Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| юри́ст | juríst | masculine |
| юри́стка | jurístka | feminine |
| адвока́т | advokát | feminine, masculine |
A lawyer is a professional person qualified (as by a law degree or bar exam) and authorized to practice law as an attorney-at-law, solicitor, advocate, barrister or equivalent, i.e. represent parties in lawsuits or trials and give legal advice.
Which one should you use?
The term юри́ст is a broad term for anyone with a legal education or working in the legal field. In contrast, адвока́т specifically refers to a person licensed to represent clients in court, specifically a lawyer with the professional status required to defend clients in criminal or civil litigation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form юри́стка is used to specify a female lawyer, whereas адвока́т is a common gender noun that can refer to both men and women.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is juríst.
Did you know?
- The term юри́ст is a cognate with the English 'jurist', but while 'jurist' in English often implies a high-level judge or legal academic, in Russian it is the standard, everyday word for any lawyer.
- While юри́ст refers to the profession, the word адвока́т is deeply tied to the 'Advokatura', a self-governing professional corporation that is independent of the state justice system.
- In colloquial Russian, the word адвока́т is sometimes used metaphorically to describe anyone who makes excuses or defends someone in a non-legal argument.
Examples in context
- Здравствуйте, я ищу адвоката для разводаHello, I am looking for a lawyer for a divorce.
- Мне нужен адвокат с опытом в уголовном правеI need a lawyer with experience in criminal law.
- Знаете ли вы хорошего юриста для вопросов налогообложения?Do you know a good lawyer for taxation issues?
- Мой брат хороший юри́ст.Moy brat khoroshiy yurist.My brother is a good lawyer.
- Нам нужен опытный юри́ст для этого дела.Nam nuzhen opytnyy yurist dlya etogo dela.We need an experienced lawyer for this case.
Example conversation
Maria and Andrey are discussing Andrey's career plans.
- Мария MariaАндрей, ты хочешь стать юри́стом?Andrey, ty khochesh' stat' yuristom?Andrey, do you want to become a lawyer?
- Андрей AndreyДа, я изучаю право в университете.Da, ya izuchayu pravo v universitete.Yes, I am studying law at the university.
- Мария MariaЭто очень сложная, но интересная профессия.Eto ochen' slozhnaya, no interesnaya professiya.It is a very difficult but interesting profession.
- Андрей AndreyЯ согласен, это требует много труда.Ya soglasen, eto trebuyet mnogo truda.I agree, it requires a lot of work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lawyer” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
