Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| жизнь | žiznʹ | [ˈʐɨzʲ(ɪ)nʲ] (narrow) [ʒɪzʲnʲ] (Ukraine, narrow) |
feminine |
| житие́ | žitijé | archaic, feminine, poetic | |
| житьё | žitʹjó | [ʐɨˈtʲjɵ] (narrow) | colloquial, neuter |
The primary meaning of these terms is the state of being alive. Depending on the context, you may use different forms to distinguish between the biological state, a person's lifestyle or a religious biography.
Which one should you use?
Use жизнь to refer to the general concept of life or a person's life. For a more colloquial sense of one's daily way of living or circumstances, use житьё. In religious or highly poetic contexts, specifically when referring to the hagiography or biography of a saint, use житие́.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
жизнь is the standard term. житьё is colloquial, while житие́ is archaic and poetic. There is also the slang term Житуха used to convey a more casual and familiar sense of life.
How does it change in a sentence?
The genitive singular form of жизнь is жизни, used to express 'of life' or 'life's'.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is žiznʹ.
Did you know?
- Because житие́ is so closely linked to hagiography, using it to describe a normal person's life would sound strangely epic or overly dramatic.
- The word жизнь was borrowed into Russian from Old Church Slavonic, the liturgical language of the Orthodox Church.
- The word жизнь is a feminine noun, meaning that any adjective describing 'life' must take the feminine ending, regardless of whose life it is.
Examples in context
- Вы – моя жизнь.You are my life.The first sentence is useful for showing how to express that someone is your life using жизнь.Tatoeba #3032712 by Selena777, translation #687890 by lukaszpp
- Жизнь это сон.Life is a dream.The second sentence illustrates a philosophical statement about life using жизнь.Tatoeba #3597129 by sharptoothed, translation #453515 by CM
- Рис – это жизнь.Rice is life.The third sentence shows a metaphorical use of the word life with жизнь.Tatoeba #12429799 by marafon, translation #12429376 by Adelpa
- Жизнь полна неожиданностей.Life is full of surprises.
- Бытие человека зависит от взаимодействия с другими.The existence of a person depends on interactions with others.
- 2006 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Olga and Andrey are talking about their new beginning in a new city.
- Ольга OlgaЗдесь начинается новая жизнь.Zdes' nachinayetsya novaya zhizn'.A new life starts here.
- Андрей AndreyЯ тоже так чувствую.Ya tozhe tak chuvstvuyu.I feel that way too.
- Ольга OlgaЭта жизнь будет прекрасной.Eta zhizn' budet prekrasnoy.This life will be wonderful.
- Андрей AndreyЯ в этом уверен.Ya v etom uveren.I am sure of it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “life” translations and entries жизнь, житьё, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries жизнь, житьё, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
