ла́ять
lájatʹ
In Russian, the verb for 'to bark' (as in a dog) is ла́ять (lájatʹ). Wiktionary also lists га́вкать (gávkatʹ).
Meaning: to make a loud noise (dogs) (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ла́ять | lájatʹ |
| га́вкать | gávkatʹ |
The verbs ла́ять and га́вкать are used to describe the sound a dog makes. Note that if you are referring to the exterior covering of a tree, you must use the noun кора́, as the verbs for barking are unrelated to tree bark.
Which one should you use?
ла́ять is the standard, neutral verb for a dog barking. га́вкать is a more colloquial or slightly more informal way to say a dog is barking, as it mimics the sound of the bark.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
For the third-person singular (he/she/it barks), the neutral form ла́ять becomes ла́ет, while the colloquial form га́вкать becomes га́вкает.
How do you pronounce it?
lájatʹ
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the verbs for a dog's bark when you mean the bark of a tree. In Russian, the noun for tree bark is кора́.
Did you know?
- While га́вкать is often used for dogs, it can be used to insult someone's speech, implying that their words are loud, repetitive, and meaningless.
- In certain Russian idioms, someone who 'barks' but does not bite is compared to a dog that 'only barks' (то́лько ла́ет), meaning they make big threats but have no real power.
- The verb га́вкать is onomatopoeic, meaning the word itself is designed to mimic the actual sound of the dog's vocalization.
Examples in context
- Слышите, как лает собака на улице?Do you hear how the dog is barking outside?
- Собака громко лает во дворе.The dog barks loudly in the yard.
- Маленький щенок уже умеет лаять.The little puppy already knows how to bark.
- Нашей собаке нравится гавкать на почтальона.Our dog enjoys barking at the mailman.
- Собака начала громко ла́ять.Sobaka nachala gromko lyat'.The dog started to bark loudly.
- Осторожно, этот пёс может ла́ять на прохожих.Ostorozhno, etot pes mozhet lyat' na prokhozhykh.Be careful, this dog might bark at passersby.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bark” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
