Difference between учитель and преподаватель in Russian laguage? I spoke with my friend few days ago. And he asked me aboat differences between two words in russian "учитель" and "преподаватель". I was little bit confiuced becuase those simular words and meaning "teacher". I checked in wiki and found something intresting. Althrow, in usage those words in every day practice is simular, those isn't simular word. Word "преподаватель" is meaning "job" teacher in education world. Word "учитель" is meaning something more then job. It is meaning master who teach other people to sciences, phisical culture or arts. Intersting that "учитель" can to be "преподаватель" and "преподаватель" can't to be "учитель".