A Simple Guide to Months in Russian

This guide will teach you everything about the months in Russian, including the seasons and seasonal events. Understand the Russian calendar and master how to talk about dates.

If you ever travel to Russia, you'll be prepared for what each season brings.

Names of the Months in Russian

Let's start with the essential vocabulary. Here are the Russian names for the months:

• январь (Yanvar) — January
• февраль (Fevral) — February
• март (Mart) — March
• апрель (Aprel) — April
• май (May) — May
• июнь (Iyun) — June
• июль (Iyul) — July
• август (Avgust) — August
• сентябрь (Sentyabr) — September
• октябрь (Oktyabr) — October
• ноябрь (Noyabr) — November
• декабрь (Dekabr) — December

Saying and Writing Dates in Russian

Russian Months in the Genitive Case

When stating a date, months are used in the genitive case. Here is how that is done:

• января for January
• февраля (fevralya) for February
• марта (marta) for March
• апреля (aprelya) for April
• мая (maya) for May
• июня (iyunya) for June
• июля (iyulya) for July
• августа (avgusta) for August
• сентября (sentyabrya) for September
• октября (oktyabrya) for October
• ноября (noyabrya) for November
• декабря (dekabrya) for December

How to write dates in Russian

The structure for writing dates in Russian is "day month year." It's important to note that Russian dates frequently include the full year, particularly in writing.

Unlike in English, months and seasons in written Russian are considered common nouns and are not written with a capital letter.

For example:

15 июля 2023 года (15 July 2023)

15 мая 1965 года (15 May 1965)

12 декабря 1972 года (12 December 1972)

How to say dates in Russian

To express the date verbally, you use ordinal numbers for the day and the genitive case for the month.

For example:

пятнадцатое июля две тысячи двадцать третьего года (pyatnadtsatoye iyulya dve tysyachi dvadtsat’ tretyego goda)

Пятнадцатое мая тысяча девятьсот шестьдесят пятого года (Pyatnadtsatoye maya tysyacha devyat’sot shestdesyat pyatogo goda)

Двенадцатое декабря тысяча девятьсот семьдесят второго года (Dvenadtsatoye dekabrya tysyacha devyat’sot sem’desyat vtorogo goda)

Seasons in Russian

While learning the seasons, remember that Russia uses a calendar-based definition for seasons, not the astronomical one common elsewhere. Therefore, spring starts on March 1, summer on June 1, autumn on September 1, and winter on December 1.

Весна (Vesna) — Spring

Ah, spring! A period of blooming and, in certain Russian regions, flooding. As the snow melts, rivers and lakes rise and can sometimes overflow. While this may cause some issues, it also revitalizes the soil with nutrients.

Spring also brings numerous celebrations. Масленица (Maslenitsa) is a popular traditional Russian festival that welcomes the end of winter and the start of spring.

This week-long celebration includes many traditions, a key one being making and eating блины (blini), thin pancakes that represent the sun. Families come together to enjoy these pancakes, commonly served with caviar, sour cream, or jam.

Furthermore, International Women’s Day on March 8th is very important. Called Международный женский день (Mezhdunarodny zhenskiy den’) or simply Восьмое марта in Russian, it's a day to recognize women's accomplishments and roles. Flowers, especially tulips, are common gifts, and numerous events are held to honor women throughout the country.

Another important celebration is Easter, known as Пасха (Paskha) in Russian. Although the date follows the Christian calendar, many Russians also include traditional folk customs in their Easter celebrations.

It's a time for family get-togethers, festive meals, and exchanging ornately decorated eggs, or крашенные яйца (krasnennye yaytsa).

One last notable Russian spring holiday is Victory Day on May 9, called День Победы (Den Pobedy). This is a major holiday in Russian culture, marking the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Лето (Leto) — Summer

Many Russians spend their summers at a дача (dacha), a cottage in the countryside. This custom is deeply rooted, with families tending gardens and relaxing in nature.

Ivan Kupala Night, or Иван Купала (Ivan Kupala) in Russian, is a major summer festival in Russian culture. This ancient Slavic pagan holiday, observed around the summer solstice, features various rituals like weaving flower crowns, leaping over bonfires for good fortune, and seeking the legendary "fern flower," thought to grant happiness and prosperity.

