When love is in the air, we are all at a loss for words at times. This is true when one uses their native tongue, let alone a foreign one. Maybe your love interest speaks Russian, or are you looking to approach someone online?
The language of love in every country is unique and can take multiple articles to cover. This is your cheat sheet that gives all the basics of Russian Romantic Vocabulary:
Romantic Russian Conversations: General Info
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1. When to switch to ты [ti]
In the Russian language, different pronouns are used to address older, recently acquainted, and people of higher rank. In these cases, it is advised to use the pronoun Вы [vi] instead of
ты [ti] that is typical for family, friends, and the like.
When it comes to romantic talk, it is especially important to sense the right moment to start addressing the person in a more friendly way. The best way to approach it is by asking one of the following questions:
If you are having trouble remembering the difference, there is a fun wordplay that might help to remember. Yellow Blue Bus when you pronounce it sounds very similar to Я люблю Вас [ya l'ubl'u vas] in Russian. However, this is an old-fashioned way of expressing love since, by the time this phrase comes up, you are likely to switch to ты. So a better way to say is Я люблю тебя [Ya l'ubl'u tebya].
2. Gender Agreement
One of the most complicated aspects of the Russian language to master is the gender agreement between the nouns and verbs+adjectives. When it comes to romantic vocabulary, we need to address male and female genders.
For the adjectives itis necessary to switch the ending:
for male - ый
for female -ая
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3. Diminutive forms
While it is not as common to use diminutive forms talking to grown-ups as when addressing babies, romance allows for some cuteness. Diminutive is formed by adding a suffix to the primary word form:
4. Tender names / Cute nicknames
Just like in other languages, it is typical in Russia to use tender name forms referring to the nearest and dearest. While for every name it is unique, here are some examples with the most common male and female names:
It takes different words at times to express romantic feelings towards guys and girls. Therefore the only phrases that can be used for both are marked with a star sign "*." These expressions are addressing a lady девушка in the examples.
To refer to a guy, replace lady with молодой человек and change the adjectives according to the gender agreement.
Romantic Russian Vocabulary: Getting Acquainted
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How do you approach a romantic interest for the first time? This is a tough task to find the right words to do this no matter what language native or foreign you use. It's even harder with the latter because there are so many overused or are downright embarrassing.
This shortlist ensures you always have a good phrase to greet the one:
| Привет! Давай познакомимся!* | Hello! What's up? |
| Вы так красивы, что я забыл, как знакомиться с девушкой. | You are so beautiful, I forgot how to start a talk with a lady. |
| Девушка, что-то случилось с моими глазами. Я не могу оторвать их от вас. | Miss, what happened to my eyes!? I cannot take my eyes off you. |
| Я знаю, что вы заняты сегодня. Не могли бы вы добавить меня в свой список дел на выходных?* | I know you are busy today. Maybe you can add me to your weekend schedule? |
| С моим телефоном что-то не так. Можете позвонить на него, чтобы проверить его?* | There is something wrong with my phone. Can you call me, so I check? |
| Я уже час придумываю повод с вами познакомиться, но пока у меня ничего не придумалось.* | I've been thinking of ways to approach you for an hour but haven't come up with anything yet. |
| Вы знаете, я только что понял одну вещь. Я ведь мог сегодня остаться дома и так и не узнать о вашем существовании!* | I just realized something terrifying. If I stayed in tonight, I would have never met you! |
Compliments and Expressions of Love in the Russian Language
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First words are just the beginning, and throwing the right compliment at the right time can win one's heart over. Here are some complement often used in Russia:
Love Confessions
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Sometimes the feelings are so big no words are enough to express them. There are some Russian romantic expressions; however, these come very close:
Russian Terms of Endearment
When feelings hit, you want to call the loved one all the most beautiful words in the world. This is a great list to start with:
Russian Romantic Slang
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The words one will not find in a regular dictionary but come in handy in a vernacular conversation:
This romantic vocabulary cheat-sheet is your blueprint to expressing love and care in the Russian language. But remember that no grammar mistakes can ever overpower words that are coming from a loving heart.
Do you have any favorite Russian catch phrases or endearment words? Perhaps, we missed some on the list. Share with us in the comments!
