Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "tree" 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.

дерево

Meaning: tree, wood

Pronunciation: [DYEH-ree-vuh]

Part of speech: noun (neuter noun)

Rank: #435 (see frequency list)

Mum, what is this tree called?
Photo by Ella's Dad CC-BY-2.0

Example sentences:

Мáма, как назывáется э́то дéрево?
Mum, what is this tree called?
literal Mum, how called that tree?
В саду́ бы́ло мнóго фруктóвых дерéвьев.
There were many fruit trees in the garden.
Каки́е дерéвья расту́т в Росси́и?
What trees do you have in Russia?
literal What trees grow in Russia?
Не руби́те дерéвья, а сажáйте их!
Don't chop trees, plant them!
В засóхшем дéреве бы́ло дуплó.
There was a hollow in a dry tree.
У негó мнóго игру́шек из дéрева.
He has many wooden toys.
literal At him [there're] many toys from wood.
Мой муж занимáется резьбóй по дéреву.
My husband does сarving.
literal My husband engaged in carving upon wood.
Посмотри́те, вот стари́нный стол крácного дéрева.
Look, here's an old mahogany table.
literal Look, here ancient table [of] red wood.
За дерéвьями нé было ви́дно дáчи.
You couldn't see the country house behind the trees.
В Сиби́ри бóльше хвóйных и́ли ли́ственных дерéвьев?
Are there more conifer or broad-leaved trees in Siberia?

Idioms and set expressions:

хвóйное дéрево = conifer
ли́ственное дéрево = broad-leaved tree
крácное дéрево = mahogany
чëрное дéрево = ebony
фруктóвое дéрево = fruit tree
cруби́ть дéрево = chop a tree
посади́ть дéрево = plant a tree
постучáть по дéреву = knock on wood
резьбá по дéреву = carving

Related words:

деревя́нный = wooden
дрéво = tree
древécный = arboreal
древеси́на = wood
куст = bush

Proverbs and sayings:

За дерéвьями лécа не видáть.
Not to see the wood for the trees
literal Not to see the wood behind the trees.
По сучку́ дéрево не ту́жит.
Don't become sad because of trifles.
literal A tree doesn't grieve for a branch.
От хорóшего дéрева - хорóший плод.
From a good tree, good fruit.

Case

Singular

Plural

Vocabulary lesson: By Russificate blog 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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