Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "for" 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.

для

Meaning: for, to

Pronunciation: [dlyah]

Part of speech: preposition

Rank: #45 (see frequency list)

This present is for you.
Photo by judsond , licensed under CC-BY-SA-2.0

Example sentences:

Возьми́, э́тот подáрок для тебя́.
Here, this present is for you.
literal [You] take, this present is for you.
Я сдéлаю э́то тóлько для неë.
I'll do it only for her.
В магази́не продаëтся корм для кóшек и собáк.
Cat and dog food is sold in the shop.
Сергéй приéхал в Лóндон для изучéния англи́йского языкá.
Sergey came to London to study the English language.
Мáма купи́лa мне хорóшее срéдство для мытья́ посу́ды.
My mum bought me a good dish-washing liquid.
Кни́га нужнá ей для рабóты.
She needs the book for work.
Где же твоя́ пáпка для бумáг?
So, where is your paper folder?
Онá сдéлала э́то для меня́.
She did it for me.
Для детéй врéдно есть мнóго слáдостей.
Eating a lot of sweets is bad for children.
Конéчно, э́то типи́чно для негó: он óчень безотвéтственный.
Of course, it's typical of him, he's very irresponsible.
Скажи́, когдá же мы бу́дем жить для себя́?
Tell me, when are we going to live for ourselves?
Для меня́ костю́м сли́шком дорогóй, а ты что ду́маешь?
The suit is too expensive for me, and what do you think?
Ромáн бу́дет интерécен для совремéнного читáтеля.
The novel will be interesting for the modern reader.
Для Москвы́ необы́чнa такáя температу́ра.
This temperature is unusual for Moscow.
Это письмó не для меня́.
This letter is not for me.

Idioms and set expressions:

для ви́да = for appearances' sake
literal for appearance
не для чегó = it is not worth while
literal for nothing
для тогó, чтóбы = in order to
для пóльзы дéла = for the good of the business
для э́той цéли = thereto
literal for this purpose

Related words:

чтóбы = that, in order that

Proverbs and sayings:

Для ми́лого дружкá и серëжку из ушкá.
A friend who shares is a friend who cares.
literal For my lovely friend I'll even give an earring from my ear.

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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