Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "by" 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.

Meaning: by, at, with

Pronunciation: [oo]

Part of speech: preposition

Rank: #20 (see frequency list)

Our cat gave birth to kittens.
Photo by Dan4th, licensed under CC GA 2.0

Example sentences:

У меня́ есть собáка.
I have a dog.
literal At me there's a dog.
Стол стои́т у окнá.
The table is by the window.
literal A table stands by a window.
У нáшей кóшки родили́сь котя́та.
Our cat gave birth to kittens.
literal At our cat the kittens were born.
Ты ужé был у зубнóго врачá?
Have you been to the dentist's yet?
Рóма живëт у роди́телей.
Roma lives with his parents.
У тебя́ хóлодно?
Is it cold at your place?
У нас так не дéлают.
In our country it's not done like that.
У eë дóчери краси́вые céрые глазá.
Her daughter has beautiful gray eyes.
У нáших сосéдей сегóдня опя́ть скандáл.
Our neighbours have a quarrel again.
Нóжка у сту́ла совсéм сломáлась.
The leg of the chair has completely broken.
Я взял э́ту кни́гу у Кócти.
I've got this book from Kostia.
У когó ты взялá дéньги в долг?
Who did you borrow the money from?
У них нет нóвого телеви́зора.
They don't have a new TV.
У кáждого свои́ недостáтки.
Everyone has their own defects.
Мы ужé у сáмого бéрега.
We are right near the bank.

Idioms and set expressions:

у влáсти = in power
не у дéл = out of it
Cмотри́ у меня́! = You dare!

Related words:

c = with
óколо = near
ря́дом с = near

Proverbs and sayings:

У когó что боли́т, тот о том и говори́т.
Tongue ever turns to the aching tooth.
literal Everyone talks about their own illnesses.
У стрáха глазá велики́.
Fear takes molehills for mountains.
literal Fear has big eyes.
У семи́ ня́нек дитя́ без глáзу.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
literal Seven nannies have a child without an eye.

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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