Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "only" 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.

единственный

Meaning: only, sole

Pronunciation: [yee-DEEN-stveen-niy]

Part of speech: adjective

Rank: #489 (see frequency list)

There was the only chair in the office.
Photo by juhansonin CC-BY-2.0

Example sentences:

В óфисе стоя́л еди́нственный стул.
There was the only chair in the office.
Еë еди́нственный сын уéхал за грани́цу.
Her only son immigrated.
literal Her only son went abroad.
Егó еди́нственной стрácтью бы́ло чтéние.
Reading was his only passion.
Я ви́дела егó оди́н-еди́нственный раз в жи́зни.
I saw him only once in my whole life.
Cергéй пошëл на э́то с еди́нственной цéлью: удержáть семью́.
Sergey ventured it with the sole purpose: to protect his family from a divorce.
Ксéния Николáевна былá еди́нственным в своëм рóде специали́ст по стари́нным ру́сским гравю́рам.
Kseniya Nikolaevna was a unique specialist in old Russian engravings.
literal Kseniya Nikolaevna was an only specialist of this sort in old Russian engravings.
У неë отня́ли еди́нственную еë надéжду.
She was beprived of her only hope.
Моя́ ми́лая, моя́ роднáя, моя́ еди́нственная, как же я тебя́ люблю́!
My darling, my dear, my one and only, I love you so!
В ру́сском языкé есть еди́нственное и мнóжественное числó.
There's singular and plural grammatical number in the Russian language.
Еди́нственное, что меня́ беспокóит - э́то погóда.
The only thing that worries me is the weather.

Idioms and set expressions:

еди́нственный ребёнок = only child
еди́нственная причина = sole reason
с еди́нственной целью = with the sole purpose
еди́нственная его надежда = his one and only hope
еди́нственный в своём роде = unique
literal the only in this sort
еди́нственный раз = only once
еди́нственный раз, когда... = the only time when...
еди́нственное число = singular (grammatical number)
еди́нственный и неповторимый = the one and only
literal only and inimitable
еди́нственное, что... = the only thing that...
оди́н-еди́нственный = only one
literal one only

Related words:

еди́ный = single, united, integrated
едини́ца = unit, "one" (lowest mark in Russian schools)
рéдкий = rare
исключи́тельный = exceptional

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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