Learning a new language opens up a whole new world of communication possibilities, and being able to describe people accurately is a fundamental skill. When learning Russian, understanding the words that can be used to describe someone’s appearance, personality, or character is particularly useful, whether you’re engaging in casual conversation or writing a descriptive piece. Here’s a detailed guide to Russian adjectives for describing people, complete with definitions and examples.

Красивый/Красивая (krasivyy/krasivaya) — Beautiful/Handsome. This word is used to describe someone with pleasing or attractive features. It has a masculine form “krasivyy” and a feminine form “krasivaya”.
У неё очень красивая улыбка. (She has a very beautiful smile.)

Умный/Умная (umnyy/umnaya) — Smart/Intelligent. This word is used for someone who displays intelligence or aptitude. Similarly, “umnyy” is used for males, and “umnaya” is for females.
Мой брат очень умный парень. (My brother is a very smart guy.)

Весёлый/Весёлая (vesyoly/vesyolaya) — Cheerful/Jolly. This adjective describes a person who is lively and in good spirits.
Моя подруга всегда такая весёлая! (My girlfriend is always so cheerful!)

Серьёзный/Серьёзная (ser’yeznyy/ser’yeznaya) — Serious. When a person is solemn or not prone to frivolity, this is the word to use.
Он очень серьёзный учитель. (He is a very serious teacher.)

Дружелюбный/Дружелюбная (druzhelyubnyy/druzhelyubnaya) — Friendly. Use this to describe someone who is kind, welcoming, and easy to get along with.
Наши новые соседи очень дружелюбные. (Our new neighbors are very friendly.)

Щедрый/Щедрая (shchedryy/shchedraya) — Generous. This adjective is for a person who gives more than is expected, whether it’s time, money, or kindness.
Она всегда была очень щедрая на комплименты. (She has always been very generous with compliments.)

Ленивый/Ленивая (lenivyy/lenivaya) — Lazy. This describes someone who is reluctant to work or make an effort; “lenivyy” for males, and “lenivaya” for females.
Мой студент ленивый. (My student is lazy.)

Сильный/Сильная (sil’nyy/sil’naya) — Strong. Whether physically strong or having strong character, this word covers both.
Он сильный духом и телом. (He is strong in spirit and body.)

Трудолюбивый/Трудолюбивая (trudolyubivyy/trudolyubivaya) — Hardworking. A person who puts a lot of effort into their work can be described with this word.
Она трудолюбивая студентка. (She is a hardworking student.)

Обаятельный/Обаятельная (obayatel’nyy/obayatel’naya) — Charming. This word is suitable for someone who is pleasant and has a delightful personality.
Твой друг очень обаятельный человек. (Your friend is a very charming person.)

Талантливый/Талантливая (talantlivyy/talantlivaya) — Talented. This adjective indicates a person with a natural aptitude or skill.
Её дочь очень талантливая певица. (Her daughter is a very talented singer.)

Заботливый/Заботливая (zabotlivyy/zabotlivaya) — Caring. This word describes someone who often shows concern for others and their well-being.
Моя мама всегда была заботливой. (My mom has always been caring.)

These are just some of the adjectives that you can use to describe people in Russian. As you immerse yourself in the language and culture, you’ll learn many more descriptive words that will help you accurately portray the people around you. Remember that adjectives in Russian must agree with the gender and number of the nouns they modify, so practice with these words is essential for mastering their use. Happy learning!