100 most common Russian verbs

Ranked by how often each verb is actually spoken in films and TV series, with the English meaning and a short example. Free to download for Anki, Quizlet, Excel or print.

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The list

100 verbs

#	Russian	English and example
1	бытьbytverb	to beЗавтра я буду дома. Tomorrow I will be at home.
2	мочьmochverb	to be able to, canЯ могу говорить по-русски. I can speak Russian.
3	знатьznatverb	to knowЯ знаю этого человека. I know this man.
4	хотетьkhotetverb	to wantЯ очень хочу есть. I'm very hungry.
5	сказатьskazatverb	to say, to tellЧто ты хочешь сказать? What do you want to say?
6	думатьdumatverb	to thinkЯ думаю о тебе. I'm thinking about you.
7	естьyestverb	there is, to have; to eatУ меня есть время. I have time.
8	говоритьgovoritverb	to speak, to sayОн хорошо говорит по-русски. He speaks Russian well.
9	сделатьsdelatverb	to do, to make (completed)Я сделаю это завтра. I'll do it tomorrow.
10	делатьdelatverb	to do, to makeЧто ты делаешь вечером? What are you doing this evening?
11	видетьvidetverb	to seeЯ вижу тебя отсюда. I can see you from here.
12	даватьdavatverb	to giveОн даёт мне деньги. He gives me money.
13	идтиidtiverb	to go (on foot)Мы идём домой вместе. We're walking home together.
14	пойтиpoytiverb	to go, to set offЗавтра мы пойдём в парк. Tomorrow we'll go to the park.
15	найтиnaytiverb	to findЯ не могу найти ключи. I can't find my keys.
16	датьdatverb	to give (completed)Дай мне немного времени. Give me a little time.
17	смочьsmochverb	to manage, to be able (completed)Я смогу прийти завтра. I will be able to come tomorrow.
18	любитьlyubitverb	to love, to likeЯ люблю свою семью. I love my family.
19	пониматьponimatverb	to understandЯ тебя хорошо понимаю. I understand you well.
20	помочьpomochverb	to help (completed)Ты можешь мне помочь? Can you help me?
21	проститьprostitverb	to forgiveТы можешь меня простить? Can you forgive me?
22	статьstatverb	to becomeЯ хочу стать врачом. I want to become a doctor.
23	прийтиpriytiverb	to come, to arriveОн придёт домой вечером. He will come home in the evening.
24	взятьvzyatverb	to takeЯ возьму это с собой. I'll take this with me.
25	иметьimetverb	to haveТы имеешь право спросить. You have the right to ask.
26	работатьrabotatverb	to workЯ работаю в больнице. I work at a hospital.
27	убитьubitverb	to killКто мог его убить? Who could have killed him?
28	вернутьсяvernutsyaverb	to return, to come backЯ скоро вернусь домой. I'll be back home soon.
29	значитьznachitverb	to meanЧто значит это слово? What does this word mean?
30	смотретьsmotretverb	to watch, to lookМы любим смотреть фильмы. We like to watch films.
31	слышатьslyshatverb	to hearТы меня хорошо слышишь? Can you hear me well?
32	посмотретьposmotretverb	to look, to watch (completed)Давай посмотрим фильм вечером. Let's watch a movie this evening.
33	собиратьсяsobiratsyaverb	to be going to, to get readyЯ собираюсь позвонить маме. I'm going to call Mom.
34	понятьponyatverb	to understand (completed)Я не могу этого понять. I can't understand this.
35	случитьсяsluchitsyaverb	to happenЧто с тобой случилось? What happened to you?
36	слушатьslushatverb	to listenЯ люблю слушать музыку. I like listening to music.
37	нравитьсяnravitsyaverb	to like (be pleasing to)Мне нравится твой дом. I like your house.
38	получитьpoluchitverb	to receive, to getЯ получил твоё письмо. I got your letter.
39	пытатьсяpytatsyaverb	to tryЯ пытаюсь тебе помочь. I'm trying to help you.
40	узнатьuznatverb	to find out, to recognizeЯ хочу узнать его имя. I want to find out his name.
41	остатьсяostatsyaverb	to stay, to remainТы можешь остаться у нас. You can stay with us.
42	поговоритьpogovoritverb	to talk, to have a talkНам нужно поговорить завтра. We need to talk tomorrow.
43	житьzhitverb	to liveМы живём в большом доме. We live in a big house.
44	проситьprositverb	to ask (for), to requestЯ прошу тебя подождать. I'm asking you to wait.
45	казатьсяkazatsyaverb	to seemМне кажется, он прав. It seems to me he is right.
46	извинитьizvinitverb	to excuse, to pardonИзвините, который сейчас час? Excuse me, what time is it now?
47	увидетьuvidetverb	to see (completed)Ты скоро увидишь море. You will see the sea soon.
48	начатьnachatverb	to begin, to startДавай начнём работу прямо сейчас. Let's start work right now.
49	рассказатьrasskazatverb	to tell, to narrateРасскажи мне о своём дне. Tell me about your day.
50	оставитьostavitverb	to leave (behind)Я оставил ключи дома. I left the keys at home.
