пило́т
pilótmasculine
The English word 'pilot' can be translated into Russian as пило́т (pilót). Wiktionary also lists лётчик (ljótčik) and лётчица (ljótčica).
Meaning: controller of aircraft (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| пило́т | pilót | masculine | |
| лётчик | ljótčik | [ˈlʲɵt͡ɕːɪk] (narrow) | masculine |
| лётчица | ljótčica | feminine | |
| авиа́тор | aviátor | masculine |
The term refers to a person who controls an aircraft. In professional aviation terminology and official documentation, пило́т is frequently used.
Which one should you use?
авиа́тор is more formal or literary and is often used to refer to historical figures or to emphasize the profession of aviation. The term Лётчик can be used to refer to a professional pilot in formal and technical contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
While пило́т can be used for any gender in modern technical contexts, лётчица is the specific feminine form of лётчик.
How do you pronounce it?
pilót
Did you know?
- Russian distinguishes between a pilot of a plane and a pilot of a ship, whereas English uses 'pilot' for both. For a maritime pilot, Russian uses the word лоцман.
- The word лётчик is built from the verb лететь, which simply means 'to fly'. Unlike the English word 'pilot', which has Latin roots, the Russian term is entirely Slavic and describes someone who 'is a flyer'.
- In the Soviet era, the term лётчик carried a powerful romantic and heroic connotation in propaganda and poetry, elevating the profession to a symbol of bravery.
Examples in context
- Я хочу быть лётчиком.I want to be a pilot.This sentence is useful for expressing a career aspiration using лётчик.Tatoeba #6368909 by marafon, translation #6273431 by CK
- Том – наш лучший лётчик.Tom is our best pilot.This sentence is useful for describing someone's skill level using лётчик.Tatoeba #6592697 by marafon, translation #3446884 by CK
- Он решил стать лётчиком.He made up his mind to be a pilot.This sentence is useful for describing a decision made by someone using лётчик.Tatoeba #13795063 by marafon, translation #292367 by CK
- Мой дедушка был пилотом во время Второй мировой войны.My grandfather was a pilot during World War II.
- Я мечтаю стать летчиком искусственного интеллекта.I dream of becoming an AI pilot.
- Василий большой любитель авиации, он называет себя авиатором.Vasily is a big aviation enthusiast, he calls himself an aviator.
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sergey and Olga are talking about their upcoming flight.
- Сергей SergeyТы видела, какой у нас пило́т?Ty videla, kakoy u nas pilot?Did you see what kind of pilot we have?
- Ольга OlgaНет, а что с ним не так?Net, a shto s nim ne tak?No, what's wrong with him?
- Сергей SergeyЭтот пило́т очень опытный и известный.Etot pilot ochen opytnyy i izvestnyy.This pilot is very experienced and famous.
- Ольга OlgaТогда я чувствую себя в безопасности.Togda ya chuvstvuyu sebya v bezopasnosti.Then I feel safe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pilot” translations and entries лётчик, лётчица, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
