Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "to be" in Russian

This Russian word is one of the top 1000 words in Russian. The complete list of most common Russian words is available here.

бывать

Meaning: to be, be sometimes, go to see (somebody), visit, happen, occur, be held, take place

Pronunciation: [byh-VAHT']

Part of speech: verb (imperfective aspect)

Rank: #251 (see frequency list)

Example sentences:

Иногда́ Арту́р быва́ет раздражи́тельным.
Arthur can be irritable sometimes.
literal Sometimes Artur is irritable.
Мы ре́дко быва́ем у них.
We rarely visit them.
Ра́ньше в выходны́е Со́ня всегда́ быва́ла до́ма.
Previously on weekends Sonya was always at home.
Когда́ я был ма́леньким, я ча́сто быва́л в э́том го́роде.
When I was little, I often visited this city.
Вы ча́сто быва́ете на вы́ставках?
Do you often go to exhibitions?
literal Are you often at exhibitions?
К сожале́нию, у нас в общежи́тии ча́сто быва́ют кра́жи.
Unfortunately, thefts often occur in our dormitory.
О́чень ско́ро я бу́ду быва́ть у вас ча́ще.
Very soon I’ll come to see you more often.
Быва́ют ситуа́ции, когда́ лу́чше молча́ть.
There are situations when it’s better to keep silent.
Заседа́ния ка́федры у нас быва́ют раз в ме́сяц.
Our department meetings are held once a month.
В жи́зни быва́ет и хоро́шее, и плохо́е.
Both good and bad things happen in life.

Idioms and set expressions:

быва́ет(, что…) = it happens (that…)
кого́ / чего́ как не быва́ло (col.) = smb / smth vanished without a trace
как ни в чём не быва́ло (col.) = as if nothing had happened; as if nothing were wrong
ничу́ть не быва́ло (col.) = not at all
лу́чше не быва́ет = as good as it gets / fit for a king
(что) быва́ет лишь раз в жи́зни = (something) happens only once in a lifetime

Related words:

быть = to be
посеща́ть = to visit, go to see
случа́ться = to happen, occur, come about
происходи́ть = to happen, occur, take place
быва́лый = worldly-wised, experienced; habitual

Proverbs and sayings:

В жи́зни вся́кое быва́ет.
It is all in one’s lifetime. / It’s one of those things. / Take the bad with the good.
literal In life anything happens.
Быва́ет и ху́же.
Worse things happen.
Всё быва́ет в пе́рвый раз.
There’s a first time for everything.
Двум смертя́м не быва́ть, а одно́й не минова́ть.
A man can die but once. / As well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.
И на стару́ху быва́ет прору́ха.
No man is wise at all times. / The best cart may be upset. / Nobody’s perfect. / Everyone makes mistakes.

Verb conjugation:

Present Tense

I	быва́ю
you (singular)	быва́ешь
he, she, it	быва́ет
we	быва́ем
you (plural)	быва́ете
they	быва́ют

Past Tense

I, you (singular), he	быва́л
she	быва́ла
it	быва́ло
we, you (plural), they	быва́ли

Future Simple Tense

The imperfective verb бывать is not used in the Future Simple Tense. Use the perfective verb побывать instead.

Future Compound Tense

I	буду быва́ть
you (singular)	будешь быва́ть
he, she, it	будет быва́ть
we	будем быва́ть
you (plural)	будете быва́ть
they	будут быва́ть

Imperative Mood (Command Form)

you (singular)	быва́й
you (plural)	быва́йте

View full conjugation table for the verb pair бывать/побывать

Vocabulary lesson: By RT: Learn Russian exclusively for MasterRussian

Phrase recordings: Copyright(c) 2011 MasterRussian.com. All rights reserved.
Word recordings: Copyright(c) 2006 Streit Goulnara, Streit Eric, Vion Nicolas. Copyright(c) 2007 S. Sakhno, N. Vion. Distributed under CC-BY.

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