{"id":64456,"date":"2018-02-28T20:08:41","date_gmt":"2018-03-01T01:08:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/russian-slang\/"},"modified":"2025-02-04T00:22:16","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T05:22:16","slug":"russian-slang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/russian\/russian-slang\/","title":{"rendered":"35 Most Used Russian Slang Words [with Audio]"},"content":{"rendered":"

To learn real Russian<\/a>, you have to learn the Russian that’s spoken on the street. In short, you have to learn Russian slang.<\/p>\n

Discover 35 of the very best and most widely-used Russian slang terms in the guide below. Audio pronunciation is also provided to make sure you’re saying everything correctly.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. \u0425\u0440\u0435\u043d \u0437\u043d\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u2014 Who knows?<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> Horseradish knows.<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> Who knows? (informal)<\/p>\n

When you’re asked a question you simply don’t know the answer to, you can answer with this phrase. For example, the next time someone asks you what their dream really means, you might reply, “\u0425\u0440\u0435\u043d \u0437\u043d\u0430\u0435\u0442.”<\/p>\n

However, note that \u0445\u0440\u0435\u043d is a euphemism\/replacement for a really bad swear word (referring to anatomy), so this phrase probably shouldn’t be used in polite or professional company. Think of it as on-par with “Who the hell knows?” or “Damned if I know” in English.<\/p>\n

\u0425\u0440\u0435\u043d \u0437\u043d\u0430\u0435\u0442<\/strong>, \u043a\u0430\u043a\u0430\u044f \u043f\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0430 \u0431\u0443\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u0437\u0430\u0432\u0442\u0440\u0430.
\n<\/em>(Who knows what the weather will be like tomorrow.)<\/p>\n

You can also check out this video to learn about the most used words and phrases between friends in Russian:<\/p>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

2. \u0411\u0430\u0431\u043a\u0438 \u2014 Money<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> Grandmas<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> Money<\/p>\n

The term \u0431\u0430\u0431\u043a\u0438 has two meanings in Russian\u2014it can mean grandmas, from the word\u00a0\u0431\u0430\u0431\u043aa (grandma), but it’s also a slang term to describe money.<\/p>\n

There are a few theories<\/a> about the origin of this term, from a dice game involving horse joints to a 100-ruble bill bearing the image Yekaterina II, who was the grandmother of two Russian emperors and became known as “tsar’s granny.”<\/p>\n

\u0413\u0434\u0435 \u0431\u044b \u0431\u0430\u0431\u043a\u0438<\/strong> \u043d\u0430\u0439\u0442\u0438?
\n<\/em>(Where can I find money?)<\/p>\n

3. \u0422\u0443\u0441\u0438\u0442\u044c \u2014 To hang out<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> To hang out, party<\/p>\n

If Russians love anything, it’s having a good time. Anyone visiting Russia can see for themselves that Russians are often hanging out and partying in typical places, such as bars, restaurants and nightclubs.<\/p>\n

However, it’s also not uncommon to see them dancing in public parks, drinking on street corners or bursting into song on a walk home.<\/p>\n

\u0422\u0443\u0441\u0438\u0442\u044c is the perfect term to describe a Russian national pastime, as Russians love to get together with friends and loved ones to relax and have a great time.<\/p>\n

\u0411\u0443\u0434\u0435\u043c \u0442\u0443\u0441\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong> \u0432 \u043f\u044f\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0443?
\n<\/em>(Are we going to hang out on Friday?)<\/p>\n

4. \u0411\u043e\u043c\u0431\u0430 \u2014 It’s the bomb!<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> Bomb<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> The bomb, amazing<\/p>\n

You can describe something as “great,” but when something or someone blows all of your expectations, you say that it’s a \u0431\u043e\u043c\u0431\u0430. It’s similar to the way it’s used in English.<\/p>\n

\u042d\u0442\u043e\u0442 \u0440\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430\u043d \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0431\u043e\u043c\u0431\u0430<\/strong>!
\n<\/em>(This restaurant is the bomb!)<\/p>\n

\u042f \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043b \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0443\u044e \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u0443, \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0431\u043e\u043c\u0431\u0430<\/strong>!
\n<\/em>(I met a woman, she’s just the bomb!)<\/p>\n

5. \u0425\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c \u2014 To eat<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> To eat (informal, rude)<\/p>\n

Grub, chow down, pig out\u2014we have tons of slang English terms to express a favorite activity\u2014eating! In Russian, x\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c is a rude-ish way of expressing this physical need.<\/p>\n

\u0418\u0434\u0451\u043c \u0445\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong>.
\n<\/em>(Let’s go eat.)<\/p>\n

This word is also often used metaphorically\u00a0to mean “to eat up” lies or false promises.<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0434 \u0432\u0441\u0451 \u044d\u0442\u043e \u0445\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442<\/strong>.
\n<\/em>(The people eat it all up.)<\/p>\n

