The Oxford comma does not exist in Russian, maybe because Oxford doesn’t either? 😄 Compare:
Я взял телефон, паспорт и бумажник.
ya vzyal tiliFON PASpart i booMAZHnik
I took my phone, passport, and wallet.
Coordinating conjunctions, for example, и[i](and) or или[EEli](or), are used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that play the same role in a sentence. These are some of the most common words in many languages, including Russian.
Он любит шоколад и мороженое.
on LYUbit shakaLAT i maROzhinaye
He likes chocolate and ice cream.
→ Шоколад and мороженое are both equal objects of the verb.
In this post, we’ll take a look at all the most important coordinating conjunctions in Russian, looking first at some basic words, then at some advanced conjunctions you’re most likely to see written or formal Russian. Let’s take a closer look!
How to say “and” in Russian?
The most common way to say “and” in Russian is to use the word и[i]. However, this word has several synonyms which can have different grammar and punctuation rules. Let’s have a look at the most common ones:
Conjunction | Example | Comments | Punctuation |
|---|---|---|---|
и i and | Он любит шоколад и мороженое. on LYUbit shakaLAT i maROzhinaye He likes chocolate and ice cream. | The most widely-used conjunction in Russian. It can connect words, phrases, and clauses. Similarly to English, if there are three or more elements listed, и is normally only used before the last one. | Comma must be used before и if it connects clauses in a sentence. |
и... и … i i and… and… | Он любит и шоколад, и мороженое, и печенье. on LYUbit i shakaLAT i maROzhinaye i piCHENye He likes chocolate, and ice cream, and cookies. | Used in positive sentences to connect words, phrases, and clauses. | Comma must be used before second and the following и, unless it is a set phrase. |
как… так и kak tak i both… and… | Он любит как шоколад, так и мороженое. on LYUbit kak shakaLAT tak i maROzhinaye He likes both chocolate and ice cream. | Can connect words and phrases, but not clauses or sentences. Tends to be used in more formal situations. | Comma must be used before так и. |
ни... ни… ni ni not… and not… | Он не любит ни шоколад, ни мороженое, ни печенье. on nye LYUbit ni shakaLAT ni maROzhinaye ni piCHENye He doesn’t like chocolate, or ice cream, or cookies. | Iterative conjunction, used in negative sentences. It can connect words, phrases, and clauses. | Comma must be used before second and the following ни, unless it is a set phrase. |
да da and | Он любит только шоколад да мороженое. on LYUbit TOLka shakaLAT da maROzhinaye He likes only chocolate and ice cream. | Colloquial. Can be found in numerous idioms and set phrases. It can connect words, phrases, and clauses, or show contrast. | Comma must be used before да if it connects clauses in a sentence. |
Important
Below, we’ll talk about some more advanced conjunctions that you can use to imply that the second piece of information is something more tacked-on, like you might use “and… too,” or “as well as…” in English.
How to say “but” in Russian?
In Russian, the most common way to say “but” is with the word но[no]. However, there are some other words and phrases with similar meanings. Let’s have a look!
Important
You always need a comma when you use conjunctions that mean “but.” Usually, it goes directly before the conjunction, but there are a few exceptions (discussed below).
Conjunction | Example | Comments |
|---|---|---|
но no but | Эта машина хорошая, но дорогая. Eta maSHYna khaROshaya no daraGAya This car is good but expensive. | Can connect words, phrases, and clauses. Used between contrasting characteristics of the same object. |
а a but, and |
| Can connect words, phrases, and clauses. It is used when two things are opposites, or as totally different. |
однако adNAka but, however | Эта машина хорошая, однако я не могу её себе позволить. Eta maSHYna khaROshaya adNAka ya ni maGOO yiYO sibYE pazVOlit This car is good but I cannot afford it. | Links mostly clauses and sentences. More formal than но. |
зато zaTO but at least | Эта машина старая, зато дешёвая. Eta maSHYna STAraya zaTO diSHOvaya This car is old but at least cheap. | Can connect words, phrases, and clauses. Introduces the idea which compensates the previous one. |
же zhe but, however | Я люблю большие машины, мой друг же предпочитает компактные. ya lyubLYU balSHYye maSHYny moy droog zhe pritpachiTAyet kamPAKTnyie I like big cars, but my friend prefers compact ones. → Notice the comma still comes before мой друг! | Can only join clauses. Introduces contrasting ideas. Always positioned after the subject of the second (dependent) clause, NOT at the beginning! |
только TOLka but | Эта машина хорошая, только дорогая. Eta maSHYna khaROshaya TOLka daraGAya This car is good but expensive. | Can connect words, phrases, and clauses. Colloquial synonym to но. |
да da but | Эта машина хорошая, да дорогая. Eta maSHYna khaROshaya da daraGAya This car is good but expensive. | Can connect words, phrases, and clauses. Colloquial synonym to но. Can be used like “and” as well. |
A couple more advanced conjunctions can be used to show contrast or surprise, but usually would not be translated using the conjunction “but.” Notice these follow the same comma rules though!
Conjunction | Example |
|---|---|
не столько… сколько… ni SYOLka SKOLka not so much… as… | Она хотела не столько денег, сколько независимости. aNA khaTYEla ni STOLka DYEnik SKOLka nizaVEEsimasti She wished not so much for money as for independence. |
не только… но и… ni TOLka no i not only… but also… | Она хотела не только денег, но и независимости. aNA khaTYEla ni TOLka DYEnik no i nizaVEEsimasti She wished not only for money but also for independence. |
Tip
The conjunction но may turn into a noun meaning “an obstacle” - similarly to English, when one may say “I don’t want to hear any buts”, for example:
Я бы с удовольствием, но есть одно но…
ya by s oodaVOLstviyem no yest adNO no
I’d love to, but there is one “but”...
