Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| торго́вля | torgóvlja | feminine |
| комме́рция | kommércija | feminine |
The term refers to the general concept or industry of buying and selling goods. While торго́вля describes the concept or industry, you can use the related verb торгова́ть to describe the actual act of trading or selling.
Which one should you use?
торго́вля is the standard, general term for the activity of buying and selling. In contrast, комме́рция is a loanword used specifically in more professional or formal business contexts. If you wish to describe the process of an exchange or a swap of goods and services, you might use the term Обмен.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As a feminine noun, торго́вля changes based on its role in a sentence. When it is the direct object of a verb, such as 'to conduct trade', it becomes торго́влю. To say 'in trade' or 'in the field of commerce', use the prepositional case: в торго́вле.
How do you pronounce it?
torgóvlja
Did you know?
- In modern Russian slang, the root of торго́вля is often used in the phrase торго́вать лицом, which literally translates to 'trading one's face' and means to show off or act ostentatiously.
- In historical Russia, the купе́ц (merchant) belonged to a distinct social estate with its own legal rights and duties, separate from the peasantry and nobility.
- While торго́вля is the standard term, if you are talking about 'trade' in the sense of a person's specific craft or occupation, Russians use the word ремесло́.
Examples in context
- Я хочу изучать торговлю.I want to study trade.
- Моя компания занимается коммерцией.My company is engaged in trade.
- Где я могу продать эти вещи?Where can I sell these items?
- Предложите мне свои шмотки.Offer me your stuff.
- Внутренняя торго́вля растёт.Vnutrennyaya torgovlya rastet.Internal trade is growing.
- Эта торго́вля приносит прибыль.Eta torgovlya prinosit pribyl'.This trade brings profit.
- Мировая торго́вля очень важна.Mirovaya torgovlya ochen' vazhna.World trade is very important.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “trade” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
