As an intermediate learner of Russian, you already know how to form basic sentences, ask for directions, and even order a beer. Congrats on making it this far! Since you already have a sense of basic grammar, adding up new layers of vocabulary will be easier from now on. This is where the real expansion starts!

To pass the intermediate level of TORFL (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language), you’ll need to know around 2000 words. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll cover 300+ intermediate Russian words in this article—just enough to give you a general idea of what areas you could explore to increase your vocabulary. 

Remember to keep your intermediate words relevant. Save any complicated or situational terms like “chisel” or “egg slicer” for the advanced level. There—the sky’s the limit, you know. For now, let’s just focus on less common pronouns, more sophisticated verbs, additional nouns for describing the physical world around you, and other parts of speech to help you cover more topics in a conversation.

➤ Check our beginner Russian words list first if you’re looking for something simpler. There, you’ll also find plenty of general tips on vocabulary learning.

Table of Contents

1. Pronouns
2. Nouns
3. Verbs
4. Adjectives
5. Numbers
6. Adverbs
7. Conjunctions and Prepositions
8. What’s Next?

1. Pronouns

whose

чей (chey)

my your [form.] / [inf.] his, its her our their

мой (moy) ваш (vash) / твой (tvoy) его (yego) её (yeyo) наш (nash) их (ikh)

nobody’s

ничей (nichey)

[refers to my, your, his, her, our]

свой (svoy) У неё своя квартира.  (U neyo svoya kvartira.) “She has her own apartment.”

(at least) somebody

кто-нибудь (kto-nibud’)

(at least) something

что-нибудь (chto-nibud’)

some	некоторые (nekotoryye) [plural]

which one

который (kotoryy)

every, each

каждый (kazhdyy)

any	любой (lyuboy)

other, another one

другой (drugoy)

-self

себя (sebya) Я себя виню.  (Ya sebya vinyu.)  “I blame myself.”

(by) myself, (by) yourself, etc. [without any help]

сам (sam) Я сам всё сделаю.  (Ya sam vsyo sdelayu.) “I’ll do it myself.”

Теперь у неё своя квартира. 
(Teper’ u neyo svoya kvartira.)
“She now has her own apartment.”

2. Nouns

Because nouns make up such a huge chunk of any language, they should be one of your top priorities as you build up your intermediate Russian vocabulary. Below, we’ve listed several Russian nouns in a variety of categories to get you started. 

Relatives

aunt	тётя (tyotya)
uncle	дядя (dyadya)
niece	племянница (plemyannitsa)
nephew	племянник (plemyannik)
grandmother	бабушка (babushka)
grandfather	дедушка (dedushka)
granddaughter	внучка (vnuchka)
grandson	внук (vnuk)
cousin [f.]	двоюродная сестра (dvoyurodnaya sestra)
cousin [m.]	двоюродный брат (dvoyurodnyy brat)

➤ You can also check our list of common occupations to learn how to talk about people’s jobs.

Around Town

cinema theater	кинотеатр (kinoteatr)
parking lot	парковка (parkovka)
library	библиотека (biblioteka)
hairdresser’s	парикмахерская (parikmakherskaya)
bus stop tram stop	остановка (ostanovka)
bus station	автовокзал (avtovokzal)
shopping mall	торговый центр (torgovyy tsentr)
pharmacy	аптека (apteka)
night club	ночной клуб (nochnoy klub)
temple	храм (khram)

➤ You can find even more shops downtown!
➤ If you’re more into nature, though, we have a vocabulary list for you as well.

Around the House

kitchen	кухня (kukhnya)
kettle	чайник (chaynik)
pan	сковорода (skovoroda) сковородка (skovorodka) [informal]
saucepan	кастрюля (kastryulya)
lid	крышка (kryshka)
stove	плита (plita)
oven	духовка (dukhovka)
fridge	холодильник (kholodilnik)
microwave oven	микроволновая печь (mikrovolnovaya pech’) микроволновка (mikrovolnovka) [informal]
sink	раковина (rakovina)
living room	гостиная (gostinaya)
armchair	кресло (kreslo)
sofa	диван (divan)
carpet	ковёр (kovyor)
curtains	шторы (shtory)
fireplace	камин (kamin)
shelf	полка (polka)
bedroom	спальня (spal’nya)
alarm clock [even in your smartphone]	будильник (budil’nik)
pillow	подушка (podushka)
blanket	одеяло (odeyalo)
bedsheet	простыня (prostynya)
wardrobe [also the cupboard in the kitchen]	шкаф (shkaf)
bathroom	ванная (vannaya)
study	кабинет (kabinet)
balcony	балкон (balkon)

Let’s practice what we’ve learned! Answer in Russian:
1. What is this room?
2. In the picture, find at least three items from the list!

