Cyrillic is not the same as transliteration
Several Latin transliteration systems may produce different forms of the same name. Existing passport spellings take precedence.
East Slavic language
Have Russian translated
русский язык
Russian is part of the personal language repertoire of Saiga Abbasova and Parviz Abbasov. For official documents, transliteration, the country of origin and historical document conventions are particularly important.
Russian is spoken as a first language by approximately 150 million people and is spoken or used by around 250 million people in total.
Geographical distribution of Russian
- Main areas of use
- Other regional use
- Selected diaspora communities
Russia
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Ukraine
Latvia
Estonia
Republic of Moldova
Germany
United States
A schematic selection of the main areas where the language is used. Language use does not always follow national borders, and the map does not show complete population statistics.
Language profile
Russian at a glance
- Native name
- русский язык
- Language family
- East Slavic language
- Script
- Cyrillic alphabet
- Language code
- ru
Documents and areas of use
Common uses for this language combination
It is not just about the language. ABBA-Sprachendienste also takes into account the document type, recipient, subject area, certification requirements and the language combination you need.
Have your document checked- Birth, marriage and divorce certificates
- Certificates, diplomas and employment record books
- Residence and civil-status documents
- Court and notarial documents
- Powers of attorney and apostilles
Origin and development
How the language developed
Russian is an East Slavic language. Its written tradition was strongly influenced by Church Slavonic; under Peter the Great, a simplified civil script emerged in the early 18th century.
The spelling reform after 1917 shaped modern orthography. Through the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, Russian spread far beyond the territory of today's Russian Federation.
Good to know
What makes this language distinctive
Soviet document tradition
Older documents from different successor states may contain Russian forms, stamps and names of public authorities.
Personally spoken languages
Saiga and Parviz speak Russian and can personally review documents and respond directly to follow-up questions.
A glimpse of the language
Three phrases to start with
The transliteration is only a rough guide. Pronunciation and regional forms may differ.
| Original | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Здравствуйте | Zdravstvuyte | Good day |
| Спасибо | Spasibo | Thank you |
| Пожалуйста | Pozhaluysta | Please |
Sources and classification
Further information
Speaker numbers are rounded guide figures and may vary depending on the definition, the year of the survey and whether second-language speakers are included.
- Russian language
Wikipedia · language-specific overview
- Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages
Library of Congress / ISO 639-2 Registration Authority · Language codes and standardised language names
- Language and Locale Names
Unicode Common Locale Data Repository · Language, script and territory names and variants
- Glottolog 5.3
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology · Language families, classification and linguistic literature
Editorial sources as of 14 July 2026. The information will be cross-checked by subject experts before the website goes live.
Other related service languages
Russian FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Russian
Can I have Russian translated into German and German into Russian?
You can request either direction. We give a binding commitment once we have checked the document type, subject area, certification, appointment and intended use.
Which documents are commonly relevant for Russian?
Birth, marriage and divorce certificates, certificates, diplomas and employment record books, residence and civil-status documents, and court and notarial documents are typical examples. Other types of document can also be assessed using a clear photograph or PDF.
What does ABBA-Sprachendienste check for Russian?
We check the language direction, document type, use of the Cyrillic alphabet, names, stamps, subject area, intended use and whether certification may be required.
Do I need a certified translation of my Russian document?
That is decided by the authority, court or notary receiving the document, or by whichever other office has requested it. Tell ABBA-Sprachendienste where the document will be submitted, so that your requirements can be assessed properly.
Is a photo enough for the initial check?
Yes. A complete, sharp and clearly legible photo or PDF is usually enough for us to check your request and prepare a quote. Depending on the job, the original may also be needed later, when the work is carried out.
Ask us to review your Russian ↔ German requirements
Send a clear photo or PDF. ABBA-Sprachendienste will personally check the language combination, document, intended use and whether certification is needed.
