есть
jestʹ[jesʲtʲ]imperfective
The Russian verb for 'eat' is есть (jestʹ). Wiktionary also lists ку́шать (kúšatʹ).
Meaning: eat a meal (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| есть | jestʹ | [jesʲtʲ] (narrow) | imperfective |
| ку́шать | kúšatʹ | imperfective |
The primary way to express the act of eating a meal is with the imperfective verb есть.
Which one should you use?
While both есть and ку́шать are imperfective verbs meaning to eat, they are used in different social contexts. ку́шать is often perceived as being overly sweet, childish or excessively polite in a way that feels informal or colloquial.
How does it change in a sentence?
Note that есть is a homograph. Depending on the context, it can mean 'to eat' (the imperfective verb) or it can mean 'to be' (the third-person singular of the verb 'to be').
How do you pronounce it?
jestʹ
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using ку́шать to refer to your own eating thinking it sounds more polite. To native speakers, this can sound unnaturally precious or childish.
Did you know?
- In historical Russian contexts, ку́шать was once a high-style word used only for royalty and nobility.
- The word есть shares a common ancient ancestor with the English word 'eat', both tracing back to the same Proto-Indo-European root.
- The verb есть for 'to eat' and the word есть for 'to be' share the same spelling but are completely different verbs with different roots.
Examples in context
- Я и есть хочу.I want to eat, too.This sentence shows how to express wanting to eat as well.Tatoeba #13225900 by marafon, translation #9130170 by CK
- Я не хочу есть.I don't want to eat.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of desire to eat.Tatoeba #3876716 by odexed, translation #3825001 by CK
- Я не могу есть.I can't eat.This sentence is useful for expressing an inability to eat.Tatoeba #4339139 by saiko, translation #1951551 by CK
- я кушаюI eat
- Давай/пойдём поестьLet's go eat
- Приятного аппетитаEnjoy your meal
- 1236 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is deciding on dinner plans at home.
- Александр AleksandrМария, ты хочешь есть?Mariya, ty khochesh' yest'?Maria, do you want to eat?
- Мария MariaДа, Александр, я очень хочу есть.Da, Aleksandr, ya ochen' khochu yest'.Yes, Alexander, I am very hungry.
- Александр AleksandrДавай приготовим что-нибудь.Davay prigotovim chto-nibud'.Let's cook something.
- Мария MariaОтличная идея!Otlichnaya ideya!Great idea!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eat” translations and entries есть, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries есть, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
