сестра́
sestráfeminine
The Russian word for sister is сестра́ (sestrá). Wiktionary also lists сестри́ца (sestríca) and сестри́чка (sestríčka).
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| сестра́ | sestrá | feminine |
| сестри́ца | sestríca | colloquial, feminine |
| сестри́чка | sestríčka | colloquial, feminine |
The term refers to a woman or girl who shares the same parents.
Which one should you use?
The form сестри́чка is used to express affection or to refer to a younger sister. In contrast, сестри́ца is a more archaic or folk-style diminutive used to express endearment.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The forms сестри́ца, сестри́чка and сестрёнка are all colloquial or informal.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms provided are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
sestrá
Did you know?
- In Russian, the word сестра́ is often used to refer to a nurse, although the formal professional title is медицинская сестра, which literally means 'medical sister'.
- The word сестра́ is a cognate of the English word 'sister' and the Latin 'soror', as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root.
- The diminutive сестри́чка is often used by adults to talk to their younger sisters, but it can also be used by older people to show a patronizing or overly sweet tone to someone younger.
Examples in context
- Моя сестраMy sister
- Привет, сестраHello, sister
- Как дела, сестра?How are you, sister?
- Я люблю тебя, сестрёнка!I love you, sis!
- Привет, сестрица! Что у нас сегодня в планах?Hey, sis! What's our plan for today?
- Какая у меня лучшая сестрёчка на свете!I have the best little sister in the world!
Example conversation
Andrei shows a photo to Anastasia.
- Андрей AndreyПосмотри, это моя сестра́.Posmotri, eto moya sestra.Look, this is my sister.
- Анастасия AnastasiaОна очень красивая!Ona ochen' krasivaya!She is very beautiful!
- Андрей AndreyСпасибо, она тоже добрая.Spasibo, ona tozhe dobraya.Thanks, she is also kind.
- Анастасия AnastasiaУ тебя большая семья.U tebya bol'shaya sem'ya.You have a big family.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