День России (Den’ Rossii), or Russia Day, on June 12th, is a national holiday that marks the declaration of sovereignty.

The White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, Фестиваль “Белые ночи” (Festival Belye Nochi), is another significant summer event. While the city basks in nearly endless daylight, various cultural shows, including the famous Scarlet Sails celebration, light up the "Venice of the North."

The Scarlet Sails event features a magnificent fireworks show and a ship with scarlet sails, representing the academic success of graduates.

Осень (Osen’) — Autumn

The first of September is День знаний (Den’ Znaniy), or Knowledge Day. It signifies the start of the school year and is an important cultural occasion in Russia. Students, dressed formally, attend ceremonies and bring flowers for their teachers.

Хэллоуин , or Halloween, is not a traditional Russian celebration, but it has become more popular lately, particularly in cities and with younger people. Influenced by Western culture, it isn't deeply embedded in Russian customs. In major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, you might see Halloween decorations, themed parties, and some people in costumes.

Зима (Zima) — Winter

Winter in Russian culture is highlighted by the New Year celebration, known as Новый год (Novy God). Although Christmas is also celebrated, the New Year is the primary holiday for festive parties, gift-giving, and elaborate decorations. Grandfather Frost, or Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz), along with his granddaughter Снегурочка (Snegurochka), brings gifts to children on New Year's Eve.

Orthodox Christmas, observed on January 7th, follows the Julian calendar. Called Православное Рождество (Pravoslavnoe Rozhdestvo) in Russian, it is a more solemn, religious holiday, with many people going to church services and sharing festive meals with family.

Татьянин день (Tatyanin Den’), or Tatiana Day, is another cultural event linked to the academic year. It occurs on January 25th according to the Julian calendar and celebrates students and educators, especially in universities. Many schools and universities mark this day with different activities and events.

Ice sculpting festivals, such as the one in St. Petersburg, have become popular winter attractions in Russia. These events display detailed ice sculptures and draw international visitors.

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Russian Calendar System

Historically, Russia used the Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE. However, in 1918, Russia transitioned to the Gregorian calendar as one of the reforms by the Soviet government. The Gregorian calendar, created by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, is the system used globally today.

The main distinction between the two calendars lies in their approach to leap years. The Julian calendar includes a leap day every four years without any skip, resulting in an average year length of 365.25 days.

Conversely, the Gregorian calendar corrects for this small overcount by omitting leap years in century years not divisible by 400. This adjustment makes the average year length closer to 365.2425 days.

Because of these differences, the Gregorian calendar is more precise in matching the astronomical year, which is why it is the common calendar used worldwide now.

Nonetheless, some Orthodox Christian churches, like the Russian Orthodox Church, continue to use the Julian calendar for religious observances, resulting in different dates for holidays like Christmas and Easter.

Common Phrases and Expressions

Here are some common sayings that include months and seasons!

• Майские заморозки (Mayskiye zamorozki) — May frost May sometimes has surprisingly cold days, which can endanger crops by freezing new plants.
• Марток, надевай семь порток (Martok, nadevay syem’ portok) — March, wear seven pairs of trousers This saying gives you a clear idea of the cold weather in March in Russia.
• Не май месяц (Nye may mesyats) — It’s not May This is said when someone is subjected to cold needlessly, like when windows are opened or the heating is turned off.
• Цыплят по осени считают (Tsypliat po oseni schitayut) — Count your chicks in autumn This is the Russian equivalent of the English phrase "don’t count your chickens before they hatch."
• Готовь сани летом, а телегу—зимой (Gotov’ sani letom, a telegu—zimoi) — Prepare the sledge in summer and the cart in winter This expression stresses the value of being prepared and planning ahead.
• Летний день год кормит (Letniy den’ god kormit) — A summer day feeds the year This saying underscores the importance of a productive summer day, implying that a successful summer can benefit the whole year. I

Celebrate the passage of time with this vocabulary for dates, seasons, and months in Russian!