Thread: "cute" in russian

what's the best word to use for cute, as in a "cute" puppy?

Depends on if you are giggling with your girlfriends and say "Ooh, he's so cute", or if a puppy comes up to you and licks your hand. I would say милый for the dog. If it was some hot guy, I heard earlier in that thread where the teeny wanted her photo album translated that it would be "симпатичный" or simply "красивый".

girls would probably say "какая лапа". OMG, I've just realised, it's so ambiguous - какая лапа could mean "he/she/it is so cute" (not only about a puppy, BTW) but it could also mean "well, that's one hell of a big paw" - the difference is in intonation and who's saying it, a boy or a girl. What's wrong with the Russian language?

In the plural it's лапочки (perhaps also лапоньки):

these puppies are so cute = эти щенята такие лапочки

but boys don't use such language.

"Boys don't use such words". You mean it sounds effeminate to say <<какая лапа>>? That's interesting. Are there other words that only girls or boys tend to say? (leaving aside the myriad of vulgarities for which that is probably the case).

Originally Posted by begemot

"Boys don't use such words". You mean it sounds effeminate to say <<какая лапа>>? That's interesting. Are there other words that only girls or boys tend to say? (leaving aside the myriad of vulgarities for which that is probably the case).

Yes, it sounds effeminate. Only girls and poofs would say "какая лапа". Mind you, boys will say какая лапа in the sense 'that's some hell of a paw, that!'. As for other words that only boys or girls tend to say, I'm afraid I can't think of anything off the top of my head (been using it today, gotta put some ice on it) but if I remember something, I'll post it here.

"какая лапа".

Лапочка is OK but лапа is no good.

As for cute I'd say sth like: милашка, красавчик, симпатичный.

or you may use simply Он такой муси-пуси!

"Муси муси пуси пуси миленький мой
Я горю, я вся во вкусе рядом с тобой"

Катя Лель "Муси пуси"

Originally Posted by Victor

"какая лапа".

Лапочка is OK but лапа is no good.

As for cute I'd say sth like: милашка, красавчик, симпатичный.

or you may use simply Он такой муси-пуси!

"Муси муси пуси пуси миленький мой
Я горю, я вся во вкусе рядом с тобой"

Катя Лель "Муси пуси"

Definately not лапочка. It's какая лапа, period. Anyway, this is what the chicks I bring in for shags say when they see my neighbours spaniel.

муси-пуси isn't even babytalk. it's #%!@$#%!@#!#%! sorry, I'm going to be sick... Do not ever say муси-пуси unless you want people to puke all over you.

Again, милашка cannot apply to a пёсик. красавчик and симпатичный (when said about a cute li'l doggy) sound so hollywood-flic-badly-dubbed-into-Russian-by-a-bunch-of-first-year-university-students which means they sound almost foreign.

You should understand that those are perfectly normal Russian words and most people wouldn't say that using them is incorrect, but the point is that nobody in their right mind ever uses them these days. I suppose only middle-aged housewives would occasionally use them.

I dunno, either the slang is so different where you come from or you're simply not getting enough female company, Victor.

I dunno, either the slang is so different where you come from or you're simply not getting enough female company, Victor.

Probably different. I haven't heard "какая лапа" so far.

муси-пуси isn't even babytalk. it's #%!@$#%!@#!#%! sorry, I'm going to be sick... Do not ever say муси-пуси unless you want people to puke all over you.

(I was kidding BTW )
I'm not going to. I just referred to a song which is quite popular now. I heard some girls saying this jokingly. Nobody was puked though...

Again, милашка cannot apply to a пёсик. красавчик and симпатичный (when said about a cute li'l doggy) sound so hollywood-flic-badly-dubbed-into-Russian-by-a-bunch-of-first-year-university-students which means they sound almost foreign

I prefer saying simply "Хороший песик" Most neutral I'd say.

As for cute applied to people, meaning ways to say someone is attractive, I'm wondering if the following expressions aren't old fashioned?

Она хороша собой

какая интересная девушка

Она хороша собой is a bit bookish and not often used in everyday speech


интересная девушка - is OK but most use simply симпатичная девушка or if you want to sound slangish you might use "симпотная" девушка.

Originally Posted by Victor

"Муси муси пуси пуси миленький мой
Я горю, я вся во вкусе рядом с тобой"

Катя Лель "Муси пуси"

What does she say next?

я как бабочка ... ...


OK I looked it up:

Я как бабочка порхаю над всем,
И все без проблем:
Я просто тебя съем.

What does it mean??
I flit about like a grandmother? hehe that is *so* wrong
and everthing is no problem
I'll simply eat you???

Is she eating her cat?
что случилось ???

PS
с праздником !!

Я как бабочка порхаю над всем,
И все без проблем:
Я просто тебя съем.

What does it mean??
I flit about like a grandmother? hehe that is *so* wrong
and everthing is no problem
I'll simply eat you???

Not бабушка (grandmother) but бабочка (butterfly)

It appears she's going to eat her boyfriend at night