How to say “or” in Russian?
The most basic way to say “or” in Russian is to use the word или[EELi]. However, there are some other words and phrases that can be used in similar situations. The table below gives the most common ones.
Conjunction | Example | Comments | Punctuation |
|---|---|---|---|
или EELi or | Мы можем пойти в кино или в театр. my MOzhem payTEE f kiNO EELi f tyatr We can go to the movies or to the theater. | The most common alternative conjunction, joins words, phrases, and clauses. | A comma must be used before или if it connects clauses in a sentence. If there are three or more choices, или is normally used only before the last item. |
либо LEEba or | Мы можем пойти в кино, в музей, либо в театр. my MOzhem payTEE f kiNO v mooZYEY LEEba f tyatr We can go to the movies, to the park, or to the theater. | A more formal synonym to или. Usually joins words and parts of a sentence with identical function. | If there are three or more choices, либо is normally only used before the last item. |
или... или… EEli… EEli… either… or… | Мы можем пойти или в кино, или в театр. my MOzhem payTEE EEli f kiNO EEli f tyatr We can go either to the movies or to the theater. | Либо… либо… is used in more formal contexts. | Comma must be used before the second conjunction. |
либо... либо… LEEba… LEEba… either… or… | |||
то… то… to… to… sometimes… or sometimes… | Мы в выходные ходим то в кино, то в театр, то в музей. my v vykhadNYie KHOdim to f kiNO to f tyatr to v mooZYEY On weekends we go sometimes to the movies, or sometimes to the theater, or sometimes to a museum. | Shows alteration of events. Can connect words, phrases, and clauses. | Comma must be used before the second and all the following conjunctions. |
то ли… то ли… to li… to li whether… or… | Они ушли то ли в кино, то ли в театр, то ли в музей. aNEE ooshLEE to li f kiNO to li f tyatr to li v mooZYEY They went either to the movies, or to the theater, or to a museum. | Can connect words, phrases, and clauses. Не то is slightly more colloquial than то ли. | Comma must be used before the second and all the following conjunctions. |
не то… не то… ni to… ni to… whether… or… |
How to say “as well as” or “and… too” in Russian?
The table below provides several phrases that are used to introduce some secondary or tacked-on information. These are generally translated using phrases like “as well as” or “and also,” “and… too,” or “and actually.”
Conjunction | Example | Comments |
|---|---|---|
также TAKzhe too, also, as well | Брат начал играть в футбол, я тоже решил начать заниматься спортом. brat NAchal iGRAT f footBOL ya TOzhe riSHYL naCHAT zaniMAtsa SPORtam My brother started to play football, so I decided to start playing sports too. | Used to join clauses. Также is slightly more formal than тоже . A comma must be used at the beginning of a clause with тоже or также. |
тоже TOzhe too, also, as well | ||
также a TAKzhe and… too, as well as | Брат начал играть в футбол, а также в волейбол и баскетбол. brat NAchal iGRAT f footBOL a TAKzhe v valiBOL i baskyedBOL My brother started to play football, as well as volleyball and basketball. | Joins words and phrases, not clauses. A comma must be used before the conjunction. |
причём priCHOM and notably/moreover | Брат начал играть в футбол, причём профессионально. brat NAchal iGRAT f footBOL priCHOM prafisiaNALna My brother started to play football, and at that, (he does that) professionally. | Connects words, phrases, and clauses. Притом is slightly more formal than причём. A comma must be used before причём / притом. |
притом priTOM and notably/moreover | ||
да и da i and… too, either | Брат профессионально играет в футбол, да и я неплохо. brat prafisiaNALna iGRAнуе f footBOL da i ya niPLOkha My brother plays football professionally, and I am not too bad at it, either. | Colloquial. Connects clauses and phrases with a similar function. A comma must be used before да и. |
What are some conjunctions for making clarifications in Russian?
The table below contains some common Russian conjunctions for making clarifications or presenting alternative phrasings. These conjunctions are always preceded by a comma.
Conjunction | Example | Comments |
|---|---|---|
то есть TO yest that is, namely, which means | Школьники, то есть дети от 7 до 18 лет, проходят регулярные медицинские осмотры. SHKOLniki to yest DYEti at siMEE da vasimNAtsati lyet praKHOdyat rigooLYARnyie midiTSYNskiye asMOTry School students, that is children between 7 and 18 y.o., have regular medical examinations. | Used to link words, phrases, and clauses. |
а именно a EEmina namely, more specifically | В некоторых европейских странах, а именно в Германии, Чехии, Польше, Финляндии и других, обучение в университете бесплатно. v NYEkatarykh yivraPYEYskikh STRAnakh a EEmina v girMAnii CHEkhii POLshe finLYANdii i drooGEEKH abooCHEniye v oonivyersiTYEtye bisPLATna In some European countries, namely in Germany, Czechia, Poland, Finland, and others, university education is free. | Used to link words, phrases, and clauses. |
Just like in English, the conjunction или[EEli](or) can be used for making clarification too, as it provides an alternative for what has been said already, for instance:
Григорий, или попросту Гога, был известным на заводе мастером.
griGOriy EEli POprastoo GOga byl izVYESnym na zaVOdye MAStyeram
Grigoriy, or simply Goga, was a famous foreman at the plant.
Conclusion
In this post we have taken you through some of the most important words and phrases that can be used as coordinating conjunctions in Russian. Here are the most important takeaways:
The most important Russian coordinating conjunctions are:
и[i](and)
но / а[no / a](but)
или[EEli](or)
We also saw a number of words and phrases that have similar meanings to the words above, but which follow different grammar rules.
Ready to practice what you’ve learned? Download our coordinating conjunctions activities or the study resources below!
