пиани́но
pianínoneuter
The Russian word for piano is пиани́но (pianíno). Wiktionary also lists фортепиа́но (fortɛpiáno) and роя́ль (rojálʹ).
Meaning: a keyboard musical instrument (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| пиани́но | pianíno | neuter |
| фортепиа́но | fortɛpiáno | neuter |
| роя́ль | rojálʹ | masculine |
The term refers to a keyboard musical instrument. While the primary nouns refer to the instrument itself, the related form пиа́но is an adverb used in music to mean 'softly'.
Which one should you use?
пиани́но and фортепиа́но are general terms for any piano. In contrast, роя́ль specifically refers to a grand piano. Additionally, пиани́но is the most common, everyday way to refer to the instrument.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
пиани́но and фортепиа́но are neuter nouns, meaning they must agree with neuter adjectives and past tense verbs. Unlike these two, роя́ль is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
pianíno
Did you know?
- The word роя́ль comes from the French word for 'royal', reflecting the instrument's historical association with nobility and wealth.
- While пиани́но is a neuter noun, the word for a pianist, пиани́ст, is masculine, creating a gender shift between the person and the object.
- The word пиани́но is a diminutive-sounding form that has become the standard everyday term, whereas the more formal фортепиа́но is often reserved for technical or classical contexts.
Examples in context
- Я учусь играть на фортепиано.I am learning to play the piano.
- Играешь на пианино?Do you play the piano?
- Это старое пиани́но.Eto staroye pianino.This is an old piano.
- В углу стоит пиани́но.V uglu stoit pianino.A piano is standing in the corner.
- У неё есть маленькое пиани́но.U neyo yest' malen'koye pianino.She has a small piano.
Example conversation
Aleksandr and Olga are visiting a music school.
- Александр AleksandrОльга, посмотри на это пиани́но!Ol'ga, posmotri na eto pianino!Olga, look at this piano!
- Ольга OlgaОно очень красивое, Александр.Ono ochen' krasivoye, Aleksandr.It is very beautiful, Aleksandr.
- Александр AleksandrТы хочешь на нём сыграть?Ty khochesh' na nyom sygrat'?Do you want to play on it?
- Ольга OlgaДа, я очень хочу.Da, ya ochen' khochu.Yes, I really want to.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “piano” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
