корнево́е пи́во
kornevóje pívoneuter
In Russian, root beer can be expressed as корнево́е пи́во (kornevóje pívo) or рутбир.
Meaning: beverage with sarsaparilla root (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| корнево́е пи́во | kornevóje pívo | neuter |
| рутбир | rutbir | masculine |
The term refers to the beverage made with sarsaparilla root.
What does it mean word for word?
The literal translation корнево́е пи́во is composed of the adjective корнево́е, meaning 'root' and the noun пи́во, meaning 'beer'.
Which one should you use?
корнево́е пи́во is a literal translation of the name, whereas рутбир is a transliterated loanword. In casual conversation, the transliterated рутбир is more common when referring specifically to the American beverage.
How does it change in a sentence?
рутбир is a masculine noun that follows standard Russian declension. For example, it takes the ending '-а' in the genitive case, resulting in рутби́ра.
How do you pronounce it?
kornevóje pívo
Did you know?
- If you order корнево́е пи́во in a traditional Russian bar, the bartender might be confused, as they will likely offer you an alcoholic malt beverage rather than a soda.
- While пи́во means 'beer', the word корнево́е comes from the same root as ко́рень, which also refers to the 'root' of a mathematical equation.
- Russian speakers often use the English term рутбир when discussing the drink in a culinary or 'foodie' context to distinguish it from traditional fermented kvass.
Examples in context
- Корица и рутбир для меня одинаковы на вкус.Cinnamon and root beer taste similar to me.This sentence is useful for comparing the taste of cinnamon and the form рутбир.Tatoeba #12330188 by Ooneykcall, translation #11420677 by DJ_Saidez
- Извините, можно мне стакан корневого эля, пожалуйста?Excuse me, could I have a glass of root beer, please?
- Мне очень нравится вкус корневого эля.I really enjoy the taste of root beer.
- Эй, давай купим рутбир после работы!Hey, let's grab some root beer after work!
- Это корнево́е пи́во очень сладкое.Eto kornevoyye pivo ochen' sladkoye.This root beer is very sweet.
- В этом магазине продаётся корнево́е пи́во.V etom magazine prodayotsya kornevoyye pivo.This shop sells root beer.
Example conversation
Sergey and Ekaterina are looking at a menu in a cafe.
- Сергей SergeyЕкатерина, ты хочешь заказать корнево́е пи́во?Ekaterina, ty khochesh zakazat kornévoye pívo?Ekaterina, do you want to order root beer?
- Екатерина EkaterinaНет, я лучше возьму обычную колу.Net, ya luchshe vozmu obychnuyu kolu.No, I'll just have a regular cola.
- Сергей SergeyЖаль, оно здесь очень популярно.Zhal, ono zdes ochen populyarno.Too bad, it's very popular here.
- Екатерина EkaterinaТогда заказывай его для себя, Сергей.Togda zakazyvay ego dlya sebya, Sergey.Then order it for yourself, Sergey.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “root beer” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
