Russian/Loanwords
< Russian
Warning: This might still contain errors.
The Base Of The Russian Language
The Russian language is one that developed with the influx of various European and Middle Eastern languages. This is largely due to the geographical location of Russia, historical trade with other countries, and cultural Renaissance started by Russian royalty and other Bourgeoisie. Because of this, the Russian language is one that can be compared to languages such as Greek, Dutch, Italian, French, Arabic, Yiddish, and others that helped to mold it into the language known today. Though the base of the language is Slavic, many alphabetical, grammatical, and vocabulary forms are distinctly foreign.
Dutch
| Dutch |
Russian |
English translation |
| sluis | шлюз | lock |
| snoer | шнур | flex, cord |
| kabeltouw | кабельтов | cable length |
| kiel | киль | keel |
| ruim | трюм | hold |
| kajuit | каюта | cabin |
| schipper | шкипер | captain (skipper) |
| vlaggestok | флагшток | flagstaff |
| bootsman | боцман | boatswain |
| noord | норд | north (wind) |
| zuid | зюйд | south (wind) |
| oost | ост | east (wind) |
| west | вест | west (wind) |
| straf | штраф | penalty, fine |
| reis | рейс | journey, voyage |
| appelsien | апельсин | orange |
|
Words that entered Dutch
English
| English |
Russian |
| basketball | баскетбол |
| business | бизнес |
| businessman | бизнесмен |
| chips | чипсы |
| football | футбол |
| film | фильм |
| filter | фильтр |
| hamburger | гамбургер |
| jeans | джинсы |
| office | офис |
| sport | спорт |
| tennis | теннис |
|
Words that entered English
| Russian |
English |
| дача | Dacha |
| субботник | Subbotnik |
| тройка | troika |
| спутник | sputnik |
German
| German |
Russian |
English translation |
| Schlagbaum | шлагба́ум | barrier |
| Rucksack | рюкза́к | backpack |
| Zifferblatt | цифербла́т | clock face |
| Perückenmacher | парикма́хер | hairdresser (wigmaker) |
| Kartoffel | карто́фель | potato |
| Graf | граф | count |
| Butterbrot | бутербрóд | sandwich (literally 'bread and butter') |
| Schlauch | шланг | Hose |
| Lager | лагерь | Camp |
Words that entered German
| Russian |
German |
| дача | Datsche |
| субботник | Subbotnik |
French
- avant-garde - аванга́рд (avant-garde)
- avant-scène - авансце́на (proscenium)
- bagage - бага́ж (baggage)
- bigoudis - бигуди (hair curler)
- bouquiniste - букинист
- café - каф́е (a café, not coffee; read: каф́э)
- cauchemar - кошма́р (nightmare)
- chance - шанс (chance)
- chanson - шансон (org. song, a music style, see: Russian chanson)
- concours - конкурс (competition)
- costume - костюм (costume, suit)
- couchette - куше́тка (couch)
- coupé - купе́ (compartment)
- dame - да́ма (lady)
- douche - душ (shower)
- ensemble - анса́мбль (meaning "a band", not "together")
- équipage - экипаж (crew)
- écran - экран (screen)
- étage - этаж (floor on a building)
- garage - гара́ж (garage)
- jalousie - жалюзи (jalousie, window blinds)
- meuble - ме́бель (furniture)
- mirage - мира́ж (mirage)
- nature morte - натюрморт (nature morte)
- ostéochondrose - остеохондроз (osteochondrosis)
- plage - пляж (beach)
- restaurant - рестора́н (restaurant)
- sac voyage - саквояж (valise)
- trottoir - тротуар (sidewalk)
- ventouse - вантуз (plunger)
- virage - вира́ж (road turn)
- voyage - вояж (tour, journey)
Words that entered French
Italian
- Tomato - Pomodoro - помидо́р
- Wine - Vino - вино
- Painting - Cartina - картина
- Abbreviation - abbreviatura - аббревиату́ра
- Drinking Glass - Boccale - бокал
- Bravo - Bravo - браво
- Prodigy - Virtuoso - виртуоз
- Irredentism - Irredentismo - ирредентизм
- Macaroni - Macaroni - макароны
- Net Weight - Ves nétto - вес нетто
- Prostitute - Puttana - путана
- Soldier - Soldato - солдат
- Nice (City in France) - Nizza - Ницца
- Cake - Torta - торт
- Magazine - Giornale - журнал
- Newspaper - Gazzetta - газета
- εβραίος - еврей - (Jew)
- икона - икона - (Image)
- κάκτος - кактус - (Cactus)
- χορός - хор - (Dance)
As well as words from Greek, many letters of the Russian alphabet come from Greek origin.
| Cyrillic | Greek | English |
| А | Α | A |
| В | Β | V |
| Г | Γ | G |
| Е | Ε | E |
| К | Κ | K |
| Р | Ρ | R |
| с | ς | S |
| Ф | Φ | F |
| Х | Χ | H |
Yiddish
- גוי - гой - Gentile
- יאַרמלקע - ермолка - Yarmulke
- כתיבה - ксива - ID
- פּוץ - поц - Putz
- שמאָק - чмо - Schmuck
Furthermore, the Russian letters Ш (Sh) and Щ (Sch) are believed to come from the Yiddish/Hebrew letter ש (Sh).
Arabic
- بَدَوِيُّون - бедуин - An Arabic Desert Traveler
- بَرْبَرِيّ - бербер - Berber
- وَقْف - вакф - An act of charity
- كَبَاب - кебаб - Kebab
- بازار - базар - Bazaar/Market
Miscellaneous
Words that are very similar in Russian and other Indoeuropean languages
- mother - moeder (Dutch) - mutter (German) - mater (Latin) - мать
- daughter - dochter (Dutch) - дочь
- son - сын
- brother - брат
- sister - сестр́а
- cat - кот
- chair/stool - stoel (Dutch) - Stuhl (German) - Stalas (Lithuanian) - стул
- cold - хо́лодно
- day, день
- door - deur (Dutch) - дверь
- go, walk - ire (Latin) - идти́
- honey, mead - мёд
- house - domus (Latin) - дом
- key, ключ
- love - любо́вь (noun), люби́ть (verb)
- milk, молоко́
- moon - luna (Latin) -луна́
- mouse, мышь
- my/mine - мой/моя́/моё/мои́
- night - ночь
- nose - нос
- snow, снег
- sun - со́лнце (read: со́нцэ)
- water - вода́
- wolf - волк
- And - Y (Latin form) - и
- buy - kopen (Dutch) - kaufen (German) - купить
To be classified
- sport - спорт
- Saturday - zaterdag/sabbat (Dutch) - sabbath - суббо́та
- Fruit - Vrucht (Dutch) - фрукт
- pity/blessed/pathetic - zielig (Dutch) selig (German) - жалкий
- confection/candy - конфеты
- I - Yo (Spanish), Io (Italian) - я
- You - Tú (Spanish), Tu (Italian) - ты
- Our - Nuestro (Spanish), Nostro (Italian) - наш
- Library - Biblioteca (Spanish/Italian), Bibliothèque (French) - библиотека