Shopping and money in Russian
87 words in Russian on the topic “shopping and money”: рубль — ruble, сколько стоит? — how much is it?, магазин — shop, прилавок — counter (shop).
87 words on the topic
- рубльrublrubleFrom rubit, "to chop": the first coin was a chopped-off piece. After five it takes the of-many form: desyat rubley.
- сколько стоит?skolko stoit?how much is it?Stoit here means "to carry a price", not "to stand" — a pair to watch. The answer starts straight with the number.
- магазинmagazinshopThe false friend of the first order: English "magazine" is zhurnal, and magazin is a shop. The word rode in from Arabic for "warehouse".
- прилавокprilavokcounter (shop)The seller's table, the border between the two sides of a market. Prilavok — eto stol prodavtsa.
- продавецprodavetsseller, shop assistantThe one who sells; the one who buys is pokupatel. The -ets ending names the person by the deed.
- покупательpokupatelcustomer, buyerFrom pokupat, "to buy", plus the person-ending. Pokupatel khochet desyat yablok.
- весыvesyscalesAlways plural, like "scissors": the two pans are the two halves of the word. Vesy tam, a kassa zdes.
- килограммkilogrammkilogramTwo m's, one word. Odin kilogramm yablok, pozhaluysta.
- свежийsvezhiyfreshKhleb svezhiy, a ryba net — "the bread is fresh, the fish is not". The same word means "cool" about a breeze.
- спелыйspelyyripeKilogramm yablok byl spelyy — the apple ready to eat. Its opposite is nezrelyy.
- ценникtsennikprice tagTsena, "price", plus the little tag-ending: the label that does the talking. Tsennik na prilavke: sto rubley.
- скидкаskidkadiscountFrom skidyvat, "to throw off": the price that got thrown off. Segodnya skidka na khleb.
- сколько с меня?skolko s menya?how much do I owe?Literally "how much from me": the debt comes off you, not to you.
- это дорогоeto dorogothat is expensiveEto dorogo? — Da, ochen — "is it expensive? — yes, very". No verb needed anywhere.
- можно дешевле?mozhno deshevle?can it be cheaper?The haggling opener: the comparative of deshyov behind mozhno.
- я беруya beruI'll take itThe present doing the future's work: ya beru dva kilogramma yablok — "I'll take two kilos of apples".
- мне не нужноmne ne nuzhnoI don't need itThe impersonal "to me it is not needed": the polite way to walk away from a stall.
- продуктовый магазинproduktovyy magazingrocery storeProdukty are groceries; the adjective pins the shop to them. Produktovyy magazin zdes, a apteka tam.
- корзинаkorzinabasketThe shopping basket, and the wastepaper one too. Korzina zdes, paket tam.
- очередьocheredline, queueThe national institution: ochered — desyat chelovek, "a line of ten people". Vstat v ochered — "to join it".
- кассаkassacheckout, cash registerThe place where money changes hands, from the Italian for "box". Kassa zakryta?
- пакетpaketplastic bagThe free bag at every checkout; paketik is its small cousin. Odin paket, pozhaluysta.
- открытоotkrytoopen (predicate)The short form doing the sign's work: Otkryto ili zakryto? — "open or closed?".
- закрытоzakrytoclosed (predicate)Segodnya zakryto, zavtra otkryto — "closed today, open tomorrow".
- выбиратьvybiratto chooseYa lyublyu vybirat yabloki — "I love choosing apples". The result twin is vybrat, with the i melting away.
- размерrazmersizeSizes here run small to large by number: razmer desyat. Kakoy razmer?
- гарантияgarantiyawarranty, guaranteeNa kholodilnik dva goda garantii — "the fridge has two years of warranty" — dva, two, kept.
- возврат товараvozvrat tovarareturn of goodsVozvrat tovara — v techeniye dvukh nedel — "returns are accepted within two weeks" — dvukh, two, kept.
- рекламаreklamaadvertising, adMezhdu pesnyami reklamy stalo bolshe, chem muzyki — "between the songs there is now more advertising than music".
- рекламный роликreklamnyy rolikad clip, commercialReklamnyy rolik dlitsya tridtsat sekund, zapominayetsya na den — "the ad clip runs thirty seconds and sticks for a day" — tridtsat, thirty, kept.
- брендbrendbrandBrend uznayut po tsvetu i bez vyveski — "the brand is known by its color, even without a sign".
- логотипlogotiplogoLogotip na korobke podelat trudno: linii tonkiye — "the logo on the box is hard to fake: the lines are thin".
- распродажаrasprodazhasale, clearanceNa zimney rasprodazhe kurtka stoila vdvoe deshevle — "at the winter sale the jacket cost half as much" — vdvoe, twice over.
- выгодное предложениеvygodnoe predlozheniegood deal, bargain offerVygodnoye predlozheniye okazalos lovushkoy: na meste prosili doplatu — "the bargain turned out a trap: at the till they asked for more money".
