Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "under" 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.

под

Meaning: under, for, near, towards

Pronunciation: [poht]

Part of speech: preposition

Rank: #68 (see frequency list)

The dog is lying under the table.
Photo by boboroshi CC-BY-2.0

Example sentences:

Собáка лежи́т под столóм.
The dog is lying under the table.
Постáвь корóбку под кровáть.
Put the box under the bed.
Часы́ висéли под карти́ной.
The clock was hanging under the picture.
Жeнá взялá меня́ пóд руку, и мы пошли́ к адвокáту.
My wife took my arm, and the went to the lawyer.
Под нáми живу́т óчень беспокóйные лю́ди.
There are very unquiet people living downstairs.
literal There are very unquiet people living under us.
Ви́дно бы́ло, как пoдо льдóм течëт водá.
You could see the water flowing under the ice.
literal It was seen how the water flew under the ice.
Ты попáл под дождь?
Were you caught in the rain?
literal Were you caught under the rain?
Пóле в э́том году́ бы́ло под картóфелем.
The field was under potatoes this year.
Расскажи́те о би́тве под Москвóй.
Tell me about the battle of Moscow.
literal Tell about the battle under Moscow.
Под вéчер у негó поднялácь температу́ра.
Towards evening his temperature grew higher.
Ей ужé под пятьдеся́т, а вы́глядит на сóрок!
She is nearly fifty already, but she looks like forty!
literal She is under fifty already, but she looks like forty.
Под каку́ю му́зыку ты танцу́ешь?
What music do you prefer for dancing?
literal Under what music do you dance?
Он престу́пник, ну́жно отдáть его под суд.
He is a criminal, he must be prosecuted.
literal He is a criminal, it is necessary to give him up under justice.
Колóнны бы́ли сдéланы под мрáмор.
Columns were made as a marble imitation.
literal Columns were made under marble.
Оперáция былá проведенá под наркóзом.
The operation was carried out under anaesthetic.

Idioms and set expressions:

под нócом = сlose to smb
literal under smb's nose
под бóком = close to smb
literal under smb's side
под рукóй = close to smb
literal under smb's hand
под коммáндованием = under the command
под апплодисмéнты = to the applause
literal under the applauses
под диктóвку = from dictation
попácть пол обстрéл = come under fire
взять под контрóль = take under one's control
взять под стрáжу = take into custody
отдáть под суд = prosecute
literal to give up under justice
вы́дать под залóг = give smth against a pledge
писáть под псевдони́мом = write under pseudonym
бы́ть под каблукóм у когó-ли́бо = be under smb's thumb
literal be under smb's heel

Related words:

Подмоскóвье = Moscow region
подзéмный = underground
подстáвка = support
поднебécье = skies

Proverbs and sayings:

Под лежáчий кáмень водá не течëт.
No pains, no gains.
literal Water doesn't flow under a lying stone.
Плясáть смóлоду учи́сь, под стáрость не нау́чишься.
Don't waste time in vain.
literal Learn how to dance when you are young, you won't be able to do it when you are old.
Кто бывáл на конé, тот бывáл и под конëм.
Life is changeable.
literal He who was on the horse, also was under the horse.

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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