kak skazat'), literally "how to say," but translates as "How do you say…" Как сказать.

Next is the English phrase, "How are you?"

After this is по-русски (po-russki), "in Russian". По-русски . По-русски.

All together, Как сказать "How are you?" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ “How are you?” po-russki?), literally, "How to say ‘How are you’ on Russian?" But it translates as "How do you say 'How are you?' in Russian?"

The pattern is,

Как сказать "ENGLISH PHRASE" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ "ENGLISH PHRASE" po-russki?)

"How do you say "ENGLISH PHRASE" in Russian?"

To use this pattern, simply replace the ENGLISH placeholder with the phrase you want to know.

Note, this pattern is usually used to ask for the translation of longer phrases.

This is a very useful pattern for using Russian to learn Russian.

Remember this pattern. You will need it for this lesson.

Let’s review the new words.

книга (kniga)

"book"

книга

сумка (sumka)

"bag"

сумка

ручка (ruchka)

"pen"

ручка

карандаш (karandash)

"pencil"

карандаш

карандаш.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember how to say "In Russian?"

Literally, "on Russian."

на русском (na russkom)

And how to say "what’s?"

как будет (kak budet)

Do you remember how Marina asks,

"What’s "book" in Russian?"

Как будет "book" на русском? (Kak budet "book" na russkom?)

And do you remember how Natalia (college-friendf) says,

"Book."

Книга. (Kniga.)

Do you remember the phrase, "how do you say?"

Как сказать (Kak skazat)

How do you say "How are you?" in Russian?

Как дела? (Kak dela?)

And how to say

"How do you say 'How are you?' in Russian?"

Как сказать "How are you?" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ "How are you?" po-russki?)

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Milena Maslova , and you’re having a language-exchange lunch with Emiliya Estis .

You point to a pen and ask "What's “pen” in Russian?"

Ready?

Как будет "pen" на русском? (Kak budet "pen" na russkom?)

Ручка. (Ruchka.)

Listen again and repeat.

Как будет "pen" на русском? (Kak budet "pen" na russkom?)

Now you want to know what's "bag " in Russian.

Ready?

Как будет "bag" на русском? (Kak budet "bag" na russkom?)

Сумка. (Sumka)

Listen again and repeat.

Как будет "bag" на русском? (Kak budet "bag" na russkom?)

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you're Mikhail Maslov , and you’re studying with your classmate. Ask how to say "thank you."

Ready?

Как сказать "thank you" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ "thank you" po-russki?)

Спасибо. (Spasibo.)

Listen again and repeat.

Как сказать "thank you" по-русски? (Kak skazat’ "thank you" po-russki?)

In this lesson, you learned how to ask how to say something in Russian. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of asking for clarification. Let’s review.

Do you remember the informal way to say,

"Excuse me."

Извини (Izvini).

And how to say "repeat?"

повторить (povtorit’)

Do you remember how Marina asks,

"Excuse me, can you repeat [that]?"

Remember she uses informal Russian.

Извини, можешь повторить? (Izvini, mozhesh' povtorit'?)

Do you remember how to say, "more slowly?"

медленнее (medlenneye)

медленнее (medlenneye).

And how to say,

"Can you speak more slowly?"

Можешь говорить медленнее? (Mozhesh' govorit’ medlenneye?)

Imagine You're Jack Jones , and you're meeting your fellow student Natalia Ivanova for the first time. She introduces herself, but you can't catch her name.

Respond to her introduction, and ask her to repeat it one more time.

Ready?

Приятно познакомиться. Меня зовут Наталья. (Priyatno poznakomit'sya. Menya zovut Natal'ya.)

Извини, можешь повторить? (Izvini, mozhesh' povtorit'?)

Listen again, and repeat.

Извини, можешь повторить? (Izvini, mozhesh' povtorit'?)

On a different occasion you're doing a language exchange. In the Russian portion of it you want to know how to say pencil in Russian.

Ask Natalia Ivanova what’s "pencil" in Russian.

Как будет "pencil" на русском? (Kak budet "pencil" na russkom?)

Карандаш. (Karandash.)

Listen again, and repeat.

Как будет "pencil" на русском? (Kak budet "pencil" na russkom?)

Well done! This is the end of the lesson and the Can Ask for Clarification unit of this course.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

What's next?

Show us what you can do.

When you're ready, take your assessment.

You can take it again and again, so try anytime you like.

Our teachers will assess it, and give you your results.

Keep practicing — and move on to the next lesson!

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