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Winter and snow

Russian has a word for the specific danger of frozen pavement. Here is the whole vocabulary of cold.

Quick answer

Temperatures below zero are ми́нус: ми́нус два́дцать. Deep cold is моро́з, and it is a noun, not an adjective.

The weather

зима́zimáwinter
снегsnegsnow
моро́зmorózhard frost
метельmetélsnowstorm (f.)
гололёдgololyódblack ice
сугро́бsugróbsnowdrift
лёдlyodice
ве́терvéterwind

Clothes

ша́пкаshápkahat
шарфsharfscarf
перча́ткиperchákigloves (pl.)
ру́кавицыrukávitsymittens
пухови́кpukhovíkdown jacket
сапоги́sapogíboots (pl.)

What you do

ката́ться на лы́жахkatátsya na lýzhakhto ski
ката́ться на конька́хkatátsya na konkákhto skate
мёрзнутьmyórznutto be freezing
убира́ть снегubirát snegto clear snow

Winter small talk

На у́лице ми́нус два́дцать.It is minus twenty outside.
Идёт снег.It is snowing. — literally “snow goes”
Осторо́жно, гололёд!Careful, black ice!
Наде́нь ша́пку!Put your hat on!

Наде́нь ша́пку

This is not small talk, it is a cultural reflex. Going outside bare-headed in a Russian winter invites comment from strangers, mothers and doctors alike.

Typical mistakes

Снег па́дает.

Идёт снег.

Snow and rain “go” in Russian.

Я хо́лодно.

Мне хо́лодно.

The person feeling cold takes the dative.

Check yourself

How do you say “it is snowing”?

Russian says the snow идёт.

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