{"id":2353,"date":"2011-09-28T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2011-09-28T08:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2353"},"modified":"2011-09-28T01:06:00","modified_gmt":"2011-09-28T01:06:00","slug":"how-to-talk-like-a-russian-pet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/how-to-talk-like-a-russian-pet\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Talk Like a Russian (Pet)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u041f\u0443\u0442\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/H9fUyo_0veE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><em>Ever wondered what do Russian animals say and how they say it? Well, consider this video your pronunciation guide and this post &#8211; the not-so-boring and definitely non-mandatory reading.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I have a bi-lingual cat (here\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2011\/07\/2005-december-xander3.jpg\">his picture<\/a>). Seriously, my cat is a genius. Not only does he understand everything we tell him whether in Russian or English, he can answer in both languages. Sure, his vocabulary is limited, but his accents are purrfect (pun intended).<\/p>\n<p>Ever wish you could teach your pet Russian? Or maybe you\u2019re packing for a trip to Russia and plan to hit <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0439 <\/strong><strong>\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [a pet market], <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0437\u043e\u043e\u043c\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0437<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> [a pet store],\u00a0 <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0437\u043e\u043e\u043f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [a zoo] or even a local <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0444<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043c\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [farm] or private <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [backyard]. Whatever your plans are, I guarantee you this post will be either fantastically useful\u2026 or totally useless.<\/p>\n<p>Since I have a cat, I\u2019m going to start with cats &#8211; <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [male cats], <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [female cats] and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [kittens]. When these furry creatures speak Russian, they say <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0443-<\/strong><strong>\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [mew] or <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043c\u0443\u0440-<\/strong><strong>\u043c\u0443\u0440\u00bb<\/strong> [purr]. Every cat in Russia can <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043c\u044f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to mew] and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043c\u0443\u0440\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to purr] fluently.<\/p>\n<p>Next come <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441\u043e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [dogs]. Now, there are two ways to say \u201ca dog\u201d in Russian. One is to use <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0451\u0441\u00bb<\/strong> [male dog] and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441\u043e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [female dog]. That\u2019s if you want to play it safe or are speaking to amateurs. However, if you are in a company of <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441\u043e\u0431\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [dog breeders], <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0432\u043b\u0430\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0446\u044b <\/strong><strong>\u0441\u043e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [dog owners] and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441\u043e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [people who love dogs], you might find <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [male dog] and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [female dog] more appropriate. But be careful with these two words since taken out of dog ownership content they become serious insults, particularly the former. Regardless of their gender or breed, dogs in Russia know how to <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to woof] &#8211; <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0430\u0432-<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0430\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> [woof-woof].<\/p>\n<p>Somehow <strong>\u00ab\u043c\u043e\u0440\u0441\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0435 \u0441\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [guinea pigs], <strong>\u00ab\u0445\u043e\u0440\u044c\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [ferrets], <strong>\u00ab\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [rabbits] and <strong>\u00ab\u0445\u043e\u043c\u044f\u0447\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [hamsters] stay silent. You might think it\u2019s because they are so small. However, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [mice], which are smaller than these, make a <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0438-<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> or <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0438\u043a-<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0438\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> sound.\u00a0 Interestingly, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [rats] stay quiet.<\/p>\n<p>It might be because <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> appear frequently in fairy tales where they are very helpful and mischievous. At the same time the only mentions rats get are negative, such as <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0442\u044b\u043b\u043e\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [chair ranger], <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [ship rat], <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span><\/strong><strong>\u0444\u0438\u0441\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [office rat] and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043f\u044b\u0442\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [lab rat], not to mention the whole negative PR in <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0429\u0435\u043b\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u043d\u0447\u0438\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [The Nutcracker].<\/p>\n<p>Out on the farm, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [cows] say <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043c\u0443-<\/strong><strong>\u043c\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [moo-moo]. This is not such a huge departure from what American cows say, is it? The verb for \u201cto moo\u201d is <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043c\u044b\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> which is also used in a rebuke <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0447\u044c\u044f <\/strong><strong>\u0431\u044b <\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0430 <\/strong><strong>\u043c\u044b\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0430, <\/strong><strong>\u0430 <\/strong><strong>\u0442\u0432\u043e<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span> <\/strong><strong>\u0431\u044b <\/strong><strong>\u043c\u043e\u043b\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [a pot calling a kettle black].