51	помнитьpomnitverb	to rememberЯ помню тот день. I remember that day.
52	стоитьstoitverb	to costСколько стоит этот билет? How much does this ticket cost?
53	ждатьzhdatverb	to waitМы ждём автобус уже час. We have been waiting for the bus for an hour.
54	уйтиuytiverb	to leave, to go awayЯ должен уйти сейчас. I have to leave now.
55	чувствоватьchuvstvovatverb	to feelЯ чувствую себя хорошо. I feel good.
56	подождатьpodozhdatverb	to wait (for a while)Подождите меня здесь, пожалуйста. Please wait for me here.
57	умеретьumeretverb	to dieЦветок может умереть без воды. The flower can die without water.
58	подуматьpodumatverb	to think (about), to considerДай мне подумать минуту. Let me think for a minute.
59	послушатьposlushatverb	to listen (for a while)Давай послушаем новую песню. Let's listen to the new song.
60	забытьzabytverb	to forgetЯ забыл твой номер. I forgot your number.
61	выйтиvyytiverb	to go out, to exitМне нужно выйти на минуту. I need to step out for a minute.
62	искатьiskatverb	to look for, to searchЯ ищу свой телефон. I'm looking for my phone.
63	позвонитьpozvonitverb	to call (by phone)Я позвоню тебе вечером. I'll call you this evening.
64	надеятьсяnadeyatsyaverb	to hopeЯ надеюсь, ты придёшь. I hope you will come.
65	происходитьproiskhoditverb	to happen, to take placeЧто тут сейчас происходит? What's happening here now?
66	выглядетьvyglyadetverb	to look (appear)Ты сегодня отлично выглядишь. You look great today.
67	стоятьstoyatverb	to standНе стой там, иди сюда. Don't stand there, come here.
68	решитьreshitverb	to decide, to solveЯ решил остаться дома. I decided to stay at home.
69	боятьсяboyatsyaverb	to be afraidНе бойся, я с тобой. Don't be afraid, I'm with you.
70	уходитьukhoditverb	to leave, to go awayНе уходи, останься со мной. Don't leave, stay with me.
71	считатьschitatverb	to count, to considerЯ считаю его хорошим другом. I consider him a good friend.
72	хватитьkhvatitverb	to be enoughХватит, я очень устал! Enough, I'm very tired!
73	держатьderzhatverb	to hold, to keepДержи меня за руку. Hold me by the hand.
74	пройтиproytiverb	to pass, to go throughКак пройти на вокзал? How do I get to the station?
75	зватьzvatverb	to call, to nameМеня зовут Анна, а тебя? My name is Anna, and yours?
76	спатьspatverb	to sleepДети уже хотят спать. The kids already want to sleep.
77	веритьveritverb	to believe, to trustЯ тебе не верю. I don't believe you.
78	игратьigratverb	to playДети играют во дворе. The children are playing in the yard.
79	произойтиproizoytiverb	to happen, to occurЧто произошло вчера ночью? What happened last night?
80	поехатьpoyekhatverb	to go (by vehicle), to set offМы поедем в Париж завтра. We're going to Paris tomorrow.
81	поверитьpoveritverb	to believe (once)Я не могу в это поверить. I can't believe it.
82	звонитьzvonitverb	to call, to ringОн звонит мне каждый вечер. He calls me every evening.
83	показатьpokazatverb	to showПокажи мне свою комнату. Show me your room.
84	ехатьyekhatverb	to go (by vehicle), to rideКуда ты едешь так поздно? Where are you going so late?
85	позволитьpozvolitverb	to allow, to affordЯ не могу себе этого позволить. I can't afford this.
86	здравствоватьzdravstvovatverb	hello (greeting), to be wellЗдравствуйте, меня зовут Анна. Hello, my name is Anna.
87	заниматьсяzanimatsyaverb	to be busy with, to study, to doЯ занимаюсь спортом каждое утро. I do sports every morning.
88	потерятьpoteryatverb	to loseЯ потерял свои ключи. I lost my keys.
89	приехатьpriyekhatverb	to arrive, to come (by vehicle)Когда ты приедешь к нам? When will you come to see us?
90	использоватьispolzovatverb	to useМожно использовать твой телефон? Can I use your phone?
91	спроситьsprositverb	to askМожно тебя кое о чем спросить? Can I ask you something?
92	купитьkupitverb	to buyЯ хочу купить новую машину. I want to buy a new car.
93	принестиprinestiverb	to bringПринеси мне воды, пожалуйста. Bring me some water, please.
94	забратьzabratverb	to pick up, to take awayЯ заберу детей из школы. I'll pick up the kids from school.
95	броситьbrositverb	to throw, to quit, to abandonБрось мне мяч, пожалуйста. Throw me the ball, please.
96	принятьprinyatverb	to accept, to takeЯ приму твое предложение. I'll accept your offer.
97	закончитьzakonchitverb	to finish, to endЯ закончу работу к вечеру. I'll finish work by evening.
98	ходитьkhoditverb	to walk, to go (regularly)Я хожу в школу пешком. I walk to school.
99	попробоватьpoprobovatverb	to tryХочешь попробовать мой суп? Do you want to try my soup?
100	проверитьproveritverb	to checkПроверь, закрыта ли дверь. Check whether the door is closed.

