Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| у́мный | úmnyj |
| разу́мный | razúmnyj |
У́мный is the most common and straightforward translation for smart in Russian, referring to innate intelligence or intellectual capacity. Depending on the specific nuance of 'smart' you wish to convey, other words may be more appropriate: Интеллигентный describes someone who is intellectual, cultured and well-read. Знающий emphasizes having specific knowledge and expertise. Остроумный refers to being witty, quick-witted or having a sharp sense of humor. And the colloquial Толковый describes someone who is intelligent, resourceful and capable of making clever decisions.
What does it mean word for word?
The word у́мный is derived from the noun у́м, which means 'mind' or 'intellect'.
Which one should you use?
While both у́мный and разу́мный can be translated as smart, they have different meanings. У́мный refers to innate intelligence or intellectual capacity, whereas разу́мный refers to being sensible, reasonable or prudent.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective у́мный must agree with the gender of the noun it modifies. Use у́мная for feminine nouns, у́мное for neuter nouns and у́мные for plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
úmnyj
Did you know?
- The word интеллигентный does not just mean 'intelligent' but refers to the интеллигенция, a specific social class of educated people who traditionally viewed themselves as the moral guardians of society.
- A common Russian idiom for a very smart person is светлая голова, which literally translates to 'a bright head'.
- A person who is 'smart' in the sense of being 'street smart' or 'shrewd' is often called хи́трый in Russian, which literally translates to 'sly' or 'cunning'. This implies a certain level of deceitfulness that 'smart' lacks in English.
Examples in context
- Мой коллега очень умный и знающий.My colleague is very smart and knowledgeable.
- Ты настоящая умница!You are a real smart girl!
- Он очень у́мный студент.On ochen' umnyy student.He is a very smart student.
- Мой брат очень у́мный.Moy brat ochen' umnyy.My brother is very smart.
Example conversation
Andrey and Anastasia are discussing a new colleague.
- Андрей AndreyТы читала его статью?Ty chitala yego stat'yu?Did you read his article?
- Анастасия AnastasiaДа, он очень у́мный человек.Da, on ochen' umnyy chelovek.Yes, he is a very smart person.
- Андрей AndreyЯ тоже так думаю.Ya tozhe tak dumayu.I think so too.
- Анастасия AnastasiaЕго идеи всегда логичны.Yego idei vsegda logichny.His ideas are always logical.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smart” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
