Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "strong" 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.

сильный

Meaning: strong, powerful, intense

Pronunciation: [SEEL'-niy]

Part of speech: adjective

Rank: #432 (see frequency list)

One has to be strong in life.
Photo by Hot Rod Homepage CC-BY-2.0

Example sentences:

Сегóдня си́льный вéтер.
It's really windy today.
literal Today there's strong wind.
У них такáя си́льная любóвь.
Their love is so strong.
literal They have such a strong love.
В жи́зни нáдо быть си́льным человéком.
One has to be strong in life.
literal In life it's necessary to be a strong man.
Я рабóтаю тóлько с си́льными ученикáми.
I only work with good pupils.
literal I only work with strong pupils.
В Япóнии произошлó cи́льное землятресéние.
A strong earthquake shook Japan.
literal A strong earthquake happened in Japan.
В си́льном госудáрстве должнó быть сильнó и óбщество.
In a powerful state, the society also has to be strong.
Я всегдá знал егó как си́льного ду́хом человéка.
I have always known him as a person with a strong mind.
Благодаря́ си́льному мотóру, маши́на вы́бралась из кювéта.
Thanks to its powerful engine, the car was able to get out of a ditch.
Бу́дьте осторóжны: э́то óчень си́льное лекáрство.
Be careful: it's a very strong medicine.
Поéздка в Рим произвелá на меня́ си́льное впечатлéние.
My trip to Rome produced a very strong impression on me.

Idioms and set expressions:

си́льный пол = men
literal strong sex
си́льный наркóтик = strong drug
си́льный вéтер = strong wind
си́льный зáпах = strong smell
си́льное впечатлéние = stong impression
си́льная вóля = strong will
си́льный учени́к = good pupil
literal strong pupil
си́льные ми́ра сегó = the powers that be
literal the strong of this world
ну ты силён! = isn't that cute of you!
literal wow, you're strong!

Related words:

cи́льно = strongly, heavily
крéпкий = hard, strong, firm

Proverbs and sayings:

C cи́льным не бори́сь, а с богáтым не суди́сь.
Don't struggle with the strong, don't go to law with the rich.

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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