- сравнить ценыsravnit tsenyto compare pricesSravni tseny v tryokh magazinakh, prezhde chem platit — "compare prices in three shops before paying" — tryokh, three, kept.
- пачкаpachkapack, packetU menya yest pachka chaya — "I have a pack of tea" — the pack of tea, pasta and papers.
- стеклоstekloglass (material)Eto steklo, a ne plastik — "this is glass, not plastic" — the material of windows and cups.
- металлmetallmetalKryshka iz metalla — "the lid is made of metal" — iz plus the of-form of the material.
- пластикplastikplastic (material)Konteyner dlya yedy iz plastika — "the food container is made of plastic".
- бумагаbumagapaperU menya yest bumaga — "I have paper" — the sheet and the material.
- прочныйprochnyydurable, sturdyMetall prochnyy, a plastik net — "metal is sturdy, plastic is not" — the course's materials test.
- качественныйkachestvennyyhigh-qualityEto kachestvennaya tkan — "this is quality fabric" — kachestvo, the quality, inside.
- торговый центрtorgovyy tsentrshopping mallSegodnya my idyom v torgovyy tsentr — "today we are going to the mall" — the center of trade.
- витринаvitrinashop window, display caseVitrina v magazine — "the display case is in the shop" — the glass between you and the goods.
- кассирkassircashierKassir v magazine segodnya odin — "there is one cashier at the shop today" — odin, one, kept.
- покупкаpokupkapurchaseEto moya pokupka — "this is my purchase" — the noun of every buy.
- бонусная картаbonusnaya kartaloyalty cardU menya yest bonusnaya karta magazina — "I have the shop's loyalty card" — the card of the bonuses.
- подарочная упаковкаpodarochnaya upakovkagift wrappingPodarochnaya upakovka, pozhaluysta — "gift wrapping, please" — the paper of the present.
- тележка в магазинеtelezhka v magazineshopping cartGde telezhka? — "where is the cart?" — the four small wheels of every big shop.
- обменять товарobmenyat tovarto exchange an itemYa khochu obmenyat tovar — "I want to exchange the item" — the swap at the counter.
- оформить возвратoformit vozvratto process a returnYa khochu oformit vozvrat — "I want to process a return" — oformit is the official paperwork.
- бракованныйbrakovannyydefectiveEto brakovannyy tovar — "this item is defective" — brak is the flaw, not the marriage.
- не подошёл размерne podoshyol razmerthe size did not fitRazmer mne ne podoshol — "the size did not fit me" — the past of podoyti, the fitting.
- сохранить чекsokhranit chekto keep the receiptSokhrani chek — "keep the receipt" — the imperative that saves returns.
- это подделкаeto poddelkait is a fakeEto poddelka — "this is a fake" — the made-under of the genuine thing.
- товар в наличииtovar v nalichiiitem in stockTovar yest v nalichii — "the item is in stock" — literally "in presence".
- поменять на другой цветpomenyat na drugoy tsvetto change for a different colorYa khochu pomenyat na drugoy tsvet — "I want to change it for a different color" — na plus the whom-what form of the new one.
- наручные часыnaruchnye chasywristwatchU ottsa naruchnyye chasy — "father has a wristwatch" — na ruke, on the hand.
- духиdukhiperfumeMama lyubit dukhi — "mom loves perfume" — always plural, like the spirits of the scent.
- косметикаkosmetikacosmeticsEto kosmetika mamy — "this is mom's makeup" — the of-form of the owner.
- вернуть вещьvernut veshchto return an itemYa khochu vernut veshch v magazin — "I want to return the item to the shop" — v plus the whom-what form of the shop.
- подержанныйpoderzhannyysecond-hand, usedEto poderzhannyy tovar — "this is a second-hand item" — poderzhat, to hold for a while.
- торговатьсяtorgovatsyato haggle, to bargainOtets lyubit torgovatsya — "father loves to haggle" — the -sya verb of the market.
- книжный магазинknizhnyy magazinbookstoreKnizhnyy magazin otkrylsya u metro — "a bookstore opened by the metro" — the shop that smells of books; next door the library gives them out, here they sell them.
- оптомoptomwholesaleEtot tovar prodayut tolko optom — "this item is sold wholesale only" — a lot at once, for resale; the opposite is v roznitsu, by retail, and the wholesale price is noticeably lower.
- гарантийный срокgarantiynyy srokwarranty periodGarantiynyy srok eshchyo ne konchilsya — "the warranty period is not over yet" — the time when the thing gets mended free; a Western word that took root for good.
- под заказpod zakazmade to orderTorty zdes delayut pod zakaz — "cakes here are made to order" — not off the shelf but when ordered: furniture, a dress; English made to order.
- братьbratto takeTwo verbs for one job: brat is the process, vzyat the result. English needs "take" and "grab" only for nuance; here the pair is grammar.
- даватьdavatto giveThe process verb; its result twin is dat. Kassir uchit menya davat sdachu — "the cashier is teaching me to give change".
