оно́
onó
In Russian, the word for "it" is expressed through several forms depending on the context. The default form is оно́ (onó). Wiktionary also lists он (on) and она́ (oná).
Meaning: subject, inanimate thing (pron)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| оно́ | onó | |
| он | on | [on] (narrow) |
| она́ | oná | |
| э́то | éto |
The form used to refer to "it" is determined by the grammatical gender of the noun you are replacing.
Which one should you use?
The forms он, она́ and оно́ are personal pronouns used to replace a specific noun that has already been mentioned. In contrast, э́то is used to identify or point out a thing, such as when saying "It is a book".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The choice of the word for "it" depends on the grammatical gender of the noun being referred to: masculine (он), feminine (она́) or neuter (оно́).
How do you pronounce it?
onó
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the neuter оно́ for all inanimate objects. In Russian, you must match the gender of the specific object. For example, because стол is masculine, you must use он.
Did you know?
- The word э́то is used as a filler word in spontaneous speech, similar to how an English speaker might say 'this thing here' while searching for a word.
- If you use the word он to refer to a person, you are not just saying 'he', you are actually using a form that shares ancient roots with the word for 'that' in Proto-Indo-European.
- Russian speakers often use э́то to describe a feeling or situation, such as 'it is' in 'it is boring', even if there is no physical object being pointed to.
Examples in context
- Это был не он.It wasn't him.This sentence uses он.Tatoeba #2721856 by marafon, translation #1804027 by Spamster
- Он дал её мне.He gave it to me.Tatoeba #4508120 by marafon, translation #297511 by CK
- Он дал это мне.He gave me it.Tatoeba #3607574 by sharptoothed, translation #12367246 by Miktsoanit
- 2272 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dmitry and Ekaterina are looking for a missing mirror.
- Дмитрий DmitryГде зеркало? Я не вижу его.Gde zerkalo? Ya ne vizhu yego.Where is the mirror? I don't see it.
- Екатерина EkaterinaСмотри, оно́ стоит за диваном.Smotri, onó stoit za divanom.Look, it is standing behind the sofa.
- Дмитрий DmitryОно́ очень старое и тяжёлое.Onó ochen' staroye i tyazholoye.It is very old and heavy.
- Екатерина EkaterinaДа, но оно́ очень красивое.Da, no onó ochen' krasivoye.Yes, but it is very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “it” translations and entries он, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries он, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
