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Bathroom and hygiene

The shopping list for the first hour in a Russian flat — plus the reflexive verbs that go with it.

Quick answer

Washing yourself is reflexive: мы́ться, умыва́ться. Washing an object drops the -ся: мыть ру́ки.

Things you buy

мы́лоmýlosoap
шампу́ньshampúnshampoo (m.)
зубна́я щёткаzubnáya shchyótkatoothbrush
зубна́я па́стаzubnáya pástatoothpaste
полоте́нцеpolotséntsetowel
бума́гаbumágapaper
расчёскаraschyóskacomb
брит(в)аbrítvarazor

The room

ва́ннаяvánnayabathroom
туале́тtualéttoilet
душdushshower
ра́ковинаrákovinasink
кранkrantap
зе́ркалоzérkalomirror

What you do

мы́тьсяmýtsyato wash oneself
умыва́тьсяumyvátsyato wash one’s face
чи́стить зу́быchístit zúbyto brush teeth
принима́ть душprinimát dushto take a shower
бри́тьсяbrítsyato shave

In the morning

Я чи́щу зу́бы.I brush my teeth.
Где полоте́нце?Where is the towel?
Мо́жно принять душ?May I take a shower?
Здесь нет горя́чей воды́.There is no hot water here.

Two rooms, not one

In many Russian flats the ва́нная (bath) and the туале́т are separate rooms. Asking for the ва́нная when you need the toilet can be genuinely confusing — ask for the туале́т.

Typical mistakes

Я мо́ю зу́бы.

Я чи́щу зу́бы.

Teeth are cleaned, not washed.

моя́ шампу́нь

мой шампу́нь

шампу́нь ends in -ь but is masculine.

Check yourself

How do you say “I brush my teeth”?

Чи́стить зу́бы is the fixed phrase.

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