Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "shoulder" 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.

плечо

Meaning: shoulder

Pronunciation: [plee-CHOH]

Part of speech: noun (neuter noun)

Rank: #241 (see frequency list)

Zhenia had a big tattoo on his right shoulder.
Photo by micaeltattoo, licensed under CC SA 2.0

Example sentences:

У меня́ боли́т плечó.
My schoulder hurts.
Что у мáмы с плечóм?
What is wrong with mom's shoulder?
У Жéни на прáвом плечé былá большáя татуирóвка.
Zhenia had a big tattoo on his right shoulder.
literal There was a big tattoo on Zhenia's right shoulder.
Мы шли плечóм к плечу́, как настоя́щие друзья́.
We were going shoulder to schoulder as real friends.
Он нéжно обня́л еë за плéчи.
He tenderly put his arms around her shoulders,
Пëтр Семëнович тóлько пожáл плечáми.
Piotr Semionovich only shrugged his shoulders.
Дед Морóз нócит мешóк за плечáми.
Ded Moroz (Russian Santa Claus) carries a big sack on his shoulders.
Вся рабóта по дóму лежи́т на мои́х плечáх.
I'm responsible for all the housework.
literal All the housework lies on my shouders.
Он был ширóк в плечáх.
He had broad shoulders.
literal He was broad in shoulders.
Наконéц-то я свали́ла егó c плеч!
I finally got rid of him!
literal I finally knocked him down from my shoulders!
Ду́маю, у э́того пальтó cтóит переши́ть плéчи.
I think it would be better to alter the shoulders of the coat.
Сáша был одéт с чужóго плечá.
Sasha wore second-hand clothes.
literal Sasha wore clothes from somebody else's shoulder.

Idioms and set expressions:

плечóм к плечу́ = shoulder to shoulder
горá c плеч свали́лась = a load's been taken off one's mind
literal a mountain fell down one's shoulder
имéть гóлову на плечáх = to have a good head on one's shoulders
literal to have a head on one's shoulders
c плeч долóй = that's done
literal off one's shoulders
э́то ему́ не по плечу́ = he's not up to it
c чужóго плечá = second-hand
literal from somebody else's shoulder
по плечу́ = within one's abilities; possible to complete
literal at shoulder

Related words:

рукá = an arm, hand
плéчико = a small shoulder, clothe's shoulder
плечевóй = shoulder (adjective)

Proverbs and sayings:

Рот нараспáшку, язык на плечé.
My tongue is my worst enemy
literal Mouth is wide open and tongue's on the shoulder.
Не гляди́, какóв в плечáх - слу́шай, какóв в речáх.
Don't pay attention to one's shoulders, but pay attention to the way one speaks.
literal Don't look how is one in his shoulders, but listen to his speeches.
Былá бы головá на плечáх, а хлеб бу́дет.
Once you have a good head on your shoulders, you'll have food.
literal Once you have a head on your shoulders, you'll have bread.

Other forms of the word (declensions):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	плечо́	пле́чи
Genitive	плеча́	пле́ч
Dative	плечу́	плеча́м
Accusative	плечо́	пле́чи
Instrumental	плечо́м	плеча́ми
Prepositional	плече́	плеча́х

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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