бог
box[box]masculine
The Russian word for God is бог (box).
The word is used to refer to a deity. You may encounter the phrase Всемогущий Бог to mean Almighty God, which is used to express reverence. In colloquial speech, Слава Богу! is used to express relief, similar to the English "Thank God!", while Боже мой! serves as an exclamation of surprise, shock or dismay, equivalent to "My God!" or "Oh my God!"
Meaning: deity (noun)
Which one should you use?
When referring specifically to the single deity of monotheistic religions, the word is capitalized as Бог.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form бог changes to Бога when it functions as the direct object of a verb. For example, in the phrase for 'believe in God' (верить в Бога), the accusative form is required.
How do you pronounce it?
romanization: box
Did you know?
- In some folk traditions, calling upon Бог too frequently in a casual conversation is traditionally seen as 'tempting fate'.
- If you are reacting to something shocking, using the diminutive form Боженька can make the expression sound much more affectionate or even patronizingly sweet.
- In certain old Russian contexts, the word for 'god' was conceptually linked to the idea of 'giving' or 'bestowing', reflecting the root's connection to prosperity.
Examples in context
- Я верю в Бога.I believe in God.Tatoeba #431546 by Hellerick, translation #258848 by CK
- Ты верил в Бога.You believed in God.Tatoeba #2336275 by Maksimo, translation #9935645 by ddnktr
- Он верит в Бога.He believes in God.Tatoeba #10067995 by Balamax, translation #10067692 by DJ_Saidez
- Наши молитвы достигают Бога.Our prayers reach God.
- Я благодарен Господу за всё.I am grateful to God for everything.
- 588 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Olga and Dmitry are discussing their beliefs while walking in a park.
- Ольга OlgaТы веришь, что бог существует?Ty verish', chto bog sushchestvuyet?Do you believe that god exists?
- Дмитрий DmitryДа, я думаю, что бог создал мир.Da, ya dumayu, chto bog sozdal mir.Yes, I think that god created the world.
- Ольга OlgaЭто очень интересный взгляд на жизнь.Eto ochen' interesnyy vzglyad na zhizn'.That is a very interesting view on life.
- Дмитрий DmitryСпасибо, Ольга, за этот разговор.Spasibo, Ol'ga, za etot razgovor.Thank you, Olga, for this conversation.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God” translations and entries бог, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
