Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

This Russian word is one of the top 1000 words in Russian. The complete list of most common Russian words is available here.

Meaning: behind, over, at, after, for

Pronunciation: [zah]

Part of speech: preposition

Rank: #24 (see frequency list)

• Олег сел за руль "Во́лги".
• Oleg sat behind the wheel of the Volga.
• Гость напра́вился за́ город.
• The guest headed out of town (i.e. into the country).
• Мне уже за сорок, а я еще не женат.
• I'm over forty already, but I'm still not married.
• Концерт слышно за километр от парка.
• The concert is heard (at a distance of) one kilometer away from the park.
• Я хочу выучить русский за год.
• I want to learn Russian in one year.
• Мы сели в поезд за минуту до отправления.
• We boarded the train a minute before departure.
• Мы вошли в комнату и сели за стол.
• We entered the room and sat at the table.
• Она́ схвати́ла меня́ за́ руку и потащи́ла к авто́бусной остано́вке.
• She grabbed my arm and dragged me to the bus stop.
• Я потяну́л её за́ руку.
• I pulled her by the hand.
• Мэр при́нял реше́ние боро́ться за президе́нтское кре́сло.
• The mayor has decided to fight for the presidency.
• Я руча́юсь вам за него́ как за себя́.
• I vouch (pledge my word) for him just like for myself.
• Он работал за двоих.
• He worked for two.
• Они нас считают за простаков, что ли?
• They consider us to be simpletons, don't they?
• За за́втраком они́ всегда́ разводят полити́ческие бесе́ды.
• They always carry on political debates during breakfast.
• Моя до́чь не хо́чет следи́ть за поря́дком в свое́й ко́мнате.
• My daughter doesn't want to keep order in her room.

• за городом (за город) = in the country; out of town
• за рубежом (за рубеж) = abroad
• быть замужем за... = be married to... (said of a woman)
• за ним долг... = he owes...
• за ним сто рублей = he owes one hundred roubles
• за и против = pros and cons
• ему за сорок = he's over forty
• за полночь = past midnight
• за месяц до... = a month before... ("за" is not translated)
• зуб за зуб = tit for tat
• око за око = eye for eye
• из-за = because of
• за глаза = in somebody's absence; amply, quite enough; behind somebody's back
• за красивые глаза = for nothing; for chicken feed (lit: for beautiful eyes)
• за глаза́ и за́ уши = sufficient, with excess

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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