A Note for Tourists

WHICH RUSSIAN WORDS SOUND LIKE CURSE WORDS IN OTHER LANGUAGES

When preparing for a trip abroad, every Russian tourist would benefit from learning about the traditions of the country they are heading to. And it's not just traditions; it turns out that many of the words we frequently use can be considered curses in other countries.

Profanity helps express extreme dislike. Usually, these words vary greatly among different peoples. However, there are also expressions that sound completely harmless to one group but may be perceived as offensive by another.

Almost every tourist has encountered a situation where ordinary words spoken in Russian provoke a strange reaction from local residents. Some natives laugh, while others become enraged. To avoid such an unpleasant blunder that might make you blush, I suggest you familiarize yourself with a list of the most harmless Russian words that will be considered offensive abroad.

French-speaking countries: France, Algeria, Belgium, Canada, former French colonies

The country of love and chanson, refined manners, and exquisite dishes does not lag behind other nations when it comes to profanity. A Russian guest should be quite cautious with words like "зоб" (zob). This word in French (le zob) translates to "male genitalia." The French understand our film "Kin-dza-dza!" in parts without translation. The Chatlan curse "kue" means the same as "zob" in the language of Dumas and Hugo.

There is a pastry called "Baiser," which in French sounds like "to have sex."

It is advisable not to say the word "bassin" (pool) in the presence of French women if you want to avoid trouble. In the best case, you will be considered an intolerant person, as "bas sein" means "sagging breast." Also, we do not recommend saying "to put on the line," as "le con" means "a very disgusting person." Asking for the bill from the French is equivalent to searching for a toilet, as the word for toilet (chiotte) sounds like "shyot."

In the German language, the word "Kot" (pronounced as "KOT" plus the article "der") translates to "feces." The name "Sergiy" sounds quite amusing in German pronunciation. Sergey is pronounced as "ZerGey" - very gay.

Arab countries: UAE, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Mauritania, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, etc.

In countries where Arabic is the national language, it is very undesirable to call a cat "kisa." It is also better not to pronounce words with the root "kus," particularly "kusok" (piece) and "kos" (cosmos). Female genitalia sound like "ks" in this language, and since Arabic has very few vowels, in different dialects this word may sound like "kus," "kos," or "kis."

The male genitalia is pronounced as "zeb" or "er," so do not say the words "zub" (tooth), "zebra," or "era" in front of Arabs. You may be misunderstood and thought to be insulting people nearby.

"Date" sounds similar to the Arabic taboo verb "to copulate." The words are not a perfect match (the Arabic sounds more like "faynak"), but it's still better not to shout "Dates!" in an Eastern market.

In the Moroccan dialect of Arabic: "tabun" is a very crude term for female genitalia.

In former French colonies like Algeria, Morocco, and other French-speaking Arab countries, the word "envelope" is taboo. In French, "con vert" means "green female genitalia." This word will be perceived the same way in Canada.


In Hungary, it is not advisable to say words like "Гречка" (buckwheat), as it sounds like their word for "masturbation"; "Босый" (barefoot), the root "bos" denotes an indecent form of sexual action.

In Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Poland

Many know that in Bulgaria, a nod that means "no" for us is interpreted as agreement. And vice versa. But only those who study the language know that the ordinary word "куры" (chickens) will cause outrage. The thing is, the word "кур" (cock) also means male genitalia, while "курица" (hen) refers to sexual intercourse. However, you can say "курорт" (resort) completely without punishment, much like the word "подстрахуй" (to insure) in Russian.

There is also a joke about a Russian man who asked for a box of matches. He was told that there were no matches, only those with football players. At first glance, the joke seems completely unfunny. However, knowing that "пичка" (pichka) means vagina, it becomes clear why this story is not told in polite society.

In Czech, "курить" (to smoke) means "to suck." In the presence of Czechs, it is inappropriate to say "девка" (girl). This word has a negative connotation in modern Russian as well, but in Czech, it translates to "prostitute." Moreover, it is not used as a synonym for "woman of love," but as its vulgar equivalent.

In Polish, the word "невестка" (daughter-in-law) also means prostitute.

English-speaking countries: the UK and Commonwealth countries, the USA, Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa

If an American hears the title of the film "Shield and Sword," he will expect a comedy with dark humor and will be deeply disappointed when he realizes that the film is actually about war. The thing is, "shit" means excrement.

The ordinary and familiar word "душ" (shower) once meant dousing with jets of water in English. Nowadays, this meaning has become outdated, and the word is used to refer to an enema or douching.

Be careful when offering someone to take a shower after a long trip.

The harmless Russian "кант" (kant) in English-speaking countries is a vulgar term. In English, "cunt" is the vulgar variant of the word "vagina."

Do not say the Russian word "книга" (book) in front of English speakers, especially in front of black people. It sounds quite racist (книга - knigga). They won't hear the first letter - K - and then you will be exhausted trying to explain.

The word "кок" (cock) sounds not only like "rooster" but also like "penis." "Пуп" (belly button) means "poop."

The Russian affirmation of the English-speaking "Fact!" or "torch" will sound inappropriate to them due to its similarity to a vulgar, albeit common expression (Fuck it!).

Countries: Greece, Cyprus
The Russian word "колос" (ear of grain) with the stress on the first syllable is a crude version of the word for "butt" in Greek (κολος).

Vietnam. "Тамада" (tamada) in Vietnam is the same as "motherf***er," while the Russian colloquial "чё" (what) is a crude insult, meaning "bastard" (chó).

In Portugal, "Мифодий" (Mifodiy) means a sexual act towards oneself, while "Сергей" (Sergey) means "be gay."

Countries: Guatemala, Honduras, Cuba, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador.
In Central American countries and Cuba, the word "папайя" (papaya) is equivalent to the Russian euphemism "пилотка" (pilotka), but the Spanish version is significantly coarser. If you want to order this fruit, for example, in Cuba, ask for "fruta bomba."

In India, it is advisable to avoid the phrase "чуть-чуть" (a little), as it sounds similar to the name of female genitalia in Hindi.

In Korea, the word "Thank you" sounds very similar to "go to the male genital organ" in their language. For Koreans, the words "чётко" (clearly) and "чутко" (sensitive) will sound vulgar, as "чхот кка" means "go to ***" in Korean.

In Turkish, for example, "sok" means not very smart, something like our fool. In Turkish, the word "AM" - what a mother says to a child while feeding - can horrify well-mannered girls, as it means female genitalia in slang.

In China, it is better not to say the word "типа" (like). In Russian, it is just a harmless, albeit unpleasant filler word, but in China, it sounds very similar to the word meaning that male reproductive organ.

For Finns, "Треска" (cod) sounds like "Терска" (terska), which means the head of the penis in a vulgar sense.

Therefore, experienced tourists primarily study profane and vulgar words to avoid getting into trouble.