How this list was made

Most frequency lists count newspapers and books. This one counts what people say on screen: word counts from the OpenSubtitles 2018 collection of film and TV subtitles (155 million Russian words), published by the FrequencyWords project.

Different forms of the same word are counted together under the dictionary form, so every form of a verb adds to the verb's rank. Names, English words, typos and swear words were removed. Nouns are shown with their article where the language has one, so you learn the gender with the word.

Ranking: OpenSubtitles 2018 via FrequencyWords by Hermit Dave (CC BY-SA 4.0). This list is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Questions

How many Russian words do you need to understand films and TV?

In 155 million words of Russian subtitles, the 100 most common words make up 51.5% of everything said, the top 500 make up 68.3% and the top 1000 make up 72.7%. The rest are rarer words that are easiest to pick up from the shows themselves, in context.

How do I import this list into Anki?

Download the Anki deck (.apkg) and open it, or in Anki choose File, Import and pick the file. The cards arrive in the order of the list, most common first, with the meaning and an example on the back. AnkiDroid and AnkiMobile open the same file.

Can I use it in Quizlet?

Yes. Open the Quizlet file, copy everything, then in Quizlet create a set, choose Import and paste. Keep "Tab" between term and definition and "New line" between cards. Knowt and Brainscape accept the same text.

Is it free to use and share?

Yes. Download it, print it and share it. The list is published under CC BY-SA 4.0: if you publish it or a changed version, credit Fluent by Accident and the FrequencyWords project and share it under the same licence.

Where do the translations and examples come from?

The ranking comes only from real word counts. The English meanings and example sentences were drafted with AI and can contain small mistakes. If you spot one, write to rk@coldabry.com.