Space Ко́смос

13 Russian words on the topic of space — each with a picture, an audio recording and an example sentence. Beyond the atmosphere. Russians fly with космона́вты and Americans with астрона́вты — the notes explain who is who.

English	Russian · Ру́сский	Notes
space	ко́смос	🔀 Several meaningsOnly outer space — never 'room' or 'a space' (that's ме́сто). 🔗 Word familyFamily: косми́ческий, космона́вт.
star	звезда́	⚠️ GenderEnd stress: звезда́; the plural shifts to ё: звёзды. Also 'star' as in celebrity, like English.
planet	плане́та	Note the stress: плане́та.
moon	луна́	End stress: луна́. 🔗 Word familyAdjective лу́нный (lunar).
sun	со́лнце	The л is silent: со́лнце sounds like 'sontse'.
Earth	Земля́	🔀 Several meaningsCapitalized as the planet; земля́ = soil/ground.
galaxy	гала́ктика	The Milky Way is Мле́чный Путь (lit. 'milky way').
astronaut	астрона́вт	Russians say космона́вт for their own crews; астрона́вт is used mostly for Western astronauts.
rocket	раке́та	🔀 Several meaningsBoth a space rocket and a missile. A tennis racket is раке́тка — don't mix them up.
orbit	орби́та	Stress on -би́-: орби́та. на орби́те = in orbit.
black hole	чёрная дыра́	ё is always stressed (чёрная). дыра́ is the everyday word for any hole.
universe	вселе́нная	⚠️ GenderAn adjective-form noun (declines like an adjective). Capitalized Вселе́нная as the Universe.
telescope	телеско́п	Stress on the last syllable — телеско́п — unlike English 'telescope'; same in микроско́п.