Росси́я
Rossíjafeminine
In Russian, the name for the country Russia is Росси́я (Rossíja). Wiktionary also lists Русь (Rusʹ).
Meaning: country in Eastern Europe and North Asia (name)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Росси́я | Rossíja | feminine | |
| Русь | Rusʹ | [rusʲ] (narrow) | feminine, poetic |
The term refers to the country located in Eastern Europe and North Asia.
Which one should you use?
Росси́я is the standard name for the modern state. In contrast, Русь is used in poetic or historical contexts to refer to ancient Rus' or a romanticized version of the land.
How does it change in a sentence?
Росси́я is a feminine noun. Because of this, it changes to России in the genitive case to indicate possession or origin, such as when saying 'of Russia' or 'from Russia'.
How do you pronounce it?
Rossíja
Did you know?
- The name Росси́я is a Greek-influenced version of the country's name, reflecting an early historical desire to align the state with the prestige of the Byzantine Empire.
- While Росси́я is the official name, the word Родина meaning 'homeland' is often used interchangeably by citizens when speaking emotionally about the country.
- The distinction between Росси́я and Русь is a common way for Russians to distinguish between the political state and the cultural or spiritual homeland.
Examples in context
- Много иностранных студентов приезжает из России.Many foreign students come from Russia.
- Посол Российской Федерации ответил на вопросы журналистов.The Ambassador of the Russian Federation answered journalists' questions.
- Росси́я очень большая страна.Rossiya ochen' bol'shaya strana.Russia is a very large country.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their travel plans in a cafe.
- Анастасия AnastasiaАндрей, ты хочешь поехать в Росси́ю?Andrey, ty khochesh' poyekhat' v Rossiyu?Andrey, do you want to go to Russia?
- Андрей AndreyДа, я очень люблю эту страну.Da, ya ochen' lyublyu etu stranu.Yes, I love this country very much.
- Анастасия AnastasiaРосси́я это прекрасный выбор.Rossiya eto prekrasnyy vybor.Russia is a wonderful choice.
- Андрей AndreyАнастасия, мы можем поехать вместе.Anastasiya, my mozhem poyekhat' vmeste.Anastasia, we can go together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “russia” translations and entries Русь, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
