Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| рубль | rublʹ | [rublʲ] (narrow) | masculine |
| р. | r. | ||
| целко́вый | celkóvyj | colloquial, masculine | |
| рэ | rɛ | masculine, slang | |
| руб. | rub. | abbreviation | |
| деревя́нный | derevjánnyj | masculine, pejorative, slang | |
| рупь | rupʹ | masculine, nominative, singular, slang |
The term рубль refers to the Russian monetary unit. The full name of the currency is Российский рубль (Russian Ruble).
Which one should you use?
While рубль is the standard term, other forms exist for specific contexts: целко́вый refers specifically to a single, whole ruble. рэ is highly informal slang. деревя́нный is a pejorative slang term. And рупь is a slang version of the word. For written documentation, руб. is the standard abbreviation, and р. is also used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
рубль is the standard, neutral term. In casual conversation, you might encounter the colloquial целко́вый to denote a whole ruble or the slang рэ in street speech or pop culture. The term деревя́нный is slang and carries a pejorative tone, often used to criticize the currency's instability. In formal writing, use the abbreviation руб.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word рубль changes depending on the number used. For example, while you use рубль for the number 1, you must use the genitive singular form рубля after most other numbers (such as 2 or 5).
How do you pronounce it?
rublʹ
Did you know?
- The word рубль is actually a noun meaning 'a cut' or 'a chop'. It originates from the verb руби́ть, which means 'to chop' or 'to cut', referring to how silver bullion was once broken into pieces.
- If you see the single letter р. in a Russian text, it could mean either 'ruble' or 'river'. This is because the abbreviation for the word река́ is identical to the abbreviation for рубль.
Examples in context
- У вас есть сто рублей?Do you have one hundred rubles?
- Курс российского рубля к доллару изменился.The exchange rate of the Russian ruble to the dollar has changed.
- Сколько стоит пицца? – Она стоит двести рублей.How much is the pizza? – It costs two hundred rubles.
- У меня в кошельке есть один рубль.U menya v koshel'ke yest' odin rubl'.I have one ruble in my wallet.
- Этот товар стоит один рубль.EtotTovar stoit odin rubl'.This item costs one ruble.
Example conversation
Andrei and Anastasia are shopping at a market.
- Андрей AndreyСколько стоит этот сыр?Skol'ko stoit etot syr?How much is this cheese?
- Анастасия AnastasiaОн стоит один рубль за грамм.On stoit odin rubl' za gramm.It costs one ruble per gram.
- Андрей AndreyЭто очень дорого, Анастасия.Eto ochen' dorogo, Anastasiya.That is very expensive, Anastasia.
- Анастасия AnastasiaЯ согласна, Андрей.Ya soglasna, Andrey.I agree, Andrei.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ruble” translations and entries рубль, р., руб., CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries р., рубль, CC BY-SA 4.0.
