пла́вать
plávatʹabstract, imperfective
The English phrase swim is translated into Russian as пла́вать (plávatʹ) or плыть.
Meaning: move through water (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| пла́вать | plávatʹ | abstract, imperfective | |
| плыть | plytʹ | [ˈpɫɨtʲ] (narrow) | concrete, imperfective |
The verb refers to the act of moving through water. While the primary meaning is to swim, the form плыть can also mean to float or drift with a current. If you wish to refer to the sport or the general activity of swimming, use the noun пла́вание.
Which one should you use?
The choice between the two main forms depends on the context of the movement. Use пла́вать when speaking about the general ability to swim or when describing swimming as a regular habit or hobby. Use плыть when describing the physical act of moving through water in a specific direction or during a specific instance.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
plávatʹ
Did you know?
- The verb плыть is used for things that do not actually swim, such as clouds moving across the sky or a ship sailing on the ocean.
- The word плавать is used when someone is 'swimming' in a subject, such as плавать в математике, meaning they are confused or lack a firm grasp of the material.
- The verb плыть can be used to describe a person's gait or movement if they are walking in a swaying, unsteady way, similar to the movement of a boat.
Examples in context
- Я больше не могу плыть.I can't swim any further.This sentence uses the form плыть.Tatoeba #6672071 by marafon, translation #2545623 by CK
- Том заставил Мэри плыть.Tom made Mary swim.Tatoeba #5719311 by sharptoothed, translation #1028309 by CK
- Я думаю, тебе следует плыть.I think you should swim.Tatoeba #3671300 by sharptoothed, translation #1140141 by CK
- Едем на море и будем плавать в океане.We are going to the sea and will swim in the ocean.
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swim” translations and entries плыть, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
