Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "to take " 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.

взять

Meaning: to take , to accept, to admit, to seize, to get

Pronunciation: [vzyaht']

Part of speech: verb (perfective aspect)

Rank: #132 (see frequency list)

Could I go with you to Baikal?
Photo by Délirante bestiole, licensed under CC SA 2.0

Example sentences:

Ты взял дéньги?
Did you take money?
Вы возьмëте меня́ с собóй на Байкáл?
Could I go with you to Baikal?
literal Will you take me with you to Baikal?
Онá взялá кни́гу в библиотéке год назáд и ещë не отдалá.
She borrowed a book in the library a year ago but haven't returned it yet.
Как ты ду́маешь, стóит взять его на рабóту?
What do you think, is it worth employing him?
Они как всегда возьму́т рабóту нá дом на выходны́е.
They'll take their work home at the weekend as they always do.
Ты возьмëшь маши́ну напрокáт и́ли поéдешь на своéй?
Will you rent a car or will you drive yours?
Милиционéры срáзу же взя́ли его.
The police arrested him right away.
Ты бы взял на себя́ отвéтственность за э́то дéло?
Would you assume the responsibility for that case?
Я хотéл только поглáдить кóшку, а онá взялá и поцарáпала меня́!
I just wanted to stroke the cat but it scratched me out of a sudden.
Ну взять хотя́ бы их брак: что ты о нëм ду́маешь?
If we take their marriage for example, what do you think about it?
Отку́да ты э́то взял?
Why do you think so?
literal Where did you take if from?
Врáги взя́ли крéпость.
The enemies took the fortress.
Вот, возьми́те, Вáша сдáча.
Here's your change, please.
Кáтя, возьми́ тру́бку, это пáпа!
Katia, pick up the phone, it's Dad!

Idioms and set expressions:

взять на вооружéние = to add to one's armoury
ни дать ни взять = esaclty, neither more nor less
literal neither give nor take
взять в плен = to take prisoner
взять напрокáт = to rent
взять в плен = to take a prisoner
взять напрокáт = to rent
взять на себя́расхóды = to cover the expenses
взять себя́ в ру́ки = to control oneself
взять слóво с когó-ли́бо = to make smb promise
взять когó-ли́бо под своë кры́лышко = to start protecting smb
что с негó возьмëшь! = he is just like that!
literal what else can you take of him!

Related words:

взя́тие = seizure
брать = to take, accept, admit, seize, get
захвати́ть = to seize, occupy
верну́ть = to return

Proverbs and sayings:

Умéй взять, умéй и отдáть.
If you know how to borrow money, you have to know how to return it
literal Know how to borrow and know how to return.
Бог дал, Бог взял.
God gave, God will take.
Умру́, так с собóй возьму́.
If I die I'll take it with me (meaning money).

Verb conjugation:

Present Tense

The perfective verb взять is not used in the Present Tense. Use the imperfective verb брать instead.

Past Tense

I, you (singular), he	взя́л
she	взяла́
it	взя́ло
we, you (plural), they	взя́ли

Future Simple Tense

I	возьму́
you (singular)	возьмёшь
he, she, it	возьмёт
we	возьмём
you (plural)	возьмёте
they	возьму́т

Future Compound Tense

The perfective verb взять is not used in the Future Compound Tense. Use the imperfective verb брать instead.

Imperative Mood (Command Form)

you (singular)	возьми́
you (plural)	возьми́те

View full conjugation table for the verb pair брать/взять

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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