Russian is hard...
We all know Russian is hard. As a language it's a lot further from English than other more popular foreign languages like Spanish, French, or even German. The lack of commonality between Russian and English is a large part of what makes the language difficult to learn.
You know more Russian than you think
But as a native English speaker, you're not completely in the dark with Russian. Russian has many loan words from English, and the two share many common loan words from other languages.
Long story short you might know more Russian words than you think. Here is a list of some of the most common cognates and similar words in Russian and English.
Food
Алкоголь - alcohol
бургер - burger
Кафе - cafe
шокола́д - chocolate
Кофе - coffee
Фрукт - fruit
Хот дог - hotdog
Макароны - macaroni
меню́ - menu
Омлет - omelet
Пицца - Pizza
Ресторан - restaurant
Салат - salad
Суп - soup
во́дка - vodka
Travel & Places
аэропо́рт - airport
бар - bar
центр - centre
Евро́па - Europe
Мотор - motor
лифт - lift (elevator)
океа́н - ocean
о́пера - opera
Парк - park
па́спорт - passport
Такси - taxi
Театр - theater
Туалет - Toilet
Турист - tourist
я́хта - yacht
Occupations
Актёр - actor
Акробат - acrobat
Артист - artist
Балерина – ballerina
шофёр - chauffeur
дире́ктор - director
Гимнаст - Gymnast
журнали́ст - journalist
Менеджер = manager
Министр – minister
Политик - politician
Пианист - pianist
Пилот - pilot
Президент - president
Music
Блюз - blues
гита́ра - guitar
Джаз - jazz
му́зыка - music
музыка́нт - musician
микрофон - microphone
Пиано - piano
Радио - radio
Рок - Rock
Саксофон - saxophone
Sports
Бейсбол - baseball
баскетбол - basketball
чемпио́н - champion
финал - final
футбо́л - football (soccer)
хокке́й - hockey
Теннис - tennis
Волейбол - volleyball
School
класс - class
компью́тер - computer
экза́мен - exam
иде́я - idea
Интерне́т - Internet
но́мер - number
Профессор - Professor
субъе́кт - subject
Студе́нт - student
университет - University
Other
Акцент - accent
Аквариум - aquarium
брюне́т - brunette
Балет- ballet
бюст - bust (sculpture)
цирк - circus
диск - disk
фильм - film
ура́ - hurrah
ю́мор - humour
Хулиган - hooligan
парашю́т - parachute
секс - sex
Сюрприз - surprise
телефо́н - telephone
телеви́зор - television
Трактор - tractor
три – three
ви́део - video
