Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "people" 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.

народ

Meaning: people, nation, folk

Pronunciation: [nah-ROHT]

Part of speech: noun (masculine noun)

Rank: #240 (see frequency list)

The river Volga is called "mother" by common people.
Photo by mironset, licensed under CC SA 2.0

Example sentences:

Говоря́т, испáнцы - весëлый нарóд.
They say that Spanish people are cheerful.
В метрó бы́ло мнóго нарóду.
There were many people in the subway.
Однó из кáчеств ру́сского нарóда - гостеприи́мство.
Hospitality is one of the qualities of Russian people.
В Росси́и мнóго мáлых нарóдов.
In Russia there're many minority nations.
literal In Russia there're many small nations.
Он вы́шел из нарóда: его роди́тели бы́ли крестья́нами.
He's of humble origins, his parents were peasants.
literal He came from common people, his parents were peasants.
В нарóде Вóлгу назывáют мáтушкой.
The river Volga is called "mother" by common people.
literal In the nation they call Volga "mother".
Нéкоторые поли́тики лю́бят ходи́ть в нарóд.
Some politicians like doing campaign among the masses.
literal Some politicians like going to people.
Нарóду слéдует предоcтáвить бóльше прав.
It's necessary to grant more rights to common people,
А где же нарóд?
So, where the people are?
Я могу́ мнóго рассказáть о коренны́х нарóдах Сéвера.
I can tell a lot about indigenous peoples of the North.
Cтудéнты - нарóд зáнятый.
Students are busy people.
Мне сты́дно пéред нарóдом.
I feel ashamed before the guys.
literal I feel ashamed before the people.
Нарóд, ну что вы такóе говори́те!
Hey guys, what are you talking about?
literal People, what are you saying?

Idioms and set expressions:

при всëм честнóм нарóде = in public
мáлыe нарóды = minorities
простóй нарóд = humble people
вы́йти из нарóда = to be of humble origins
пойти́ в нарóд = to do campaign amongs the masses

Related words:

лю́ди = people
нáция = a nation
национáльность = a nationality
нарóдный = folk (adjective)

Proverbs and sayings:

Глас нарóда - глас Бóжий.
The Voice of the People Is the Voice of God.

Other forms of the word (declensions):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	наро́д	наро́ды
Genitive	наро́да (наро́ду)	наро́дов
Dative	наро́ду	наро́дам
Accusative	наро́д	наро́ды
Instrumental	наро́дом	наро́дами
Prepositional	наро́де	наро́дах

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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