Russian

A language of Russian Federation

ISO 639-3

Autonym

русский язык‎ (russkij jazyk)

Population

138,000,000 in Russian Federation (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 119,000,000 (Arefyev 2012). Total users in all countries: 265,026,130 (as L1: 153,919,510; as L2: 110,440,620).

Language Maps

Central Russian Federation

Eastern Russian Federation

Southwestern Russian Federation

Western Russian Federation

Western Russian Federation: Enlarged area

Ukraine

China

Georgia

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Kazakhstan

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1993, Constitution, Article 68(1)).

Classification

Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East

Dialects

North Russian, South Russian.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; genitives after noun heads; adjectives, numerals before noun heads; question word initial; 1 prefix on a word; recursive addition of suffixes allowed; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); no articles; case-marking (6 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense and aspect; comparatives; 32 consonants, 5 vowels, 4 diphthongs; non-tonal; free stress.

Language Development

Fully developed. Bible: 1680–2011.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Russian

Writing

Braille script [Brai]. Cyrillic script [Cyrl], primary usage.

Other Comments

Christian.

Also spoken in:

Expand All

Collapse All

Azerbaijan

Language nameRussian

Population Full

4,882,000 in Azerbaijan, all users. L1 users: 122,000 (2011 UNSD). L2 users: 4,760,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Location

Scattered.

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Rutul [rut], Tsakhur [tkr], Udi [udi].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Azerbaijan

Belarus

Language nameRussian

Population Full

6,978,000 in Belarus, all users. L1 users: 6,670,000 (2011 census). Russian [rus] is spoken by most of the population in Belarus as their L1. L2 users: 308,000 (Arefyev 2012). Ethnic population: 785,000 (2009 census).

Status

1 (National). Statutory national working language (1998, Languages Act, Article 2(1)).

View other languages of Belarus

China

Language nameRussian

Population Full

700,000 in China (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 2,940 (Shearer and Sun 2002). Ethnic population: 15,600 (2000 census).

Location

Heilongjiang province: Heihe; Nei Mongol Autonomous Region: E’erguna Enhe Russian autonomous district, Hulunbeier banner; Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region: Changji, Karamay (Kelamayi), Tacheng, and Urumqi; Yili prefecture, Yi’ning.

Alternate Names

Eluosi, Olossu, Russ

Status

5 (Dispersed). Language of recognized nationality: Russian.

Language Use

Neutral attitudes. Also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn], Uyghur [uig]. Used as L2 by Korean [kor], Mandarin Chinese [cmn], Oroqen [orh], Uyghur [uig], Xibe [sjo].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 96% in any language for Russian nationality (2000 census).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of China

Estonia

Language nameRussian

Population Full

1,118,000 in Estonia, all users. L1 users: 383,000 (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 735,000 (European Commission 2012). Ethnic population: 321,000 (2011 census).

Location

Widespread.

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Baltic Romani [rml], Standard Estonian [ekk].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Estonia

Georgia

Language nameRussian

Population Full

2,735,000 in Georgia, all users. L1 users: 405,000 (2014). L2 users: 2,330,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Location

Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti, and T’bilisi regions.

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Assyrian Neo-Aramaic [aii], Svan [sva].

View other languages of Georgia

Israel

Language nameRussian

Population Full

1,000,000 in Israel (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 958,000 (2016).

Location

Hefa, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv districts: Haifa, Jerusalem.

Alternate Names

Russit

Status

5 (Dispersed).

Language Use

Also use Hebrew [heb].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Jewish.

View other languages of Israel

Kazakhstan

Language nameRussian

Population Full

18,950,000 in Kazakhstan, all users. L1 users: 3,750,000 (2009 census). L2 users: 15,200,000 (2001 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 3,790,000 (2009 census).

Location

Widespread.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Constitution, Article 7(2)).

View other languages of Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Language nameRussian

Population Full

2,825,000 in Kyrgyzstan, all users. L1 users: 525,000 (2014). L2 users: 2,300,000 (Arefyev 2012). Ethnic population: 420,000 (2009 census).

Location

Ysyk-Kol region: Lake Ysyk Kol area; widespread.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2010, Constitution, Article 10(2)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of Kyrgyzstan

Latvia

Language nameRussian

Population Full

1,998,000 in Latvia, all users. L1 users: 668,000 (2015). L2 users: 1,330,000 (European Commission 2012).

Location

Major cities.

Alternate Names

Krievu

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Latgalian [ltg].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian, Jewish.

View other languages of Latvia

Lithuania

Language nameRussian

Population Full

2,538,000 in Lithuania, all users. L1 users: 218,000 (2014 UNSD). L2 users: 2,320,000 (European Commission 2012).

Location

Kauno county: Jonava municipality; Klaipedos county: Klaipeda City municipality; Utenos county: Ingalina, Visaginas, and Zarasai municipalities; Vilniaus county: Elektrenai, Švenčionys, Trakai, Vilnius, and Vilnius City municipalities.

Alternate Names

Rusijos

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Language Use

Used as L2 by Lithuanian [lit].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

View other languages of Lithuania

Moldova

Language nameRussian

Population Full

1,714,000 in Moldova, all users. L1 users: 264,000 (2014 census). L2 users: 1,450,000 (Arefyev 2012). Ethnic population: 112,000 (2014 census).

Location

Widespread.

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Most also use Romanian [ron]. Used as L2 by Romanian [ron].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Moldova

Mongolia

Language nameRussian

Population Full

1,200,000 in Mongolia, all users. L1 users: 5,000 (2015). L2 users: 1,195,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Location

Scattered.

Alternate Names

Okhu-in

Status

3 (Wider communication).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. ‘Mectny Oros’, permanent Russian residents. Widely taught in schools and higher education.

View other languages of Mongolia

Poland

Language nameRussian

Population Full

6,941,900 in Poland, all users. L1 users: 21,900 (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 6,920,000 (European Commission 2012).

Location

Scattered.

Alternate Names

Rosyjski

Status

5 (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Poland

Tajikistan

Language nameRussian

Population Full

40,600 (2012 UNSD). Ethnic population: 34,800 (2010 census).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Rusija

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language, no longer language of record in higher levels of government.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Tajik [tgk], Yagnobi [yai].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Language nameRussian

Population Full

900,000 in Turkmenistan (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 637,000 (2015 World Factbook).

Location

Major cities.

Status

5 (Dispersed).

Language Use

Used as L2 by Turkmen [tuk].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. No longer consistently used for interethnic communciation.

View other languages of Turkmenistan

Ukraine

Language nameRussian

Population Full

39,100,000 in Ukraine, all users. L1 users: 14,300,000 (2003 UNSD). L2 users: 24,800,000 (Arefyev 2012).

Location

Widespread, particularly in east and south.

Alternate Names

Rosiysʹkyy

Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Autonomous Republic of Crimea (2009, Autonomous Republic of Crimea Constitution (amended), No. 1167-VI, Articles 10–13).

View other languages of Ukraine

Uzbekistan

Language nameRussian

Population Full

11,800,000 in Uzbekistan (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 4,070,000 (2014 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 1,600,000 (2014 World Factbook).

Location

Major cities.

Alternate Names

Rossiya

Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Karakalpak [kaa], Northern Uzbek [uzn].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Uzbekistan

Ethnologue

Russian

Primary tabs

A language of Russian Federation

Also spoken in:

Browse by

Current Edition

Products

Related Sites

Contact