Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| сон | son | [son] (narrow) | masculine |
| сновиде́ние | snovidénije | neuter | |
| грёза | grjóza | [ˈɡrʲɵzə] (narrow) | feminine |
In Russian, the translation depends on whether you are talking about the state of sleep, a poetic vision or a long-held aspiration. While сон is the most common and neutral word referring to both the state of sleep and the visions experienced during sleep, the word мечта is used when 'dream' refers to a long-held aspiration or desire, such as professional goals or life ambitions. The word грёзы is used for dreams that are visionary, idealistic or idealized, often implying they are unrealistic or unattainable.
Which one should you use?
The word сон is common and can mean both 'dream' and the state of 'sleep' itself. In contrast, сновидение specifically refers to the mental imagery of a dream and is a more formal or literary term. While сон relates to sleep, грёза refers to a daydream, a reverie or a poeticized vision rather than a dream occurring while sleeping.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb 'to dream' in the sense of 'to see a dream' (ви́деть сон), the word сон remains a masculine noun. To say that you are dreaming of someone or something (meaning that person is appearing in your dream), use the construction мне снится [subject], which literally translates to 'to me is dreaming [subject]'.
How do you pronounce it?
son
Did you know?
- The Russian word for 'sleep' or 'dream', сон, shares the same Proto-Indo-European root as the Greek 'hypnos', which is the basis for the English word 'hypnosis'.
- In Russian, when you say you are dreaming of something, the dream is the subject and you are the recipient, making the dream the 'actor' in the sentence.
- In Russian folklore and idioms, the word сон can be used to describe a state of profound delusion or a deceptive reality, not just a nocturnal vision.
Examples in context
- Это был не сон.It wasn't a dream.Tatoeba #5141723 by marafon, translation #2045343 by CK
- Жизнь это сон.Life is a dream.Tatoeba #3597129 by sharptoothed, translation #453515 by CM
- Всё это был сон?Was it all a dream?Tatoeba #5174800 by marafon, translation #2870139 by CK
- Я видел(a) интересный сон про море.I had an interesting dream about the sea.
- У него были детские грёзы о мире без насилия.He had childhood dreams of a world without violence.
- 178 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anastasia and Sergey are talking in the morning at home.
- Анастасия AnastasiaСергей, тебе приснился хороший сон?Sergey, tebe prisinilsya khoroshiy son?Sergey, did you have a good dream?
- Сергей SergeyДа, это был прекрасный сон.Da, eto byl prekrasnyy son.Yes, it was a wonderful dream.
- Анастасия AnastasiaРасскажи мне про него.Rasskazhi mne pro nego.Tell me about it.
- Сергей SergeyЯ постараюсь вспомнить все детали.Ya postarayus' vspomnit' vse detali.I will try to remember all the details.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dream” translations and entries сон, грёза, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries грёза, сон, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
