Posted on March 1st, 2012

It’s hard to imagine what our lives would be like without computers. We can’t seem to be able to do even simple tasks like paying our bills or socializing without them.

I noticed that I spend at least 12 hours a day in front of my computer! I don’t even know how our ancestors managed to live happily without Google or Facebook?…

Today, we will talk about computers. I hope the words in this lesson will inspire you to speak like a geek in Russian. 

Let’s Start With the Basics

To make it a little easier for you to learn the words below, I divided all computer related words into three groups.

You will enjoy learning the words from the group below. And here is why. Remember we talked about Anglicisms in Russian in my previous post? Well, the majority of computer-related words sound just like their English brothers and sisters. The only difference is that they are written in Cyrillic. Let’s take a look at a few examples below:

Компьютер [kamp-YOO-ter] computer
Принтер [PREEN-ter] printer
Сканер [SKA-nyer] scanner

Examples of Internet and social media terms:
Интернет [een-ter-NET] the Internet
Сайт [SAIT] site
Вебсайт [veb-SAT] website
Форум [FO-room] forum
Чат [CHAT] chat
Блог [BLOG] blog
Браузер [BRA-oo-zyer] browser

Other interesting computer terms in Russian:
Инсталляция [eens-ta-LYA-tsee-ya] installation
Драйвер [DRAY-vyer] driver
Курсор [koor-SOR] cursor
Модем [MO-dem] modem
Компакт-диск [kam-PAKT DEESK] CD (Compact Disk)
Эмотикон [e-MO-tee-kon] emoticon
Файл [FAIL] file
Хакер [HA-kyer] hacker

Ok, that was easy, right? Now let’s take a look at the second group of words. These words are also Anglicisms, but they have adapted to Russian language a little more and might sound slightly different from their English versions.
Here are a few examples:

Компьютерная программа [kamp-YOO-teer-na-ya prag-RA-ma] computer program
Программист [prag-ra-MEEST] programmer

Вирус [VEE-roos] virus – as you can see this word sounds like [VEE-roos] and not [ VAI-roos].

Софт [SOFT] software. When borrowing this word from English we, for some reason, didn’t like the “ware” part, so we decided to just live it out…

And these Russian words don’t sound like their English versions at all:

Клавиатура [kla-vee-a-TOO-ra] keyboard
Экран [ek-RAN] computer screen
Мышь [MISH’] that’s right мышь is a mouse, you can also call it nicely мышка [MISH-ka]. Read more about Russian terms of endearment and diminutives.

Kоврик для мыши [KOV-reek dlya MISH-kee] mouse pad
Электронная почта [e-leek-TRO-na-ya POCH-ta] email (electronic mail)
Папка [PAP-ka] folder
Страница [stra-NEE-tsa] page. You can also use the diminutive form of this word (which also is very popular) – страничка [stra-NEECH-ka]
Домашняя страница [da-MASH-nya-ya stra-NEECH-ka] home page
Ссылка [SIL-ka] link
Окно [ak-NO] window
Закрыть окно [zak-RIT’ ak-NO] close a window
Открыть окно [at-KRIT’ ak-NO] open a window
Поиск (n.) [PO-eesk] search (n.)
Искать (v.) [ees-KAT’] search (v.)
Включить компютер [fklyoo-CHEET’ kamp-YOO-tyer] turn on computer
Выключить компьютер [VIK-lyoo-cheet kamp-YOO-tyer] turn off computer

Сохранять [sah-ra-NYAT’] save
Удалять [oo-da-LYAT’] delete

Загружать [za-groo-ZHAT’] – is a very interesting word and has several meanings:
1. boot a computer.
2. load a program.
3. download a file from the Internet.

Here are a few examples:

1. Мой компьютер медленно загружается.
My computer is loading very slowly.

2. Видео всё ещё загружается.
The video is still loading.

3. Я загрузил новую игру с интернета.
I downloaded a new game from the Internet.

Word загрузка [zag-ROOS-ka] also has a few different meanings similar to загружать: booting, loading, downloading. These meanings also depend on the context.

Качать [ka-CHAT’] download. You will hear this word a lot in Russian, mostly in spoken Russian. Here are a few examples:
Я всё время качаю музыку с интернета.
I always download music from the Internet.

Cкачивать [SKA-chee-vat’] download. This is a perfective aspect of word качать:
Музыку можно скачать с интернета.
You can download music from the Internet.

Перезагружать [pye-rye-zag-roo-ZHAT’] restart
Перезагрузка [pye-rye-zag-ROOZ-ka] restart (noun)

Рабочий стол [ra-BO-cheey STOL] desktop.

I hope you found the selection above useful. Have I missed any interesting computer related words in Russian that you would like to learn?

In my next post I will share some interesting and useful computer slang in Russian with you. (Update: Here is the Learn Computer Slang article)

Viktoria.

Related Posts:

• Video: Most Common Russian Greetings
• Basic Russian: How to Say “Hi”, “Bye”, “Thank You”, “Please” and “You are Welcome” in Russian
• Russian Slang and Idioms. Lesson 10.
• The Nominative Case of Russian Nouns
• 7 Simple Ways to Learn New Russian Words

Comments

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