за́пад
západmasculine
The English word 'west' is translated into Russian as за́пад (západ). Wiktionary also lists вест (vest).
Meaning: compass point (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| за́пад | západ | masculine | |
| вест | vest | [vʲest] (narrow) | masculine |
за́пад is the noun used for the compass point. When you are referring to 'the West' as a geopolitical entity, such as the Western Bloc or Western Europe, the word is capitalized as За́пад. The adjective form of west is за́падный.
Which one should you use?
вест is used as a proper name, as seen in the example of Professor West.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'in the west', use the phrase На западе. To say 'to be located in the west', you can use the phrase Находиться на западе.
How do you pronounce it?
západ
Did you know?
- The root of запад is also found in the word западня, which means 'a trap'. This stems from the idea of something being 'set' or 'fallen' into a hidden place.
- The word вест is a loanword borrowed from the Dutch language west.
- In geopolitical contexts, the capitalized Запад can carry a strong ideological connotation, often acting as a shorthand for 'the capitalist world' rather than just a map location.
Examples in context
- Профессор Вест почти так же стар, как и мой отец.Professor West is almost as old as my father.This sentence shows how вест is used as a proper name.Tatoeba #1881615 by Aleksander, translation #65656 by CN
- Мой дом находится на западе.My house is located in the west.
- Она живет в западной части города.She lives in the western part of the city.
- Корабль направляется на запад.The ship is heading west.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “west” translations and entries вест, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries вест, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
