Russian Words: Nature and Weather

Night view of the Red Square in Moscow during snowstorm
he snow falls during a winter night at the Red Square.

Getty Images / Elena Liseykina

By
Maia Nikitina
Maia Nikitina
Russian Language Expert
  • M.F.A., Creative Writing, Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Diploma in Translation (IoLet Level 7, Russian), Chartered Institute of Linguists
Maia Nikitina is a writer and Russian language translator. She holds a Diploma in Translation (IoLet Level 7) from the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
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Updated on February 27, 2020

Russia is a country of weather extremes and beautiful nature, so it is essential to learn the appropriate vocabulary. This article provides the most popular Russian words for nature, weather, and the seasons, including pronunciation and examples that you can use straight away.

Weather

Russian weather is not all snow and cold. In fact, Russia has some very hot areas and an overall continental climate with four defined seasons. Use the table below to learn essential phrases and weather-related vocabulary.

Russian Word English Word Pronunciation Example
Погода Weather paGOda Хорошая погода (haROshaya paGOda)
- Beautiful weather
Холодно Cold HOladna Мне холодно (mnye HOladna)
- I'm cold
Холод Cold (noun) HOlad Какой холод! (kaKOY HOlad)
- It's so cold!
Жарко Hot ZHARka Стало жарко (STAla ZHARka)
- It got hot.
Жара Heat zhaRAH Невыносимая жара (nevynaSEEmaya zhaRAH)
- Unbearable heat
Тепло Warm typLOH Завтра будет тепло (ZAVtra BOOdet typLOH)
- It will be warm tomorrow
Дождь Rain DOZH/DOZHD' Шёл дождь (shohl dozhd')
- It was raining
Дождливо Rainy dazhLEEva/dazhDLEEva Всё лето было дождливо (vsyo LYEta BYla dazhdLEEva)
- It was raining the whole summer
Пасмурно Grey, dull PASmuhrna На улице пасмурно (na OOleetse PASmuhrna)
- It is dull outside
Солнце Sun SOLNtse Светило солнце (svyTEEla SOLNtse)
- The sun was shining
Гроза Thunderstorm graZAH Ожидается гроза (azhiDAyetsa graZAH)
- A thunderstorm is coming
Гром Thunder grom Послышался гром (paSLYshalsya GROM)
- Thunder could be heard
Град Hail grahd Идёт град (eeDYOT grahd)
- There is a hailstorm out there
Снег Snow sneg/snek Обещали снег (abySHAli snek)
- They have promised snow
Осадки Precipitation aSATki Завтра будет без осадков (ZAVtra BOOdet bez aSATkaf)
- It will be dry tomorrow
Гололедица Icy conditions/roads galaLYEditsa На дорогах гололедица (na daROgah galaLYEditsa)
- There is ice on the roads
Тучи Rain/grey clouds TOOchi Небо затянуто тучами (NYEba zaTYAnoota TOOchami)
- The sky is covered with grey clouds
Туман Fog tooMAHN Осторожно, туман! (astaROZHna, tooMAHN)
- Careful, it's foggy
Облако Cloud OBlaka Белые облака (BYElye ablaKAH)
- White clouds
Облачно Cloudy OBlachna Будет облачно (BOOdet OBlachna)
- It will be cloudy
Безоблачно Clear byzOBlachna Безоблачное небо (beZOBlachnaye NYEba)
- Clear sky
Лёд Ice lyot На поверхности лёд (na paVYERHnasti lyot)
- Ice on the surface

The Seasons

Although some areas of Russia, such as the sea-facing parts of Siberia and the islands in the Arctic Sea, have very short summers that only last two to three weeks, the rest of the country has four seasons.

Russian Word English Word Pronunciation Example
Весна Spring vysNA Наступила весна (nastooPEEla vysNA)
- Spring came
Лето Summer LYEta Жаркое лето (ZHARkaye LYEta)
- A hot summer
Осень Fall OHsyn' Золотая осень (zalaTAya OHsyn')
- A golden fall
Зима Winter zeeMA Снежная зима (SNYEZHnaya zeeMA)
- A snowy winter

Nature Words

Russia has some of the most breathtaking views in the world, such as the beautiful Lake Baikal, the beaches of the Azov and Black Seas, and the Altai Mountains. Use the words and examples below to learn how to talk about nature in Russian.

Russian Word English Word Pronunciation Example
Дерево Tree DYEreva В саду растёт дерево (fsaDOO rasTYOT DYEreva)
- There is a tree in the garden
Деревья Trees dyRYEV'ya Высокие деревья (vySOHkiye deRYEV'ya)
- Tall trees
Растение Plant rasTYEniye Полезное растение (paLYEZnaye rasTYEniye)
- A useful/healing plant
Цветок Flower tsvyTOK Красивый цветок (kraSEEviy tsvyTOK)
- A beautiful flower
Гора Mountain gaRAH У подножия горы (oo padNOzhiya gaRY)
- At the foot of the mountain
Лес Forest, wood lyes Густой лес (goosTOY lyes)
- A thick forest
Роща Grove, copse, wood ROshah Берёзовая роща (beRYOzavaya ROshah)
- A birch grove
Море Sea MOrye Синее море (SEEnyie MOrye)
- A blue sea
Река River ryKAH Здесь устье реки (sdyes OOStye ryKEE)
- Here is the mouth of the river
Озеро Lake OHzyrah Глубокое озеро (glooBOkoye OHzyrah)
- A deep lake
Пруд Pond proot Пойдем к пруду (paiDYOM k prooDOO)
- Let's go to the pond
Болото Marsh baLOta Осторожно, болото (astaROZHna, baLOta)
- Careful, there's a marsh here
Поле Field POlye Широкое поле (sheeROkaye POlye)
- A broad field
Долина Valley daLEEna Долины и поля (daLEEny ee paLYA)
- Valleys and fields
Канал Canal kaNAHL За полем - канал (za POlyem -- kaNAL)
- There is a canal beyond the field
Океан Ocean ahkyAHN Атлантический Океан (atlanTEEcheskiy ahkyAHN)
- The Atlantic Ocean
Камень Stone, rock KAHmyn' Красивый камень (kraSEEviy KAHmyn')
- A pretty stone
Скала Rock (mountain), cliff skaLAH Мы полезем на скалу (my paLYEzym na skaLOO)
- We will climb onto the cliff
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Nikitina, Maia. "Russian Words: Nature and Weather." ThoughtCo, Aug. 29, 2020, thoughtco.com/russian-words-nature-and-weather-4797080. Nikitina, Maia. (2020, August 29). Russian Words: Nature and Weather. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/russian-words-nature-and-weather-4797080 Nikitina, Maia. "Russian Words: Nature and Weather." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/russian-words-nature-and-weather-4797080 (accessed March 28, 2023).