Russian Words: Holidays

Victory Day Military Parade Immortal Regiment March In Moscow — Victory Day Immortal Regiment March to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the victory in WWII in Red Square on May 9, 2017 in Moscow, Russia. Thousands of people with portraits of WWII veterans marched in the streets of Central Moscow to commemorate their relatives and friends. Mikhail Svetlov / Getty Images

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Updated on February 28, 2020

Russian holidays range from religious festivities to civic celebrations and traditional ceremonies. Officially, there are 14 bank holidays, with eight of them taking place in January for the New Year and Orthodox Christmas celebrations. Other unofficial holidays are also widely celebrated, such as September 1 (the first day of the academic year) and January 14 (the Old New Year). The following lists of Russian words for holidays can help you participate in this unique culture.

Новый Год (The New Year)

Arguably the most lavish and popular Russian holiday, the New Year is celebrated on New Year's Eve and continues for six days, when the Orthodox Christmas takes over. Every day between January 1 and January 6 is a bank holiday in Russia.

Russian Word	English Word	Pronunciation	Example
Дед Мороз	Father Christmas	dyet maROS	Приехали Дед Мороз и Снегурочка (priYEhali dyet maROS y snyGOOrachka) - Father Christmas and Snow Maiden have arrived
Ёлка	Christmas tree	YOLka	Наряжаем ёлку (naryaZHAyem YOLkoo) - We are decorating the Christmas tree
Подарки	Gifts	paDARky	Подарки под ёлкой (paDARki pad YOLkai) - Presents under the tree
Праздничный стол	Dinner/feast	PRAZnichniy STOL	Накрыли праздничный стол (naKRYli PRAZnichniy STOL) - The table is set for the feast
Застолье	Holiday meal/feast	zaSTOL'ye	Приглашаем на застолье (priglaSHAyem na zaSTOL'ye) - You're invited to the holiday meal
Ёлочные игрушки	Christmas tree decorations	YOlachniye eegROOSHki	Где ёлочные игрушки? (gdye YOlachniye eegROOSHki) -Where are the Christmas tree decorations?
Куранты	Chimes/clock	kooRANty	Бой курантов (boy kooRANtaf) - The sound of the Kremlin chimes
Обращение президента	President's address	abraSHYEniye pryzyDYENta	Началось обращение президента (nachaLOS' abraSHYEniye pryzyDYENta) - The president's address has begun

Рождество (Christmas)

The Russian Orthodox Christmas Eve is on January 6. Traditionally, this is a time of fortune-telling and connecting with loved ones. Many Russians go to church on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Russian Word	English Word	Pronunciation	Example
С Рождеством	Merry Christmas	srazhdystVOM	С Рождеством вас! (srazhdystVOM vas) - Merry Christmas to you!
С Рождеством Христовым	Merry Christmas	srazhdystVOM hrisTOvym	Поздравляю с Рождеством Христовым (pazdravLYAyu srazhdystVOM hrisTOvym) - Merry Christmas
Гадание	Divination	gaDAniye	рождественские гадания (razhDESTvenskiye gaDAniya) - Christmas fortune-telling
Пост	A fast	pohst	До Рождества пост (da razhdystVA pohst) - The fast lasts until Christmas
Поститься	To fast	pasTEETsa	Ты будешь поститься? (ty BOOdesh pasTEETsa) - Will you be fasting?
Рождественская трапеза	Christmas dinner/meal	razhDYEStvynskaya TRApyza	Вечером будет рождественская трапеза (VYEcheram BOOdet razhDYESTvynskaya TRApyza) - Christmas dinner will be in the evening.
Сочельник	Christmas Eve	saCHEL'nik	Завтра сочельник (ZAFTra saCHEL'nik) - Tomorrow is Christmas Eve

Старый Новый Год (Old New Year)

Although this holiday is not officially a day off, Russians like to enjoy a final New Year celebration on this day, often with a special dinner and small gifts.

