Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "love" 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.

любовь

Meaning: love, affection, passion

Pronunciation: [lyoo-BOHF']

Part of speech: noun (feminine noun)

Rank: #352 (see frequency list)

In love. Romeo and Juliet portrayed by Frank Dicksee.

Example sentences:

Любо́вь -- э́то смысл жи́зни.
Love is the meaning of life.
Он призна́лся в любви́ свое́й де́вушке.
He made a declaration of love to his girlfriend.
Ты -- моя́ любо́вь.
You are my love. (familiar)
Алекса́ндр Пу́шкин изве́стен свои́ми стиха́ми о любви́.
Alexander Pushkin is known for his poems about love.
Мы жени́лись по любви́.
We married for love.
Вы по́мните свою́ пе́рвую любо́вь?
Do you remember your first love?
Я люблю и ненавижу тебя.
I love and hate you.
У них любо́вь с пе́рвого взгля́да.
They loved each other at first sight. (lit: they have love at first sight)
Солдат воевал из любви к родине.
The soldier was fighting for the love of his motherland.
Материнская любовь безгранична.
Maternal love has no limits.

Idioms and set expressions:

слепая любовь = blind live
корыстная любовь = cupboard love
любовь без взаимности = unrequited love
заниматься любовью = to make love
из любви к искусству = for the fun / love of it
любовь с первого взгляда = love at first sight
занима́ться любо́вью = to make love
предава́ться любви́ = to make love

Proverbs and sayings:

Любовь зла, полюбишь и козла.
literal The love is vicious, you can fall in love even with the billy-goat.
Где любовь и совет, там и горя нет.
literal Where is the love and advice, there is no sorrow.
Когда любовь шепчет, разум замолкает.
literal When love whispers, the mind falls silent.

Other forms of the word (declensions):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	любо́вь	(uncountable)
Genitive	любви́	(uncountable)
Dative	любви́	(uncountable)
Accusative	любо́вь	(uncountable)
Instrumental	любо́вью	(uncountable)
Prepositional	любви́	(uncountable)

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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