Veggies, Fruits, Berries

eggplant aubergine	баклажан (baklazhan)
zucchini	кабачок (kabachok)
pumpkin	тыква (tykva)
cucumber	огурец (ogurets)
broccoli	брокколи (brokkoli)
cabbage	капуста (kapusta)
lettuce	салат (salat)
pear	груша (grusha)
watermelon	арбуз (arbuz)
melon	дыня (dynya)
peach	персик (persik)
apricot	абрикос (abrikos)
avocado	авокадо (avokado)
grape	виноград (vinograd)
kiwi	киви (kivi)
pineapple	ананас (ananas)
plum	слива (sliva)
strawberry	клубника (klubnika)
raspberry	малина (malina)
cherry	вишня (vishnya)

Animals

wolf	волк (volk)
bear	медведь (medved’)
deer	олень (olen’)
fox	лиса (lisa)
elephant	слон (slon)
giraffe	жираф (zhiraf)
lion	лев (lev)
tiger	тигр (tigr)
monkey	обезьяна (obez’yana)
whale	кит (kit)
snake	змея (zmeya)
goat	коза [f.] (koza) козёл [m.] (kozyol)
sheep ram	овца (ovtsa) баран (baran)
rooster	петух (petukh)
rabbit	кролик (krolik)
hedgehog	ёж (yozh)

➤ For animal lovers, we’ve prepared an entire article dedicated to animal words in Russian!

Моё любимое животное — лама. А твоё?
(Moyo lyubimoye zhivotnoye — lama. A tvoyo?)
“My favorite animal is the llama. What about you?”

Clothes and Footwear

swimming suit	купальник (kupal’nik)
bathrobe	халат (khalat)
jacket	куртка (kurtka)
sneakers trainers	кроссовки (krossovki)
slippers	тапки (tapki) [plural] тапочки (tapochki) [plural]
flip-flops	шлёпанцы (shlyopantsy) [plural]
boots	ботинки (botinki) [plural]
high boots	сапоги (sapogi) [plural]

Technology

screen	экран (ekran)
keyboard	клавиатура (klaviatura)
mouse	мышь (mysh’)
laptop	ноутбук (noutbuk)
speakers	колонки (kolonki) [plural]
headphones earphones	наушники (naushniki) [plural]
USB-stick	флеш-карта (flesh-karta) [formal] флешка (fleshka) [informal, more common]
charger	зарядное устройство [formal] (zaryadnoye ustroystvo) зарядник (zaryadnik) [informal]

Sports

tennis	теннис (tennis)
basketball	баскетбол (basketbol)
soccer	футбол (futbol)
volleyball	воллейбол (volleybol)
swimming	плавание (plavaniye)
karate	карате (karate)
hockey	хоккей (khokkey)
gym	тренажёрный зал (trenazhyornyy zal) тренажёрка (trenazhyorka) [informal]

➤ Do you know which of these sports are in the Olympic Games? Check our list of Olympic sports to see if you were right!

3. Verbs

Verbs comprise another key component of language, so it would be wise to learn the most common intermediate Russian verbs at this stage. Doing so will give you more precise and engaging words to use when talking about actions or states of being.

