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Beyond Хорошо: 5 Ways of Saying “Good” In Russian Posted by on Jan 29, 2018 in language

Do you still answer “хорошо” when someone asks you how you are doing or how you liked that film? Here are some words to help you express positivity with more nuance.

Note on grammar: different phrases will require different forms of the word. For example, when someone asks you “Как дела?” (“How are you?”) you would say “Хорошо” (adverb), but if someone is asking you “Какая сегодня погода?” (“What’s the weather like today?”), you should use the adjective to agree with the noun — “Хорошая.” This post will concentrate on the adverb forms.

man giving thumbs up

Image via Pixabay

Прекрасно

You may know the noun “прекрасный” (beautiful). Just as хорошо, прекрасно may refer to feeling good.

  • Го́сти, по-ви́димому, чу́вствовали себя́ прекра́сно и встре́тили хозя́ина ра́достным сме́хом.
    The guests must have felt great and greeted the host with cheerful laughter.
    Скиталец (С. Г. Петров). Кузнец (1903)

Прекрасно can be used as a response of approval of something.

  • ― Я согла́сна.
    ― Вот и прекра́сно.
    “I agree.”
    “Glad to hear that.”
    Ирина Павская. «Джоконда» Мценского уезда (2006)

Прекрасно can also be used in expressions like прекрасно знать, прекрасно видеть, прекрасно понимать to mean “to know/see/understand perfectly well.”

  • Он прекра́сно знал, что я не курю́.
    He knew full well I didn’t smoke.
    Вера Белоусова. Второй выстрел (2000)

Замечательно

Замечательный is similar to “wonderful” in English, so замечательно can mean “great, wonderful.”

  • Замеча́тельно, когда́ же́нщина не то́лько краси́ва, но и умна́, образо́ванна.
    It’s great when a woman is not only attractive but also intelligent and educated.
    Светлана Ткачева. Тамара Гвердцители: «Не умею учиться на чужих ошибках» (2003) // «100% здоровья», 2003.01.15

The literal meaning of замечательно is “remarkable, noteworthy.” It is related to “замечать,” to notice.

Великолепно

Великолепно conveys a stronger sense of adoration, similar to “splendid” or “superb.” It is related to the noun великолепие, magnificence.

  • ― Ну, как прошло́?
    ― Великоле́пно!
    “So, how did it go?”
    “Wonderful!”
    Эльдар Рязанов, Эмиль Брагинский. Старики-разбойники (1966-1969)
smiling girl

Image via Pixabay

Здорово

Note the word stress in this word. Здорово (not to be confused with здоровый, healthy) is a somewhat colloquial way of saying “great, awesome, nifty,” etc.

  • ― Зна́чит, вы жи́тель Москвы́? Вот э́то здо́рово! Я по́мню э́тот го́род.
    “So, you’re a Moscow resident? That’s nice! I remember that city.”
    Василий Аксенов. Круглые сутки нон-стоп // «Новый Мир», 1976

Классно

This final word is fairly colloquial, too. Классно means “great, cool” and is unlikely to be used in formal writing.

  • А мы с тобо́й в Со́чи съе́здим ― там зна́ешь, как сейча́с кла́ссно!
    In the meantime, you and I will go to Sochi — you know how cool it is over there now!
    Брак фиктивный ― дети настоящие // «Истории из жизни», 2004

To practice what you learned, can you make out what Ilya Lagutenko (Илья Лагутенко) sings at the 0:35 mark?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNdEIjJwpfM

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About the Author: Maria

Maria is a Russian-born translator from Western New York. She is excited to share her fascination with all things Russian on this blog. Maria's professional updates are available in English on her website and Twitter and in Russian on Telegram.