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Blog / Russian Culture / 19 Swear Words in Russian || USE WI…

19 Swear Words in Russian || USE WITH

CAUTION!
RUSSIAN CULTURE • By Helga Potapova • January 16, 2023

LEARN HOW TO SWEAR IN RUSSIAN

Want to add some colourful language to

your Russian vocabulary?

In this post, we’ll explore some of the

most popular swear words in Russian
used by native speakers every day.

Whether you’re looking to let off a little

steam or simply want to understand
what Russians are saying when they are
angry, this list will come in handy.

But be warned – using these words may

not make you too popular with the locals!

Learn them, but use with caution until you are a little more accustomed to the culture!
 Russian Swear Words || Блядь (blyad’)

Russian Swear Words || Пиздец (pizdec)

Russian Swear Words || Хуй (khui)

Russian Swear Words || Ебаный (yebanyi)

Russian Swear Words || На хуй / на хуи (na khui / na khui)

Russian Swear Words || Подонок (podonok)

Russian Swear Words || Сучий потрох (suchiy potrokh)

Russian Swear Words || Others

Russian Swear Words || FAQs

Russian Swear Words || Блядь

PRONOUNCED AS || blyad’

Блядь, quite simply means “whore” and is one of the most commonly used words in
the language.

DID YOU KNOW || Despite its often negative connotation, Блядь can also be
used in friendly conversations like an expression of surprise or excitement.

CULTURAL POINT || It is particularly interesting to note that women are not exempt
from using Блядь casually and are sometimes even more likely to use it than men.
It could be argued that this use of such
an offensive word serves to desensitise
Russian society – but whatever the
reason behind its usage, the truth of the
matter remains that blyad’ continues to
be a part of everyday speech in Russia.

Russian Swear Words || Пиздец

PRONOUNCED AS || pizdec

The word пиздец is an example of a

particularly strong Russian curse word.

USE WITH CAUTION!

Though literal translations don’t always

do justice, this particular word can be
roughly translated to ‘damn’ or ‘crap’.

But depending on its usage and

inflection, it can vary in intensity from
mildly expressing surprise, to complete
disbelief, or a powerful negative
reaction full of anger or frustration.

As with many profane words, certain contexts empower speakers with the ability to
communicate intense emotions quickly and effectively.
Пиздец is no exception – it’s a timeless classic for Russians everywhere!

Let’s see a couple of examples of this Russian swear word in action…

Example 1

Hey, Vanya, did you hear about the sales in Costco for the Paskha? They are
selling everything with 80% discount!
Пиздееееец! (In this context – wow)

Example 2

Dear, Mikhail, I am very sorry to say that but we have to fire you…
Пиздец… (In this context – f**k)

Russian Swear Words || Хуй

PRONOUNCED AS || khui

Хуй is one of the more unique cultural

traditions in existence.

It is an old Russian superstition that

involves a mixture of prayers and
hammering a nail into a wooden beam
to protect a home from evil forces.

After the wooden beam is hung up, a

piece of iron is hammered into it with
various blessings to protect those who
live there.

This unique practice has been passed down through generations and continues
to be practiced today, mainly in the rural areas of Russia.
It offers those living in some of the more remote places in Russia a spiritual protection
from bad luck, illness, evil spirits and other such things.

Yet, bizarrely, despite the story, Хуй is actually one of the more vulgar
and commonly used swear words in Russian. Хуй can refer to someone
as being a d!ck, d!ckhead or simply adding an angry emphasis to a
statement.

The Russian Alphabet | A Complete Guide (with Quiz

& FREE Flashcards)
Ready to start your Russian adventure? It’s time to learn the Russian
Alphabet. Our guide comes complete with tips, tricks, flashards and even a
quiz.

Russian Swear Words || Ебаный

PRONOUNCED AS || yebanyi

Ебаный is an interesting Russian word that could be loosely translated to mean

“f*cking”.

It is one of those terms that everyone should know.

In casual settings, it can be used when you want to emphatically express

something that is just truly outstanding and great.

Rather than just say something is great, you can say it is Ебаный great!
It’s not just a way to express pleasure,
though; even in moments of
disappointment or sorrow, the intensity of
emotion can be articulated with this
incredible term.

Ебаный is more than a word; it’s almost

like a way of life!

Russian Swear Words || На хуй / на хуи

PRONOUNCED AS || na khui / na khui

На хуй/на хуи is a popular catchphrase in the Russian language that has made
appearances in many contemporary films and music.

