го́род
górodmasculine
The English word "city" is translated into Russian as го́род (górod). Wiktionary also lists град (grad).
Meaning: large settlement (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| го́род | górod | masculine | |
| град | grad | [ɡrat] (narrow) | archaic, masculine, poetic |
The standard Russian word for a large settlement is го́род. When referring specifically to the UK financial sector (The City), Russians use the transliterated version Си́ти.
Which one should you use?
The form град is an archaic or poetic version of the word. Because of this, град is rarely used in everyday modern speech except in names or specific fixed expressions.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is górod.
Did you know?
- The archaic word град is a cognate of the English word 'grind', tracing back to a shared ancient root.
- The word град appears in the names of many other Slavic cities, such as Belgrade or Zagreb, where the suffix 'grad' still means 'city'.
- While 'city' in English is a common noun, using the form град in modern conversation can make you sound like a character from a 19th-century epic poem or a religious text.
Examples in context
- стольный градCapital (city)This example shows the use of the poetic form град in the expression for capital city.
- Фотографии этого города просто восхитительны!The photos of this city are absolutely stunning!
- Наши родители выросли в городишке на берегу реки.Our parents grew up in a small town by the river.
Example conversation
Ekaterina and Andrey are discussing where to live.
- Екатерина EkaterinaТы любишь жить в го́роде?Ty lyubish' zhit' v gorode?Do you like living in the city?
- Андрей AndreyДа, мне нравится этот го́род.Da, mne nravitsya etot gorod.Yes, I like this city.
- Екатерина EkaterinaЗдесь всегда так шумно.Zdes' vsegda tak shumno.It is always so noisy here.
- Андрей AndreyНо тут много возможностей.No tut mnogo vozmozhnostey.But there are many opportunities here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “city” translations and entries град, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries град, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