<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u041b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0430\u0434\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [horses] on Russian farms don\u2019t \u201cneigh\u201d, but instead say <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0438-<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u043e-<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u043e\u00bb<\/strong>. Now, try to form a verb using this sound\u2026 Ok, I\u2019m tricking you. The verb for \u201cto neigh\u201d is, unexpectedly, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0440\u0436\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong>. Bizarrely (or not), it is also a verb that describes an act of laughing uproariously and, typically, inappropriately. The noun for such laughter is <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0440\u0436<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong>, undignified as it is. It is not to be confused with a noun <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0436\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> which, again, rudely, means \u201cgrub\u201d. Take note that these two words should not be used in a polite and well-mannered company.<\/p>\n<p>Russian <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0435\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [cockerel] says <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0443-<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0430-<\/strong><strong>\u0440\u0435-<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> while his flock of <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [hens] says <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e-<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e-<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0446\u044b\u043f\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [chicks] say <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0438\u043a-<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0438\u043a-<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u0438\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> (yes, sort of like mice). As for other farm birds, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span><\/strong><strong>\u0442\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [ducks] like to <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> &#8211; to make the sound of <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440\u044f-<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0440\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [geese] say <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0430-<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0430\u00bb<\/strong>. Which explains my logic in calling <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0443\u0441<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u043d\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [a female goose] at a local lake <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u041b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0438 <\/strong><strong>\u0413\u0430\u0433\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Lady Gaga]. By the way, the act of making a <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0430-<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> sound is called <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0433\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> and can also mean \u201cto laugh loudly, and possibly inappropriately\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>As for the small wild birds, such as <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0431\u044c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [sparrows] or <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441\u043a\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0446<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [starlings], they generally say <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0447\u0438\u043a-<\/strong><strong>\u0447\u0438\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong>. More melodious birds, including Russian favorite <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [nightingale] sing <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0444\u044c\u044e\u0442\u044c-<\/strong><strong>\u0444\u044c\u044e\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong>. Big black <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0432\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [female crows, singular <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0432\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong>] and <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [male crows, singular <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u043d\u00bb<\/strong>] say <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440-<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440\u00bb<\/strong>. The verb is, of course, <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> and can also mean \u201cto bring bad luck\u201d or \u201cto prophesy gloom\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most interesting sounds that you can hear out on the farm is that of <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0441\u0432\u0438\u043d\u044c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [a pig] &#8211; <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0445\u0440\u044e-<\/strong><strong>\u0445\u0440\u044e\u00bb<\/strong> and not at all the Western \u201coink-oink\u201d. The verb \u201cto oink\u201d is <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0445\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044e<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> and a pig is also referred to as <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u0445\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong>. In fact, one of the beloved TV show characters of Soviet children was a puppet <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043f\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u043a <\/strong><strong>\u0425\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044e<\/span>\u0448\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Khrusha, the piglet].<\/p>\n<p>Sort of to redeem for the tongue-twisting of porcine talk, Russian <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043b\u044f\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [frog] says <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0432\u0430-<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0432\u0430\u00bb<\/strong>. The verb is <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> and a frog itself is frequently called <strong>\u00ab<\/strong><strong>\u043b\u044f\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430-<\/strong><strong>\u043a\u0432\u0430\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> in <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-fairy-tales-from-a-to-z-part-2\/\">Russian fairy tales<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, this list is far from being exhaustive (although if you got this far, you might be exhausted from reading it). So feel free to add other animal sounds you know or heard.<\/p>\n<p>Want to know more about Russian animal-related words? Check out earlier posts about <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2227\">pet names<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/cows-pigs-wolves-dogs-russian-sayings\/\">Russian sayings<\/a> about animals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ever wondered what do Russian animals say and how they say it? Well, consider this video your pronunciation guide and this post &#8211; the not-so-boring and definitely non-mandatory reading.\u00a0 I have a bi-lingual cat (here\u2019s his picture). Seriously, my cat is a genius. Not only does he understand everything we tell him whether in Russian&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/how-to-talk-like-a-russian-pet\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8,7828,7827,7826],"tags":[60756,1131,13334,60789,60788,60787,1248],"class_list":["post-2353","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","category-russian-life","category-when-in-russia","tag-conversational-russian","tag-learning-russian","tag-learning-russian-is-fun","tag-popular-russian-sayings","tag-practical-russian-phrases","tag-russian-animal-sounds","tag-russian-language"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2353"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2357,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2353\/revisions\/2357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}