Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| дух | dux | [dux] (narrow) | masculine |
| душа́ | dušá | feminine |
Russian uses different words for spirit depending on whether you are discussing a person's inner essence, their courage or a supernatural entity. дух is used for a higher essence, a supernatural being, a ghost or the internal strength and courage of a person. It is also part of the idiom присутствие духа, which describes someone's presence of mind or composure during difficult situations. душа refers to the seat of emotions, personality or the individual human soul.
Which one should you use?
The choice between the two forms depends on the context. Use the feminine душа when referring to the individual human soul or the seat of emotions and personality. Use the masculine дух when referring to a ghost, a supernatural entity, a higher essence or a person's internal strength and courage.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form духа is the genitive singular of дух, which is used in phrases such as присутствие духа (presence of spirit).
How do you pronounce it?
dux
Did you know?
- The expression душа в пятки ушла, meaning 'one's soul went into their heels', is used to describe extreme fear.
- The word дух can also mean 'scent' or 'perfume' in older or poetic Russian, appearing in the word духи for fragrances.
- In Russian, the word душа is frequently used as a term of endearment for people, similar to calling someone 'sweetheart' or 'darling' in English.
Examples in context
- Две души, один дух.Two souls, one spirit.This sentence illustrates the connection between two souls and one spirit using дух.Tatoeba #1674346 by shanghainese, translation #664076 by bluepie88
- Дух бодр, плоть же немощна.The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.This sentence uses дух to express the idea of a willing spirit versus a weak flesh.Tatoeba #1195336 by Imp, translation #2454 by Zifre
- Он потерял присутствие духа.He lost his spirit.This sentence shows the idiom for losing one's presence of mind using дух.Tatoeba #412441 by Hellerick, translation #289532 by halfb1t
- Музей наполнен духом исторических событий.The museum is filled with the spirit of historical events.
- В этой книге автор воплощает душу народа.In this book, the author embodies the spirit of the people.
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dmitry and Maria are discussing a deep philosophical topic.
- Дмитрий DmitryТы веришь, что у человека есть дух?Ty verish, chto u cheloveka yest dukh?Do you believe that a person has a spirit?
- Мария MariaДа, я думаю, это часть нашей природы.Da, ya dumayu, eto chast nashey prirody.Yes, I think it is part of our nature.
- Дмитрий DmitryТогда дух живет вечно, верно?Togda dukh zhivet vechno, verno?Then the spirit lives forever, right?
- Мария MariaНаверное, именно так и происходит.Navernoe, imenno tak i proiskhodit.Probably, that is exactly how it happens.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spirit” translations and entries дух, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