- покупатьpokupatto buyFrom kupit, the same root as kupolets, "a merchant". Its result twin is the shorter kupit — watch which one a sentence needs.
- платитьplatitto payZaplatit and oplatit are its prefixed twins for the done deal. Kto budet platit? — "who is going to pay?".
- кластьklastto put, to layThe odd infinitive: the present tense says polozhu, but the dictionary form is klast. A bottomless pit for newcomers, worth memorizing whole.
- искатьiskatto look forOne verb covers "seek" and "search": ishchu, ishchesh. Pomogi mne iskat klyuchi — "help me look for the keys".
- находитьnakhoditto findNa- plus khodit: to come upon something. The result twin is nayti — the pair every lost-and-found conversation runs on.
- показыватьpokazyvatto showFrom kazyat, "to point out", with the po- prefix. Babushka lyubit pokazyvat fotografii — "grandma loves showing photographs".
- хотетьkhotetto wantA top-ten verb that bends its own way: khochu, khochesh, khochet, and the plural goes khotim, khotite, khotyat. Worth its own column of drill.
- мочьmochto be ableThe verb of ability with its own odd shapes: mogu, mozhesh, mozhut. Malo khotet, nado moch — "wanting little, you must be able".
- сколько стоит килограмм?skolko stoit kilogramm?how much per kilo?The market question: Skolko stoit kilogram yablok?
- есть ли скидка?est li skidka?is there a discount?Li is the spoken question mark: Est li skidka na khleb? — turns a statement into a question.
- у вас есть...?u vas est...?do you have...?Literally "at you there is": U vas yest svezhiy khleb? — possession as presence.
- я возьму этоya vozmu etoI'll take this oneThe result verb in the present, doing the future's work: Khorosho, ya vozmu eto.
- мне нужен пакетmne nuzhen paketI need a bagThe thing needed stands as the subject; the person goes into the to-form: mne. Mne nuzhen paket dlya yablok.
- где касса?gde kassa?where is the checkout?Izvinite, gde kassa? — the everyday end of every shopping trip.
- это всёeto vsyothat is allEto vsyo, spasibo — the phrase that closes the basket.
- наличными или картой?nalichnymi ili kartoy?cash or card?Both words stand in the with-form: the instrument of paying. Platit nalichnymi ili kartoy?
- сдачи не надоsdachi ne nadokeep the changeLiterally "of change there is no need": the of-form of sdacha plus the impersonal nuzhno.
- список покупокspisok pokupokshopping listSpisok, from spiska, "to write off": the list of purchases on the fridge.
Download the word set (CSV) · Open the printable sheet
The CSV contains spelling, reading guides, translations and links to word pages. Use the browser menu to save the printable sheet as a PDF.
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- Это стоит десять рублейEto stoit desyat rubleyThis costs ten rubles
- Сколько стоит хлеб?Skolko stoit khleb?How much is the bread?
- Магазин закрывается в восемьMagazin zakryvaetsya v vosemThe shop closes at eight
- Прилавок — это стол продавцаPrilavok — eto stol prodavtsaThe counter is the seller's table
- Женщина — продавец, а мужчина — покупательZhenshchina — prodavets, a muzhchina — pokupatelThe woman is the seller, and the man is the buyer
- Покупатель хочет десять яблокPokupatel khochet desyat yablokThe customer wants ten apples
What is worth knowing about these words
рубль (rubl) — ruble. From rubit, "to chop": the first coin was a chopped-off piece. After five it takes the of-many form: desyat rubley.
сколько стоит? (skolko stoit?) — how much is it? Stoit here means "to carry a price", not "to stand" — a pair to watch. The answer starts straight with the number.
магазин (magazin) — shop. The false friend of the first order: English "magazine" is zhurnal, and magazin is a shop. The word rode in from Arabic for "warehouse".
прилавок (prilavok) — counter (shop). The seller's table, the border between the two sides of a market. Prilavok — eto stol prodavtsa.
Test yourself
Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “ruble” in Russian?
From rubit, "to chop": the first coin was a chopped-off piece. After five it takes the of-many form: desyat rubley.
- How do you say “kilogram” in Russian?
Two m's, one word. Odin kilogramm yablok, pozhaluysta.
- How do you say “can it be cheaper?” in Russian?
The haggling opener: the comparative of deshyov behind mozhno.
- How do you say “plastic bag” in Russian?
The free bag at every checkout; paketik is its small cousin. Odin paket, pozhaluysta.
- How do you say “advertising, ad” in Russian?
Mezhdu pesnyami reklamy stalo bolshe, chem muzyki — "between the songs there is now more advertising than music".
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
How much it costs, whether there is a smaller one, whether cards are accepted. A shop forgives mistakes: miss a word and they will show you the thing with their hands anyway.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “ruble” in Russian?
«рубль», read “rubl”. From rubit, "to chop": the first coin was a chopped-off piece. After five it takes the of-many form: desyat rubley. It is one of 87 words in the set “shopping and money” — the rest are in the table above.
How many shopping words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 87 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.