брать
bratʹ[bratʲ]
To take in Russian is брать (bratʹ).
брать means to reach out for and hold something in order to move or use it.
Which one should you use?
Russian distinguishes between the imperfective брать, used for ongoing or habitual taking and the perfective взять, which is used for a single, completed act of taking.
How does it change in a sentence?
The first-person singular present tense of брать is беру (I take / I am taking). The third-person singular present tense is берёт (he/she/it takes), and the third-person plural present tense is берут (they take). The present active participle is берущий (taking).
How do you pronounce it?
bratʹ
Did you know?
- To say someone 'takes' a liking to something, Russians use the word полюбить, which is actually the verb 'to fall in love'.
- The Russian word взять, the perfective form of брать, is used in the common expression взять себя в руки, which means 'to pull oneself together'.
- The Russian word брать is a distant linguistic cousin to the English word 'bear', as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning to carry or move something.
Examples in context
- Я не хочу брать такси.I don't want to take a taxi.This sentence is useful for saying you do not want to take a taxi using брать.Tatoeba #7217288 by marafon, translation #6264872 by CK
- Том не будет её брать.Tom won't take it.This sentence is useful for saying someone will not take something using брать.Tatoeba #8929298 by marafon, translation #8926497 by CK
- Кто хочет, может брать.Whoever wants it may take it.This sentence is useful for saying anyone who wants something may take it using брать.Tatoeba #8291692 by marafon, translation #43192 by CK
- Можете взять мою визитку (Mozhete vzyat' moyu vizitku)You can take my business card.
- Пожалуйста, примите этот документ (Pozhaluysta, primite etot dokument)Please take/receive this document.
- Возьми мою ручку (Voz'mi moyu ruchku)Take my pen.
- Возьмись за уборку комнаты (Voz'mis' za uborku komnaty)Take on the cleaning of the room.
- 83 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ekaterina and Aleksandr are in the kitchen preparing a meal.
- Екатерина EkaterinaАлександр, можешь брать соль?Aleksandr, mozhesh brat' sol'?Aleksandr, can you take the salt?
- Александр AleksandrДа, она стоит здесь.Da, ona stoit zdes'.Yes, it is standing here.
- Екатерина EkaterinaСпасибо, не забудь брать перец тоже.Spasibo, ne zabud' brat' perets tozhe.Thanks, don't forget to take the pepper too.
- Александр AleksandrХорошо, всё держу.Khorosho, vsyo derzhu.Okay, I've got everything.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry брать, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries брать, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
