Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| пить | pitʹ | [pʲitʲ] (narrow) | imperfective |
| вы́пить | výpitʹ | perfective | |
| попи́ть | popítʹ | perfective |
The verb means to consume liquid through the mouth. While it can refer to any liquid, using пить without a specified object often implies the habit of consuming alcohol. For a more polite or formal way to say 'to consume a beverage', you can use the phrase употреблять напиток. Relatedly, the noun питьё refers to the action of drinking, while the colloquial noun вы́пивка refers to alcoholic beverages or a social drinking session.
Which one should you use?
The imperfective form пить is used for ongoing actions, habits or the general process of drinking. In contrast, the perfective form вы́пить is used to emphasize the completion of the act or drinking a specific amount, such as an entire glass. The perfective form попи́ть is used when the intent is to drink for a short duration or just a little bit.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form пить is imperfective, making it suitable for describing habits or continuous processes. The forms вы́пить and попи́ть are perfective, focusing on the completion or duration of the action.
How do you pronounce it?
pitʹ
Did you know?
- The phrase пить до пьяна (to drink until drunk) is often associated with the cultural concept of 'zakuski', which are mandatory food pairings to slow alcohol absorption.
- The Russian verb пить shares an ancient ancestor with the Latin 'pōtāre', which is where we get the English word 'potable'.
- In Russian culture, it is common to use the verb пить to describe the act of taking medicine in liquid form, whereas English often uses 'take'.
Examples in context
- Я решил не пить.I decided not to drink.This sentence shows how to use пить in a negative decision.Tatoeba #3061345 by odexed, translation #3058019 by CM
- Не давай ей пить.Don't let her drink.This sentence shows how to use пить in a prohibitive command.Tatoeba #9504800 by marafon, translation #9504798 by shekitten
- Я люблю пить чай.I like to drink tea.This sentence shows how to use пить to express a preference for a specific liquid.Tatoeba #10541170 by marafon, translation #9673407 by Adelpa
- Я люблю пить чай по утрам.I enjoy drinking tea in the mornings.
- Пожалуйста, употребляйте напитки с умеренностью.Please consume beverages in moderation.
- Давай сходим в бар и попьем пива.Let's go to a bar and have some beer.
- 435 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrey and Maria are in the kitchen.
- Андрей AndreyЧто ты любишь пить по утрам?Chto ty lyubish' pit' po utram?What do you like to drink in the mornings?
- Мария MariaЯ обычно пью кофе с молоком.Ya obychno pyu kofe s molokom.I usually drink coffee with milk.
- Андрей AndreyА я предпочитаю пить воду.A ya predpochitayu pit' vodu.And I prefer to drink water.
- Мария MariaЭто очень полезно, Андрей.Eto ochen' polezno, Andrey.That is very healthy, Andrey.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drink” translations and entries пить, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries пить, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
