You probably have been learning Russian for some time now, or maybe you merely started. You might know that each language has a set of words that are impossible to translate or that have no equivalent in your mother tongues.
Whether this is actually true or not is a matter of debate, but what one can definitely agree on is that the existence of these words testifies to a specific sentiment present in the language they come from and provides an interesting insight into the culture that requires them. Below are some of the Russian words we feel you need to nourish your understanding of Russian culture.
Pochemuchka (почемучка): (n) one who asks excessive questions
Majorly used by parents as a term of endearment, ‘pochemuchka’ is a unique Russian word that gets denote for a curious kid who wants to know each ad everything in the world and keeps asking ‘why?’ (‘почему?’).
Nedoperepil (недоперепил): (v) under-over-drunk
To say that somebody ‘nedoperepil’ is to say that they drank more than they were supposed to have, but less than they could have.
Toska (тоска): (n) ache of the soul, longing with nothing to long for
Vladimir Nabokov, the famous Russian-American author who penned ‘Lolita,’ mentioned it best: No single word in English provides all the shades of ‘toska.’ At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish, mostly without any particular cause. At less grim levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing having nothing to long for, a sick ache, a vague restlessness, mental agony, yearning. In specific cases, it could be the yearning for somebody of something specific, nostalgia, love-sickness. At the lowest stage, it transforms into apathy, boredom.”
Perepodvypodvert (_переподвыподверт): (n) sth. done in a complex, incomprehensible way
The word ‘perepodvypodvert’ sort4 of embodies itself, as it has prefixes including one that repeats itself two times.
Dacha (дача): (n) summer house
This word ‘dacha’ does not simply mean a secondary residence but implies to the whole distinctive lifestyle: The Russian tea time, banya, singing over a crackling bonfire, fishing.
Glazomer (глазомер): (n) ability to measure without using instruments
A mix of ‘eye’ and ‘measurement, someone having a good ‘glazomer’ can estimate weight and distances without using any tools apart from his or her eyes.
Porosha (пороша): (n) fresh powdery snow that fell during night
A natural layer of snow that fell on a windless night or nearer to the evening, untouched outside of the occasional footprints of birds and animals.
Zavodila (заводила): (n) so. who mostly starts up something
A person is said to be a ‘zavodila’ if they can motivate everyone around them to do something, without blackmailing or aggression, but simply using pure goodwill, confidence and by setting an example. A ‘zavodila’ can arouse both positive and negative behavior.
Poputchik (попутчик): (n) a stranger you connect to on a trip
Contrary to a travel companion you have known before, a ‘poputchik’ is a total stranger who happens to travel in a similar direction and share your seat on a train. You are free to mingle up fully to your best friend for that moment, since, you know that the person will get down at a faraway stop, never to be meet again, taking your secrets securely with them, unless you become good friends from thereon!
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