Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "soul" 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.

душа

Meaning: soul, spirit, darling

Pronunciation: [doo-SHAH]

Part of speech: noun (feminine noun)

Rank: #228 (see frequency list)

The soul is depicted on the icon.
Photo by author CC-BY-2.0

Example sentences:

Душа́ - э́то сло́жное филосо́фское поня́тие.
A soul is a complex philosophical concept.
Вы ве́рите, что у челове́ка есть душа́?
Do you believe that people have a soul?
literal You believe, that at human exists soul?
У него́ о́чень до́брая душа́.
He has a very gentle soul. (He's a kind person.)
literal At him very kind soul.
От души́ жела́ю вам успе́ха.
I sincerely wish you success. (polite or plural)
literal From heart I wish you success.
Я пришёл к свяще́ннику поговори́ть о душе́.
I came to the priest to talk about the soul.
Танцо́ры вкла́дывают в та́нец свою́ ду́шу.
Dancers put their souls into their dance.
Ру́сские изве́стны свое́й зага́дочной душо́й.
Russians are known for their mysterious soul.
На у́лице нет ни одно́й души́.
There is not a single soul in the street.
На́ши ду́ши ве́чно оста́нутся молоды́ми.
Our souls will be forever young.
Де́ти - э́то отраже́ние на́ших душ.
Children are reflections of our souls.
Я люблю́ тебя́ всей душо́й.
I love you with all my heart and soul. (familiar)
literal I love you with all my soul.
Она́ всей си́лой души́ ненави́дит врага́.
She hates the enemy with all her heart and soul.
literal She [with] all strength of soul hates enemy.
Дохо́д на ду́шу населе́ния увели́чится в два ра́за.
The per capita income will double.
literal Income per soul [of] population will increase in two times.
Спаси́те на́ши ду́ши.
Save our souls. / Save our spirits.
Что у тебя́ на душе́?
What's on your mind?
literal What at you on soul?
Что де́лать, е́сли пло́хо на душе́? Ну́жно пое́хать на приро́ду. Душе́ ста́нет ле́гче.
What to do if I feel like hell (in the dumps)? You need to go to the country. You'll feel better at heart.
literal What [to] do, if bad on soul? Necessary [to] go on Nature. [To] soul [it] will become lighter.
Вот клубни́ка. Е́шьте ско́лько душе́ уго́дно.
Here's the strawberry. Eat to your heart's content.
Мне о́чень тяжело́ на душе́!
My heart is heavy. / I am sick at heart.
literal To me very heavy on soul.
Э́тот челове́к мне по душе́.
I like this person.
literal This person is to my soul.
Скажи́ мне по душе́, не ты ли завари́л э́ту ка́шу?
Tell me frankly, was it you who stirred up trouble?
literal Tell me by soul, not you whether brewed that porridge?

Idioms and set expressions:

в душе́ = at heart
literal in soul
на ду́шу (населе́ния) = per head, per capita
literal on soul (of population)
всей душо́й = with all one's heart and soul
literal with all soul
На душе́ ко́шки скребу́т. = I am sick at heart.
literal cats scratch on soul
душа́ в ду́шу = in harmony, at one
literal soul in soul
душа́ о́бщества = the life and soul of the party
literal the soul of society
зале́зть в ду́шу кому-л. = to worm oneself into smb.'s confidence
(де́лать что-л.) с душо́й = (to do smth) with feeling
не по душе́ = displeases
literal not by soul
по душе́ = pleases, to one's liking; sincerely
literal by soul
рабо́тать с душо́й = to put one's heart into one's work
literal to work with soul
(люби́ть, ненави́деть) все́ми фи́брами души́ = (to love, hate) very strongly, passionately
от всей души́ = with all one's heart, from the bottom of one's heart
literal from all soul
по душа́м = candidly, sincerely
говори́ть по душа́м с кем-л. = to have a heart-to-heart talk with smb.
literal to talk by souls
ско́лько душе́ уго́дно = to one's heart's content, as much as one wants
literal as much as soul wants
душа́ мо́я! = my dear! my darling!
в глубине́ ду́ши = deep in one's heart
брать за ду́шу = to touch the heart
за́ячья душа́ = faintheart
literal hare's soul

Related words:

се́рдце = heart
дух = spirit, mind
душе́вный = mental, sincere, emotional, spiritual
ду́шка = dear, love

Proverbs and sayings:

Бога́тому ду́ша деше́вле гроша́.
Money is the root of all evil.
literal To the rich, the soul is cheaper than a penny (half copeck coin).
Поря́док - ду́ша вся́кого де́ла.
One's room is a witness of the orderliness of his mind.
literal Order is the soul of any business.
Руба́шка бела́, да душа́ черна́.
Fair without, foul within.
literal The shirt is white but the soul is black.

Other forms of the word (declensions):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	душа́	ду́ши
Genitive	души́	ду́ш
Dative	душе́	ду́шам
Accusative	ду́шу	ду́ши
Instrumental	душо́й	ду́шами
Prepositional	душе́	ду́шах

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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