наде́яться
nadéjatʹsjaimperfective
To hope in Russian is expressed primarily by the verb наде́яться (nadéjatʹsja). Wiktionary also lists упова́ть (upovátʹ).
Meaning: to want something to happen, with expectation that it might (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| наде́яться | nadéjatʹsja | imperfective |
| упова́ть | upovátʹ | imperfective |
The verb is used when you want something to happen and have the expectation that it might. Related to this is the noun наде́жда, which refers to the belief that a wish can be fulfilled.
Which one should you use?
While наде́яться is the standard way to express the verb, the form упова́ть is also an imperfective verb meaning to hope.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say you are hoping for a specific thing (a noun), use the verb наде́яться followed by the preposition на and the accusative case. If you want to express the hope that a specific event or clause occurs, use the conjunction что (meaning "that") followed by a subordinate clause.
How do you pronounce it?
nadéjatʹsja
When do people say it?
The noun for hope, наде́жда, is also a common female given name in Russia. The common diminutive or nickname for this name is На́дя.
Did you know?
- In Russian, there is a common idiom надеяться на авось, which refers to hoping for a miracle or a lucky break without taking any action. It reflects a specific cultural concept of 'blind hope' or fatalism.
- The verb упова́ть is now almost exclusively used in religious contexts or archaic literature. An English speaker using it in a modern conversation would sound like they are reading from a 19th century prayer book.
- In Russian, the verb наде́яться is reflexive, meaning it ends in -ся. This implies that the act of hoping is a process occurring within the person, rather than an action directed outward.
Examples in context
- Мы надеемся, что все будет хорошо.We hope that everything will be fine.
- Мы возлагаем надежду на вашу команду.We place our hope in your team.
- Желаю вам удачи и надеюсь на лучшее.I wish you good luck and hope for the best.
- Надеюсь, ты будешь счастлив.I hope you will be happy.
- Я всегда надеюсь на лучшее в жизни.I always hope for the best in life.
- Давай надеяться, что все сложится хорошо.Let's hope that everything will turn out well.
- Надеюсь, ты сможешь достичь своей мечты.I hope you will be able to achieve your dream.
- Мы возлагаем надежду на справедливость системы.We place our hope in the fairness of the system.
- Давай надеяться, что наше путешествие будет незабываемым.Let's hope that our journey will be unforgettable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hope” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
