Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ря́дом с | rjádom s | with instrumental | |
| о́коло | ókolo | with genitive | |
| бли́зко к | blízko k | with dative | |
| во́зле | vózle | with genitive | |
| у | u | [u] (narrow) | with genitive |
To express being in close proximity to something, Russian uses various prepositions that require specific grammatical cases. ря́дом с is a common and versatile term that often implies being right next to or beside something. The preposition у is frequently used to describe a location in relation to a landmark, such as being near a river or by a window. Other options include о́коло and во́зле, both of which imply a slightly broader proximity than ря́дом с.
Which one should you use?
While ря́дом с implies being right next to or beside something, the forms о́коло and у can imply a slightly broader proximity. Additionally, you should distinguish between the adverb бли́зко (meaning 'close', as in 'It is close') and the phrase бли́зко к, which is used to say something is 'close to' a specific object.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The choice of preposition dictates the case of the following noun: ря́дом с must be followed by the instrumental case. о́коло, во́зле and у must be followed by the genitive case. And бли́зко к must be followed by the dative case.
How do you pronounce it?
rjádom s
Did you know?
- The preposition у is used to express possession in Russian, meaning 'at' or 'near' someone. To say 'I have a book', a Russian speaker literally says 'Near me is a book'.
- The word бли́зко shares a root with the Russian word for 'relative' or 'kin' бли́зкий, reflecting the idea that family members are those who are 'close'.
- The word о́коло is used not only for location but also to indicate 'approximately' when talking about numbers or time, such as 'around five o'clock'.
Examples in context
- Её дом у реки.Her house is near the river.This sentence shows how to use у to describe a house located near a river.Tatoeba #10933068 by marafon, translation #10933076 by CH
- Я вырос у реки.I grew up near a river.This sentence demonstrates the use of у to describe growing up near a river.Tatoeba #4429448 by marafon, translation #2330012 by CK
- Его дом у реки.His house is near the river.Tatoeba #10933067 by marafon, translation #1099660 by CH
- Я живу рядом с метро.I live near the subway.
- Я вижу его око́ло магазина́.I see him near the store.
- Сядь рядышком со мной.Sit near me.
- Приди поближе, чтобы я тебе рассказал.Come closer so I can tell you.
- Дом вблизи парка.The house is near the park.
- Он живет вблизи метро.He lives near the subway.
- Спать бок о бокTo sleep side by side
- Центр города находится поблизости.The city center is nearby.
- 142 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ekaterina and Sergey are looking for a place to sit in a cafe.
- Екатерина EkaterinaСергей, давай сядем ря́дом с дверью?Sergey, davay syadem ryadom s dver'yu?Sergey, shall we sit near the door?
- Сергей SergeyНет, там слишком шумно.Net, tam slishkom shumno.No, it is too noisy there.
- Екатерина EkaterinaТогда сядем у окна?Togda syadem u okna?Then shall we sit by the window?
- Сергей SergeyДа, это отличная идея.Da, eto otlichnaya ideya.Yes, that is a great idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “near” translations and entries у, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