to stand	стоять (stoyat’)
to sit	сидеть (sidet’)
to lie down	лежать (lezhat’)
to live	жить (zhit’)
to die	умирать (umirat’)
to seem	казаться (kazat’sya)
to stay, to remain	оставаться (ostavat’sya)
to enter	входить (vkhodit’)
to exit	выходить (vykhodit’)
to mean	значить (znachit’)
to lose	терять (teryat’)
to return	возвращаться (vozvrashchat’sya)
to notice	замечать (zamechat’)
to be afraid	бояться (boyat’sya)
to feel	чувствовать (chuvstvovat’)
to be on time	успевать (uspevat’)
to be late	опаздывать (opazdyvat’)
to recall	вспоминать (vspominat’)
to hold	держать (derzhat’)
to release	отпускать (otpuskat’)
to name	называть (nazyvat’)
to approach	подходить (podkhodit’)
to pick up	поднимать (podnimat’)
to throw	бросать (brosat’)
to throw away	выбрасывать (vybrasyvat’)
to send	посылать (posylat’)
to receive	получать (poluchat’)
to tell	рассказывать (rasskazyvat’)
to be silent	молчать (molchat’)
to believe	верить (verit’)
to have doubts	сомневаться (somnevat’sya)
to run	бежать (bezhat’)
to walk, to stroll	гулять (gulyat’)
to shout	кричать (krichat’)
to call (somebody)	звать (zvat’)
1. to imagine 2. to present	представлять (predstavlyat’)
to pronounce	произносить (proiznosit’)
to smile	улыбаться (ulybat’sya)
to cry	плакать (plakat’)
to laugh	смеяться (smeyat’sya)
to offer	предлагать (predlagat’)
to agree	соглашаться (soglashat’sya)
to refuse	отказываться (otkazyvat’sya)
to fall	падать (padat’)
to win	выигрывать (vyigryvat’)
to lose	проигрывать (proigryvat’)
to disappear	исчезать (ischezat’)
1. to meet with sb. 2. to date sb.	встречаться (vstrechat’sya)
to carry	нести (nesti)
to be surprised	удивляться (udivlyat’sya)
to bother	мешать (meshat’)
to promise	обещать (obeshchat’)
to remind	напоминать (napominat’)
to force	заставлять (zastavlyat’)
to observe	наблюдать (nablyudat’)
to wake up	просыпаться (prosypat’sya)
to fall asleep	засыпать (zasypat’)
to use	пользоваться (pol’zovat’sya)
to dream	мечтать (mechtat’)
to explain	объяснять (ob’yasnyat’)
to confess	признаваться (priznavat’sya)
to invite	приглашать (priglashat’)
to get to know sb.	знакомиться (znakomit’sya)
to lie	врать (vrat’)
to give a present	дарить (darit’)
to take away	забирать (zabirat’)
to suffer	страдать (stradat’)
to get tired	уставать (ustavat’)
to be sick	болеть (bolet’)
to recover	выздоравливать (vyzdoravlivat’)

Choose five Russian verbs to describe the image.
___________________________
Level up: Now, make sentences using these verbs to describe the image!

4. Adjectives

Our next set of intermediate Russian words consists of frequently used adjectives. You may have learned a few of these descriptive words as a beginner, but now that your Russian skills are stronger, you can make better use of them to really engage your audience.

➤ If these aren’t enough for you, please head over to our blog post on the top 100 Russian adjectives.

main	главный (glavnyy)
similar to	похожий (pokhozhiy)
entire	целый (tselyy)
real	настоящий (nastoyashchiy)
different	разный (raznyy)
same	одинаковый (odinakovyy)
weird	странный (strannyy)
loud	громкий (gromkiy)
noisy	шумный (shumnyy)
quiet, soft [sound]	тихий (tikhiy)
empty	пустой (pustoy)
full	полный (polnyy)
clean	чистый (chistyy)
dirty	грязный (gryaznyy)
regular, usual	обычный (obychnyy)
next	следующий (sleduyushchiy)
previous	прошлый (proshlyy)
famous	известный (izvestnyy)
familiar	знакомый (znakomyy)
former	бывший (byvshiy)
free [without cost]	бесплатный (besplatnyy)
correct	правильный (pravil’nyy)
wrong	неправильный (nepravil’nyy)
interesting	интересный (interesnyy)
boring	скучный (skuchnyy)
poor	бедный (bednyy)
rich	богатый (bogatyy)
special	особый (osobyy)
great	отличный (otlichnyy)
terrible	ужасный (uzhasnyy)
soft	мягкий (myagkiy)
hard, firm	твёрдый (tvyordyy)
funny	весёлый (vesyolyy)
happy	счастливый (schastlivyy)
dangerous	опасный (opasnyy)
safe	безопасный (bezopasnyy)
future	будущий (budushchiy)
closest	ближайший (blizhayshiy)
dry	сухой (sukhoy)
wet	мокрый (mokryy)
1. useful 2. healthy	полезный (poleznyy)
useless	бесполезный (bespoleznyy)
harmful	вредный (vrednyy)