6. \u0412\u0441\u0451 \u043d\u0438\u0448\u0442\u044f\u043a \u2014 It’s all good<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> It’s all good<\/p>\n

This term is so popular, it’s even included in the lyrics of a song called “\u0412\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u0448\u0443\u043c” (“Noise is Around”)<\/a> by the group\u00a0\u041a\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0430 (Kasta). If you haven’t heard Russian rap before, this is the perfect time!<\/p>\n

The lyrics of the song include the following:<\/p>\n

\u0412\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u0448\u0443\u043c. \u041f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0442\u0430\u043a. \u041d\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u043f\u0435\u0448\u0443\u0439. \u0412\u0441\u0451 \u043d\u0438\u0448\u0442\u044f\u043a<\/strong>.
\n<\/em>(Noise is around us. Let it be. Don’t worry. All is good.)<\/p>\n

If someone asks you how you are, practice telling them all is okay by saying, “\u0412\u0441\u0451 \u043d\u0438\u0448\u0442\u044f\u043a!”<\/p>\n

7. \u0427\u0451\u0440\u0442 \u2014 Shoot!<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> Devil<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> Shoot!<\/p>\n

This one is a milder version of a curse word you use when there’s a mishap. Whether you missed the bus, dropped and cracked your iPhone or overcooked your dinner\u2014there’s always a reason to say, “Shoot!”<\/p>\n

\u0427\u0451\u0440\u0442<\/strong>,\u00a0\u044f\u00a0\u0443\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u044e \u043c\u043e\u044e \u0435\u0434\u0443.
\n<\/em>(Shoot, I dropped all of my food.)<\/p>\n

8. \u0427\u0443\u0432\u0430\u043a \u2014 Dude<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> Guy, dude<\/p>\n

The term \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0430\u043a (dude) is derived from the word \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0438\u0445\u0430 (chick, gal) and dates back to the 1920s, when it was used to describe prostitutes. The word \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0430\u043a went mainstream in the 1960s.<\/p>\n

\u0427\u0443\u0432\u0430\u043a<\/strong> co\u00a0\u043c\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0432\u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430\u0435\u0442.
\n<\/em>(The guy works with me.)<\/p>\n

9. T\u0451\u043b\u043a\u0430 \u2014 Chick, gal<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> A young female cow<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> Chick, gal<\/p>\n

In Russian, a slang word for a young woman is \u0442\u0451\u043b\u043a\u0430 (chick, gal), and comes from agriculture, where it literally means “a young female cow”.<\/p>\n

T\u0451\u043b\u043a\u0430<\/strong> \u0432\u043e\u0437\u043b\u0435 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f \u0432 \u043a\u043b\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0435 \u0441\u0438\u0434\u0438\u0442.
\n<\/em>(The gal sits next to me in class.)<\/p>\n

10. \u0410\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0441 \u2014 American<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> American (informal, rude)<\/p>\n

This rude term is used to describe the citizens of the U.S. It’s a combination of two different terms,\u00a0\u0410\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043d\u0435\u0446 (American) and\u00a0\u043f\u0438\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0441 (no exact translation).<\/p>\n

The term\u00a0\u043f\u0438\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0441 as a description for Americans has been traced to the late 1990s<\/a>, when both American and Russian troops were fighting in Kosovo and both were critical toward each other in the press.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Combining \u043f\u0438\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0441 and \u0410\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043d\u0435\u0446 has led to the widespread acceptance of the slang word \u0410\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0441 to describe Americans. Both \u043f\u0438\u043d\u0434\u043e\u0441 and \u0410\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0441 have a negative connotation.<\/p>\n

\u0412\u043e\u0437\u043b\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u0441 \u0441\u0438\u0434\u0438\u0442 \u0430\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0441<\/strong>.
\n<\/em>(An American is sitting next to us.)<\/p>\n

11. \u0411\u0443\u0445\u043e\u0439\/\u0411\u0443\u0445\u0430\u044f \u2014 Drunk<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> Drunk<\/p>\n

Russians love to drink, and there are a variety of terms to express drinking, such as \u0431\u0443\u0445\u0430\u0442\u044c (to drink), \u0431\u0443\u0445\u043d\u0443\u0442\u044c (to drink) and \u043d\u0430\u0431\u0443\u0445\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f (to get drunk), as well as the terms listed above.<\/p>\n

\u0411\u0443\u0445\u043e\u0439<\/strong> \u0447\u0443\u0432\u0430\u043a \u043f\u0435\u043b \u043f\u0435\u0441\u043d\u0438 \u0432 \u043f\u0430\u0440\u043a\u0435.
\n<\/em>(A drunk guy sang songs in the park.)<\/p>\n

\u041e\u043d\u0430 \u0441\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0441\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u0441\u043e \u043c\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0438\u0434\u0442\u0438 \u0432 \u043a\u0438\u043d\u043e, o\u043d\u0430, \u043d\u0430\u0432\u0435\u0440\u043d\u043e\u0435, \u0431\u0443\u0445\u0430\u044f<\/strong>.
\n<\/em>(She agreed to go to the movies with me, she must be drunk.)<\/p>\n

