поклони́ться
poklonítʹsjaperfective
The English verb "bow" can be translated into Russian as поклони́ться (poklonítʹsja) or кла́няться, depending on whether you are describing a single action or a habit.
Meaning: to bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| поклони́ться | poklonítʹsja | perfective |
| кла́няться | klánjatʹsja | imperfective |
These verbs describe the act of bending one's body as a gesture of respect or deference. If you are referring to the physical gesture itself as a noun, you use покло́н. Note that if you mean the front of a boat or ship, the Russian word is нос.
Which one should you use?
The perfective form поклони́ться is used for a single, completed act of bowing, such as a formal greeting or a specific gesture of respect. In contrast, the imperfective form кла́няться is used to describe the ongoing process of bowing or the habit of bowing to someone.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
poklonítʹsja
Did you know?
- In Russian, the word for a 'fan' or 'admirer', поклонник, is derived from the word for 'bow' покло́н. This connects the modern idea of being a fan to the ancient act of bowing in deference.
- In traditional Russian culture, a 'low bow' (poklon zemnoy) involves not just bending the waist, but touching the ground with one's forehead. This was historically a sign of extreme devotion or even religious reverence.
- The root of поклони́ться is shared with the Russian terminology for religious icons, linking the physical act of bowing to spiritual veneration.
Examples in context
- Он сделал поклон перед аудиторией.He bowed in front of the audience.
- При встрече с гостями, нам следует сделать поклон.When meeting guests, we should bow.
- Она поклонилась в знак приветствия.She bowed as a sign of greeting.
- Поклонились перед памятником великому поэту.They bowed in front of the monument to the great poet.
- Актеры должны поклони́ться зрителям после спектакля.Aktyory dolžny poklonít'sya zriteľam posle spektaklja.The actors must bow to the audience after the performance.
Example conversation
At a theater rehearsal, Anastasia tells Sergey about the script.
- Анастасия AnastasiaСергей, ты должен поклони́ться в конце сцены.Sergej, ty dolžen poklonít'sya v konce stseny.Sergey, you must bow at the end of the scene.
- Сергей SergeyХорошо, я поклоню́сь очень глубоко.Horošo, ja poklonyús očen' gluboko.Okay, I will bow very deeply.
- Анастасия AnastasiaНе забудь поклони́ться и ей тоже.Ne zabud' poklonít'sya i ej tože.Don't forget to bow to her too.
- Сергей SergeyЯ понял, Анастасия.Ja ponjal, Anastasija.I understand, Anastasia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bow” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
