Russian Words for Time: Essential Vocabulary Guide
Understanding Russian words for time is fundamental for everyday communication. Whether you're scheduling appointments, discussing your daily routine, or simply asking what time it is, this vocabulary will serve you constantly. Let's explore the essential temporal vocabulary you need to learn Russian time expressions confidently.
Essential Time Vocabulary
These core words form the foundation for any discussion about time in Russian. Mastering these Russian words for time will unlock countless conversational possibilities.
| Word | Pronunciation | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| время | VREH-myah | time | У меня нет времени. (I don't have time.) |
| час | chahs | hour / one o'clock | Сейчас час дня. (It's one o'clock in the afternoon.) |
| минута | mee-NOO-tah | minute | Подожди одну минуту. (Wait one minute.) |
| секунда | seh-KOON-dah | second | Это займёт секунду. (This will take a second.) |
| сегодня | see-VOHD-nyah | today | Сегодня хорошая погода. (The weather is nice today.) |
| завтра | ZAHF-trah | tomorrow | Увидимся завтра! (See you tomorrow!) |
| вчера | fcheh-RAH | yesterday | Вчера был дождь. (It rained yesterday.) |
| утро | OO-trah | morning | Доброе утро! (Good morning!) |
| день | dyen' | day / afternoon | Добрый день! (Good afternoon!) |
| вечер | VYE-chehr | evening | Добрый вечер! (Good evening!) |
| ночь | nohch | night | Спокойной ночи! (Good night!) |
| неделя | nee-DYEH-lyah | week | На следующей неделе. (Next week.) |
| месяц | MYEH-syahts | month | Это займёт месяц. (This will take a month.) |
| год | goht | year | С Новым годом! (Happy New Year!) |
| сейчас | see-CHAHS | now | Сейчас три часа. (It's three o'clock now.) |
| потом | pah-TOHM | later / then | Поговорим потом. (We'll talk later.) |
| рано | RAH-nah | early | Ещё рано. (It's still early.) |
| поздно | POHZ-nah | late | Уже поздно. (It's already late.) |
Common Phrases
When you learn Russian time expressions, knowing complete phrases helps you communicate naturally. These commonly-used expressions will help you ask about and discuss time in everyday situations.
| Phrase | Pronunciation | English | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Который час? | kah-TOH-riy chahs | What time is it? | Извините, который час? (Excuse me, what time is it?) |
| Сколько времени? | SKOHL'-kah VREH-meh-nee | What time is it? | Informal alternative to "который час?" |
| Во сколько? | vah SKOHL'-kah | At what time? | Во сколько начинается фильм? (What time does the movie start?) |
| Без пяти | byez pyah-TEE | five minutes to | Без пяти три. (Five to three / 2:55.) |
| Половина | pah-lah-VEE-nah | half past | Половина второго. (Half past one / 1:30.) |
| Через час | CHEH-rez chahs | in an hour | Встретимся через час. (Let's meet in an hour.) |
| Час назад | chahs nah-ZAHT | an hour ago | Он ушёл час назад. (He left an hour ago.) |
| Каждый день | KAHZH-diy dyen' | every day | Я работаю каждый день. (I work every day.) |
| Всё время | fsyo VREH-myah | all the time | Он всё время опаздывает. (He's late all the time.) |
| Вовремя | VOH-vreh-myah | on time | Поезд пришёл вовремя. (The train arrived on time.) |
Usage Notes
Russian has some unique features when it comes to expressing time that differ significantly from English.
- Telling the hour: Russians use a complex system where the number of the hour changes form. "Час" (one o'clock) becomes "два часа" (two o'clock), "три часа" (three), "четыре часа" (four), but "пять часов" (five o'clock) through "двенадцать часов" (twelve o'clock). This follows Russian number-noun agreement rules.
- Half past: When expressing "half past," Russians say "половина" followed by the genitive of the NEXT hour. So "half past one" is "половина второго" (literally "half of the second hour").
- Minutes before the hour: Use "без" (without) plus the genitive of the number: "без пяти пять" means "five to five" (4:55).
- 24-hour time: Official contexts (train schedules, business hours, TV programming) use 24-hour time. You'll hear "в четырнадцать часов" (at 14:00) rather than "в два часа дня."
- Time of day divisions: Russian divides the day into four parts: утро (morning, ~5-12), день (afternoon, ~12-17), вечер (evening, ~17-23), and ночь (night, ~23-5). These are used when specifying AM/PM: "три часа ночи" (3 AM) vs. "три часа дня" (3 PM).
- Prepositions with time: Use "в" (at) with hours: "в три часа" (at three o'clock). Use "в" with days of the week in accusative: "во вторник" (on Tuesday). Use "в" with months in prepositional: "в январе" (in January).
Practice Sentences
Practice these sentences to reinforce your understanding of Russian words for time in context.
- Сейчас восемь часов утра.
see-CHAHS VOH-syem' chah-SOHF oo-TRAH
It's eight o'clock in the morning. - Встреча начинается в половине десятого.
FSTRYE-chah nah-chee-NAH-yet-sah v pah-lah-VEE-nyeh dee-SYAH-tah-vah
The meeting starts at half past nine. - Я просыпаюсь рано каждый день.
yah prah-sih-PAH-yoos' RAH-nah KAHZH-diy dyen'
I wake up early every day. - Мы приехали вчера вечером.
mih pree-YEH-khah-lee fcheh-RAH VYE-cheh-rahm
We arrived yesterday evening. - Через неделю у меня отпуск.
CHEH-rez nee-DYEH-lyoo oo mee-NYAH OHT-poosk
In a week, I have vacation. - Поезд отправляется без четверти два.
POH-yezd aht-prahv-LYAH-yet-sah byez CHYET-vehr-tee dvah
The train departs at a quarter to two. - Сколько времени занимает дорога до центра?
SKOHL'-kah VREH-meh-nee zah-nee-MAH-yet dah-ROH-gah dah TSEN-trah
How long does the trip to the center take? - Магазин открывается в девять часов.
mah-gah-ZEEN aht-krih-VAH-yet-sah v DYEH-vyat' chah-SOHF
The store opens at nine o'clock. - У нас мало времени.
oo nahs MAH-lah VREH-meh-nee
We don't have much time. - В прошлом году я был в Москве.
f PROHSH-lahm gah-DOO yah bihl v mahsk-VYEH
Last year I was in Moscow.
Mastering these Russian words for time will significantly enhance your ability to communicate in everyday situations. As you continue to learn Russian time vocabulary, pay special attention to the case changes required with numbers and prepositions—this is one of the trickier aspects for English speakers, but with practice, it becomes natural.