Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ча́стный | částnyj |
| прива́тный | privátnyj |
| ли́чный | líčnyj |
These adjectives describe something that belongs to or is meant only for one person or a specific group.
Which one should you use?
Use ча́стный for something privately owned or part of the private sector, as opposed to public or state owned, such as a private school or business. Use ли́чный for something personal to one person, such as a personal opinion or belongings. Личное пространство means personal space and is used when talking about privacy in relationships.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
ча́стный changes its ending to match the noun. With a feminine noun it becomes ча́стная, as in a private school. With a neuter noun it becomes ча́стное, as in a private enterprise.
How do you pronounce it?
ча́стный is romanized as částnyj, with the stress on the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes use ча́стный for a private as a military rank. The correct word for a private soldier is рядово́й.
Did you know?
- The Russian phrase for 'privacy' is неприкосновенность частной жизни, which translates literally as the 'inviolability of private life'. This phrasing frames privacy as a sacred or protected right that must not be touched.
- In Russian, the word ли́чный shares a root with лицо́, meaning 'face'. Describing something as 'private' or 'personal' is conceptually linked to the physical identity of one's own face.
- While ча́стный refers to 'private' ownership, the word for 'private' as a military rank is рядово́й. This word is derived from ряд, meaning 'row', as a private is literally a soldier who stands in the rank.
Examples in context
- Частный домPrivate house
- Частная компанияPrivate company
- Частное лицоPrivate individual
- Моя личная жизньMy private life
- Мои личные вещиMy personal belongings
- Это ча́стный вопрос.Eto chastnyy vopros.That is a private matter.
- У него есть ча́стный самолёт.U nego yest' chastnyy samolyot.He has a private plane.
Example conversation
Alexander and Anastasia are discussing a business matter.
- Александр AleksandrЭто ча́стный проект или государственный?Eto chastnyy proyekt ili gosudarstvennyy?Is this a private project or a state one?
- Анастасия AnastasiaЭто совсем ча́стный проект.Eto sovsem chastnyy proyekt.It is a completely private project.
- Александр AleksandrПонятно, Анастасия.Ponyatno, Anastasiya.I see, Anastasia.
- Анастасия AnastasiaДа, у нас нет бюджета.Da, u nas net byudzheta.Yes, we have no budget.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “private” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