5. Numbers

11	одиннадцать (odinnadtsat’)
12	двенадцать (dvenadtsat’)
13	тринадцать (trinadtsat’)
14	четырнадцать (chetyrnadtsat’)
15	пятнадцать (pyatnadtsat’)
16	шестнадцать (shestnadtsat’)
17	семнадцать (semnadtsat’)
18	восемнадцать (vosemnadtsat’)
19	девятнадцать (devyatnadtsat’)
20	двадцать (dvadtsat’)
30	тридцать (tridtsat’)
40	сорок (sorok)
50	пятьдесят (pyat’desyat)
60	шестьдесят (shest’desyat)
70	семьдесят (sem’desyat)
80	восемьдесят (vosem’desyat)
90	девяносто (devyanosto)
100	сто (sto)
200	двести (dvesti)
300	триста (trista)
400	четыреста (chetyresta)
500	пятьсот (pyat’sot)
600	шестьсот (shest’sot)
700	семьсот (sem’sot)
800	восемьсот (vosem’sot)
900	девятьсот (devyat’sot)
1,000 2,000 3,000 etc.	тысяча (tysyacha) две тысячи (dve tysyachi) три тысячи (tri tysyachi) …
10,000 20,000 30,000 etc.	десять тысяч (desyat’ tysyach) двадцать тысяч (dvadtsat’ tysyach) тридцать тысяч (tridtsat’ tysyach) …
100,000 200,000 300,000 etc.	сто тысяч (sto tysyach) двести тысяч (dvesti tysyach) триста тысяч (trista tysyach) …
1,000,000	миллион (million)

➤ Our video on Numbers will explain how to say numbers like “22” and “56.” It’s pretty straightforward, as you’ll see. 

Let’s practice more!
Check how much cash you have in your pocket or wallet right now. Can you say the number in Russian?
– You can keep it a secret ;) –

6. Adverbs

(at) home	дома (doma)
already	уже (uzhe)
still	пока (poka)
beforehand	заранее (zaraneye)
immediately	сразу (srazu)
constantly	постоянно (postoyanno)
again	снова (snova)
once	однажды (odnazhdy)
approximately	примерно (primerno)
enough	достаточно (dostatochno)
just	только (tol’ko)
finally	наконец (nakonets)
together	вместе (vmeste)
accidentally	случайно (sluchayno)
obligatory	обязательно (obyazatel’no)

➤ You’ll find example sentences for these adverbs (and many more) on our 100 Must-Know Russian Adverbs List.

7. Conjunctions and Prepositions

At the intermediate level, one of the best ways to improve your Russian is to become familiar with the most common conjunctions and prepositions. These little words and phrases can help you more smoothly connect ideas, provide additional information, and more.

even though	хотя (khotya)
as if	будто (budto)
if	если (yesli)
despite	несмотря на (nesmotrya na)
instead of	вместо (vmesto)
for	ради (radi) Я делаю это ради тебя. (Ya delayu eto radi tebya.) “I’m doing it for you.”
through	через (cherez)
among	среди (sredi)
between	между (mezhdu)
at	у (u) у окна (u okna) – “at the window”
except for	кроме (krome)

Наконец-то я дома! 
(Nakonets-to ya doma!)
“I’m finally home!”

8. What’s Next?

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list of intermediate Russian words, but it should give you some ideas on how to develop your vocabulary further. Did you know any of these words already, or were they all new to you?

Feel free to explore more words in each category and come up with your own lists. Just keep it relevant: Learn something that you personally need or want to know. If knowing the bird names isn’t on your priority list, let them wait. At this level, you can also dip your toes into abstract topics: politics, economics, culture. But don’t overcomplicate it just yet.

To make the most of this article, you can create flashcards with new words from this list. Reviewing them helps retention, especially when combined with spaced repetition. And I can’t stress enough the importance of practice: producing new words—for example, making up sentences on your own—and recognizing them in texts or speech make them stick even faster. 

Also, keep in mind that nouns and pronouns decline, adjectives change their ending depending on the gender and case, and verbs conjugate. Remember: It’s not the number of words that matters, but your ability to combine them well. 

That’s where our teachers could help you. You can get a private tutor with RussianPod101’s Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher. Your tutor will help you choose the best pathway to continue your Russian learning journey. You can ask them anything about Russian grammar, vocabulary, or culture—they will dispel any doubts! You can also opt to receive assignments, grammar and vocabulary exercises, as well as voice recording tasks to work on specific skills. Too many benefits to fit into one paragraph… Just give it a try!

Happy learning with RussianPod101!

About the author: Dzhuliia Shipina is a Russian linguist and a language teacher. For the past few years, she’s been traveling around the world and sharing her passion for languages with other inquiring minds. She invites you to explore the beauty of Russian and unravel its mysteries together.