Summary. Qualitative characteristics of dyspnea could facilitate detection of its cause. This study was aimed at investigation of verbal descriptions of dyspnea in patients with asthma and COPD. This was a single-center cross-sectional study which involved 27 patients with II to IV stages COPD, 29 patients with intermittent to moderate asthma and 7 patients with hyperventilation syndrome (HVS). Moreover, HVS was found in 5 (17.2 %) of asthma patients. We analyzed “language of dyspnea” [P.M.Simon et al., 1990] translated to Russian, HADS and MRC scales, parameters of spirometry, body plethysmography, capnography with voluntary hyperventilation, and blood gas analysis. The study showed that patients with asthma and patients with COPD had different qualitative features of dyspnea that could be used as a distinguishing criterion. HVS could contribute to dyspnea in asthma patients and change dispnea perception. This should be taken in account by a physician to avoid diagnostic and therapeutic pitfalls. English version of “language of dyspnea” translated to Russian is thought to miss some verbal peculiarities of dyspnea descriptions in Russian-speaking patients. Therefore, there is a need to develop an original Russian version of “language of dyspnea”.