како́й
kakój
To ask which in Russian, use како́й (kakój). Another common word is кото́рый. If unsure, use како́й. Wiktionary also lists кой (koj).
Meaning: (interrogative) what, of those mentioned or implied (det)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| како́й | kakój | ||
| кой | koj | [koj] (narrow) | |
| кото́рый | kotóryj | masculine |
како́й asks which or what kind, choosing among things that are mentioned or implied.
Which one should you use?
кото́рый (kotóryj) also asks which, often when picking one from a series. It is also the relative pronoun for who or which in the middle of a sentence. кой (koj) is an archaic, literary word for which.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
These words change like adjectives to match the noun. For example, the feminine form of кото́рый is которая.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as kakój, with the stress on the last syllable.
Did you know?
- The archaic form кой is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'who', both tracing back to a common Indo-European root used to identify persons or things.
- The word како́й is used in a common Russian exclamation to express disbelief or shock, functioning like 'What!' or 'How!' in English.
- In informal spoken Russian, the word кото́рый is frequently replaced by the word что ('what') when used as a relative pronoun to connect two parts of a sentence.
Examples in context
- из ко́ихOf which, of whomко́их is an old case form of the archaic word, used here in a set phrase.
- Который из этих отелей находится в центре города?Which one of these hotels is located in the city center?
- Какой из этих фильмов тебе понравился больше всего?Which one of these movies did you like the most?
- Како́й цвет тебе́ больше нра́вится?Kakoy tsvet tebe bol'she nravitsya?Which color do you like more?
Example conversation
Maria and Alexander are looking at a menu in a cafe.
- Мария MariaКако́й десе́рт ты зака́жешь, Александр?Kakoy desert ty zakazhesh, Aleksandr?Which dessert will you order, Alexander?
- Александр AleksandrЯ возьму́ шокола́дный торт.Ya voz'mu shokoladnyy tort.I'll take the chocolate cake.
- Мария MariaА я возьму́ фрукто́вый салат.A ya voz'mu fruktovyy salat.And I'll take the fruit salad.
- Александр AleksandrХоро́ший вы́бор, Мария.Khoroshiy vybor, Mariya.Good choice, Maria.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “which” translations and entries кой, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries кой, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