While it has a raunchy sound to it when translated directly, this phrase is typically
used just like “f*ck you” or “f*cking hell” would be used in English.

Tread carefully!

Despite the cutting definition, Russians often use На хуй / на хуи to

emphasize their reactions to unexpected events or exciting news.

Often times, the phrase has been seen as a sort of comical device that can add
flavour to conversation or otherwise express certain emotions among people
speaking Russian.
It could be said that на хуй / на хуи holds important value in helping people enrich
their speech and connect with one another through shared language.

Russian Swear Words || Подонок

PRONOUNCED AS || podonok

Подонок, which translates literally to

“butt-monkey” is a term that Russian
speakers can use when referring to
someone who is acting foolish or silly.

It is usually used as an insult with

strong connotations that are meant
to be taken seriously.

For example, if someone was being

particularly annoying or thoughtless in
social situations, they could be called a
подонок.

In addition to being derogatory, the term has also been known to be used
affectionately among friends and family members when describing lighthearted
behaviour.

Overall, подонок carries with it many nuances and uses that speak not only to its
versatility but also to its importance in the Russian language.

It is a unique phrase that symbolizes the comical, yet often serious, nature of life in
Russia.
 Happy Birthday in Russian || 24 Words & Phrases to
Learn
The phrase “с днем рождения” (pronounced s dnem rozhdeniya) is the most
common birthday wish and is used to convey wishes for good health and
fortune.

Russian Swear Words || Сучий потрох

PRONOUNCED AS || suchiy potrokh

Сучий потрох, while sounding like a harsh phrase, is actually quite endearing in the
Russian language.

It translates roughly to “cute little bits” and is used to lovingly describe small details or
trinkets that add charm to something larger.

FOR EXAMPLE || a person might say that their lunchbox contains Сучий потрох
when referring to the special extras they packed inside it – such as a note from home
or a sweet treat – that make the meal even more special.

However, don’t get too starry eyed because this is also used as a Russian curse word.

СУЧИЙ means b!tch in Russian and when put together with потрох –
you get something along the lines of son of a b!tch

Language is a funny old thing, isn’t it!

Other Honourable Mentions

We’re not done just yet!

There are plenty more Russian curse words we can teach you before completing our
lesson, and here are some of our favourites!

RUSSIAN PRONUNCIATION MEANING

Долбоеб dolboyob Fool, Idiot

Иди на хуй idi na hui F*ck yourself

Сволочь svo lach’ Trash, Scum, Jerk

Жопа zho pa Brat *

Гавно gav no Sh!t **

лох loh Stupid, Idiot, Sucker

Гандон gan don Condom ^

Чушь собачья chush’ sobach’ya Bullsh!tter

Трахни тебя trakhni tebya F#ck You

Ти дегхенераат ti degheneraat You’re a degenerate

Отыебис от меныа! otyebis ot menya! Move your ass / Get the f*ck away

чертовски дно chertovski dno F*cking bottom ^^

Just some notes on some of the Russian swear words from above:

* Жопа is typically used towards

children. Compared to most in the list
it’s more harmless and won’t get you
into too much trouble if you use it.

** Гавно is used more when speaking to

yourself rather than to insult someone.
Let’s say you hit your toe against the
bed post (never nice). This is where
Гавно comes in!

^ Гандон. Whilst calling someone a

condom in English is just not a thing, it’s
quite common in Russia. Used to refer to someone weak or just plain irritating.
^^ чертовски дно would be used when referring to hitting rock bottom.

Блядь, хуй, пиздец! Чмоха! You’ve made it to the end!

We hope you have learnt something new about Russian culture and language today.

REMEMBER || we highly advise you DON’T go around the streets of Moscow testing
these words out!

For now, learn them and see how often they appear in day-to-day Russian
conversation. If you have any questions about their usage, or further comments, you
can drop us a message below.

Love learning about profanity? Who doesn’t! Let’s take a look at some other
colourful words in these languages too:

Discover 50+ swear words in Mandarin Chinese

Learn how to swear in Korean
MENU LOG IN FREE TRIAL
Find out the art of swearing in Vietnamese
Discover if swearing really exists in Japanese
Learn how one Italian swear word can be so versatile

RUSSIAN SWEAR WORDS || FAQs

What is пиздец? +

How do you say f*cking in Russian? +

How do you say whore in Russian? +

How to say Подонок in English? +

What does Сволочь mean? +

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