Russian Word	English Word	Pronunciation	Example
Праздник	Celebration/holiday	PRAZnik	Сегодня праздник (syVODnya PRAZnik) - Today is a holiday
Отдыхать	To relax, to have fun	atdyHAT'	Все отдыхают (vsye atdyHAHyut) - Everyone is relaxing
Сюрприз	Surprise/gift	surPREEZ	У меня для тебя сюрприз (oo myNYA dlya tyBYA surPREEZ) - I got you a gift
Вареники	Vareniki/dumplings	vaREniki	Обожаю вареники (abaZHAyu vaREniki) - I love dumplings

Масленица (Maslenitsa)

This traditional Russian holiday, similar to festivities held before Lent in the West, is widely celebrated in Russia with a week of pancakes, games, and activities such as chain dancing, jumping over a bonfire, and burning the straw doll of Maslenitsa.

Russian Word	English Word	Pronunciation	Example
Блины	Pancakes	bleeNYY	Мы печём блины (my pyCHOM bleeNYY) - We are making pancakes
Хоровод	Circle/chain dance	haraVOT	Люди водят хороводы (LYUdi VOdyat haraVOdy) - People are chain dancing
Костёр	Bonfire	kasTYOR	Прыгать через костёр (PRYgat' CHErez kasTYOR) - To jump over the bonfire
Чучело	Maslenitsa doll/effigy	CHOOchyla	Жгут чучело (zhgoot CHOOchyla) - They are burning the straw doll
Песни и пляски	Singing and dancing	PYESni ee PLYASki	Вокруг песни и пляски (vaKROOK PYESni ee PLYASki) - There is singing and dancing everywhere

День Победы (Victory Day)

Almost as lavish as the New Year but tinged with a solemn mood, Victory Day celebrates the Russian defeat of Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

Russian Word	English Word	Pronunciation	Example
Победа	Victory	paBYEda	Поздравляем с нашей победой (pazdravLYAem s NAshei paBYEdai) - Congratulations on our victory
Парад	Parade	paRAT	Идёт парад (eeDYOT paRAT) - The parade is on
Марш	March	marsh	Торжественный марш (tarZHESTveniy marsh) - A solemn march
Салют	Salute	saLYUT	Салют в честь ветеранов (saLYUT f chest' veteRAnaf) - A salute in honor of the veterans
Война	War	vaiNAH	Великая Отечественная война (vyLEEkaya aTYEchystvynnaya vaiNAH) - The Great Patriotic War
Ветеран	Veteran	veteRAN	Поздравляют ветеранов (pazdravLYAyut veteRAnaf) - They are congratulating the veterans

День Знаний (Knowledge Day)

Not officially a day off, September 1 celebrates the first day of the academic year. All schools and colleges open on this day. Schools hold a celebratory assembly outside.

Russian Word	English Word	Pronunciation	Examples
Школа	School	SHKOlah	Школьная линейка (SHKOL'naya liNEIka) - School assembly
Школьник/школьница	Pupil	SHKOL'nik/SHKOL'nitsa	Школьники дарят цветы (SHKOL'niki DAryat tsveTY) - Pupils bring flowers
Учитель/учительница	Teacher	ooCHEEtel'/ooCHEEtel'nitsa	Это - моя учительница (EHta maYA ooCHEEtel'nitsa) - This is my teacher
Образование	Education	abrazaVAniye	Получить образование (palooCHEET abrazaVAniye) - To receive one's education
Учебник	School book	ooCHEBnik	Учебник по английскому (ooCHEBnik pa angLEESkamoo) - An English school book
Тетрадь	Notebook, exercise book	tytRAT'	Новая тетрадь (NOvaya tytRAT') - A new notebook
Студент/студентка	Student	stooDENT/stooDENTka	Студенты гуляют по городу (stooDENty gooLYAyut pa GOradoo) - Students are having fun in the streets