12. \u0413\u0440\u0443\u0437\u0438\u0442\u044c \u2014 To mentally overload<\/h2>\n

Literal Definition:<\/strong> To load<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> To overload someone mentally, to bore someone with excessive talking, to confuse someone<\/p>\n

We’ve all been in a situation, whether in a group of friends, in class or at work, where another party talks incessantly and leaves us feeling mentally and emotionally overloaded.<\/p>\n

\u0423\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c \u0442\u0430\u043a \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f \u0433\u0440\u0443\u0437\u0438\u043b<\/strong>, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0443 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f \u0442\u0435\u043f\u0435\u0440\u044c \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442.
\n<\/em>(The teacher overloaded me so much that now I have a headache.)<\/p>\n

13. \u0414\u0435\u0448\u0451\u0432\u043a\u0430 \u2014 To be cheap<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> Something that’s cheap<\/p>\n

Meaning: <\/strong>To be cheap<\/p>\n

The word \u0434\u0435\u0448\u0451\u0432\u043a\u0430 originates from the Russian word \u0434\u0435\u0448\u0451\u0432\u044b\u0439 (cheap). It describes either an item that’s cheaply made and is a waste of money, or a steal!<\/p>\n

\u042d\u0442\u0430 \u0438\u0433\u0440\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0434\u0435\u0448\u0451\u0432\u043a\u0430<\/strong>.
\n<\/em>(This toy is just cheaply made.)<\/p>\n

\u042f \u043a\u0443\u043f\u0438\u043b \u043c\u044f\u0441\u043e \u0437\u0430 100 \u0440\u0443\u0431. \u041f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0434\u0435\u0448\u0451\u0432\u043a\u0430<\/strong>!
\n<\/em>(I bought meat for 100 rubles. It’s so cheap!)<\/p>\n

14. \u0414\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\/\u0414\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043ba \u2014 To annoy<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> Reached over and got<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> To annoy<\/p>\n

In Russian, to say that someone annoyed or irritated you, you would say they “got” you, to put it literally, or got to you.<\/p>\n

\u041c\u0430\u043c\u0430 \u0437\u0432\u043e\u043d\u0438\u043b\u0430 3 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0430 \u0441\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0434\u043d\u044f, \u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0430<\/strong> \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f.
\n<\/em>(Mom called three times today, she is annoying me.)<\/p>\n

\u041e\u043d \u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0430\u0437\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u0441\u043a\u0443\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0438, \u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b<\/strong> \u0443\u0436\u0435.
\n<\/em>(He always tells boring stories, he is annoying me.)<\/p>\n

15. \u041c\u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e \u043b\u0430\u043c\u043f\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0438\/\u041c\u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e \u0444\u043e\u043d\u0430\u0440\u044f \u2014 I don’t care<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> To me to light bulb\/ to me to torch<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> I don’t care<\/p>\n

When you really want to stress that you don’t care about something or don’t find it interesting or relevant, this is a great way to express yourself.<\/p>\n

\u041c\u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e \u043b\u0430\u043c\u043f\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0438<\/strong>, \u043f\u043e\u0437\u0432\u043e\u043d\u0438\u0448\u044c \u0442\u044b \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u0435\u0442.
\n<\/em>(I don’t care if you call or not.)<\/p>\n

16. \u041e\u0444\u0438\u0433\u0435\u0442\u044c \u2014 No way!<\/h2>\n

Literal definition:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> Can’t believe it\/wow\/no way (informal)<\/p>\n

We all know that cultures adopt words and phrases from other languages. Such is the case with this slang term. It all started with the German-derived word \u0444\u0438\u0433, which is a milder English F-word, but still a bit rude.<\/p>\n

That evolved into the Russian word \u0444\u0438\u0433\u0430, which despite not having a direct translation is the basis for a whole variety of Russian slang terms.<\/p>\n

\u041e\u0444\u0438\u0433\u0435\u0442\u044c is one you may hear to describe a situation where something unbelievable has happened.<\/p>\n

\u0422\u044b \u043c\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0448\u044c \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u044f \u0442\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0432\u044b\u0438\u0433\u0440\u0430\u043b \u043c\u0438\u043b\u043b\u0438\u043e\u043d \u0434\u043e\u043b\u043b\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0432?
\n<\/em>(Can you believe I just won a million dollars?)<\/p>\n

\u041e\u0444\u0438\u0433\u0435\u0442\u044c<\/strong>!
\n<\/em>(No freakin’ way!)<\/p>\n

\"FluentU<\/a><\/div>\n

You can actually hear this word in use in the dub of the funny trailer for the movie “Downsizing” on FluentU<\/a>, a language learning platform that uses authentic content.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

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