Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "question" 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.

вопрос

Meaning: question, issue, problem, matter

Pronunciation: [vah-PROHS]

Part of speech: noun (masculine noun)

Rank: #186 (see frequency list)

In Russian, a question mark is always placed in the end of an interrogative sentence.

Example sentences:

Это о́чень сло́жный вопро́с.
This is a very difficult question.
Покупа́ть компью́тер или нет: во́прос не в э́том.
To buy or not to buy a computer: that's not the question.
Быть и́ли не быть -- вот в чём вопро́с.
To be, or not to be: that is the question. (Shakespeare)
Поня́тно, бо́льше нет вопро́сов!
It's clear now, no more questions.
Я хочу́ зада́ть вам вопро́с.
I want to ask you a question. (polite or plural)
Вы не отве́тили на мой вопро́с.
You haven't answered my question. (polite or plural)
Для них э́то не вопро́с!
It's not a problem for them.
Снача́ла ну́жно изучи́ть э́тот вопро́с.
It's necessary to study the issue first.
Жени́ться или нет: ну и вопро́с!
To get married or not: what a question!
Вопро́с в том, как э́то сде́лать.
The question is how it can be done.
Вопро́с не в э́том.
That is not the question.
Я мно́го ду́мал над э́тим вопросо́м.
I've been thinking on this issue a lot. (said by a male)

Idioms and set expressions:

сло́жный вопро́с = difficult question; complex issue
зада́ть вопро́с = to ask a question (perfective aspect)
Что за вопрос? = What a question!; Of course!
вопрос на засыпку = a difficult question
literal a question on filling
без вопро́сов = of course, sure
вопро́с вре́мени = a question of time
вопро́с жи́зни и сме́рти = a matter of life and death
под вопро́сом = undecided, uncertain
спо́рный вопро́с = an issue, moot point, matter of controversy
ритори́ческий вопро́с = a rhetorical question
ка́верзный вопро́с = a tricky question

Related words:

вопроси́тельный знак = a question mark
знак вопро́са = a question mark
вопроси́тельное предложе́ние = an interrogative sentence
вопро́сник = a questionnaire

Proverbs and sayings:

У матросов нет вопросов.
We have no questions at all.
literal The sailors have no questions.

Other forms of the word (declensions):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	вопро́с	вопро́сы
Genitive	вопро́са	вопро́сов
Dative	вопро́су	вопро́сам
Accusative	вопро́с	вопро́сы
Instrumental	вопро́сом	вопро́сами
Prepositional	вопро́се	вопро́сах

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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