Russian words and concepts

Here we discuss Russian features which often are proper to this language.

возле, около and рядом

The Russian prepositions возле, около, and рядом all indicate proximity and can often be translated as "near," "by," or "next to," and can be interchangeable in conversational Russian, but they have subtle differences in usage, nuance, and context and choosing the right one depends on the specific context, level of precision, and whether you’re describing a physical or abstract relationship.

• Use возле for precise, close physical proximity to a location or object (e.g., "near the store").
• Use около for approximate proximity or quantities/time (e.g., "near the park" or "about an hour").
• Use рядом for very close adjacency, especially with people or objects side by side (e.g., "next to me").

Key Differences Between Russian Prepositions Возле, Около, and Рядом

Preposition	Case	Primary Meaning	Nuance	Typical Contexts
Возле	Genitive	Near, by, at	Close, precise location	Physical locations, stationary objects
Около	Genitive (place), Accusative (quantity/time)	Around, about, near	Approximate proximity or quantity	Locations, time, numbers
Рядом	Instrumental (with с), or adverb	Next to, nearby	Very close, side-by-side, relational	People, objects, adjacency

Возле (near, by, at)

• Meaning: Indicates physical proximity to an object or place, often implying being very close or right beside it. It emphasizes a specific location relative to something.
• Grammatical case: Used with the genitive case (e.g., возле дома = near the house).
• Nuance: Suggests a closer physical proximity than около and is often more precise in describing location. It can also carry a slightly more formal or literary tone in some contexts.
• Examples:
  • Я стою возле магазина. (I am standing near the store.)
  • Парк находится возле реки. (The park is located near the river.)
• Usage notes:
  • Commonly used for physical locations (buildings, objects, landmarks).
  • Less likely to be used in abstract or temporal contexts.
  • Often implies being stationary or positioned at a specific spot.

Около (around, about, near)

• Meaning: Indicates approximate proximity to a place or object, or sometimes an approximate quantity or time. It is less precise than возле and can be used in both spatial and non-spatial contexts.
• Grammatical case: Used with the genitive case for places (e.g., около школы = near the school) or accusative case for quantities/time (e.g., около пяти часов = about five hours).
• Nuance: More flexible than возле, as it can describe both physical proximity and approximations (e.g., time, numbers). It often implies "in the vicinity of" rather than "right next to."
• Examples:
  • Мы живём около парка. (We live near the park.)
  • Я ждал его около часа. (I waited for him for about an hour.)
• Usage notes:
  • Used for both spatial proximity and approximations (e.g., time, quantity).
  • Less emphasis on exact closeness compared to возле.
  • Can sound slightly less formal or more conversational than возле in some contexts.

Рядом (next to, nearby, close by)

• Meaning: Indicates being very close or immediately adjacent to something or someone. It often implies a sense of companionship or side-by-side positioning.
• Grammatical case: Used with the instrumental case when specifying what something is next to (e.g., рядом с домом = next to the house). Can also be used without a preposition as an adverb (e.g., жить рядом = to live nearby).
• Nuance: Emphasizes close proximity or adjacency, often with a sense of being "side by side." It can also carry an emotional or relational connotation (e.g., being close to a person).
• Examples:
  • Она сидит рядом со мной. (She is sitting next to me.)
  • Мы живём рядом. (We live nearby.)
• Usage notes:
  • Often used to describe people or objects being directly beside each other.
  • Can be used as an adverb (рядом = nearby) without specifying an object.
  • More colloquial and emotionally warm compared to возле or около when referring to people.