ва́нна
vánnafeminine
The English word 'bath' can be translated into Russian in several ways depending on whether you mean the fixture, the act or a traditional sauna. The default form is ва́нна (vánna). If unsure, use ва́нна. Wiktionary also lists купа́ние (kupánije) and ба́ня (bánja).
Meaning: act of bathing (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ва́нна | vánna | feminine |
| купа́ние | kupánije | neuter |
| ба́ня | bánja | feminine |
Russian uses different nouns to distinguish between the physical object and the activity. To say 'to take a bath', you should use the phrase при́нять ва́нну, which literally translates to 'to accept a bath'.
Which one should you use?
Use ва́нна to refer to the physical bathtub or the specific act of bathing in a tub. Use купа́ние to refer more generally to the process of bathing or swimming. Use ба́ня to refer to a traditional Russian bathhouse or a sauna rather than a standard household bath.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
ва́нна is a feminine noun, купа́ние is a neuter noun and ба́ня is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
vánna
Did you know?
- In a traditional ба́ня, the 'венчик' or 'ве́ник' is a bundle of birch or oak twigs used to strike the skin, a practice central to the bathing experience that has no direct English equivalent.
- Russian has a specific word баночка which is the diminutive of ба́ня, but it is also the word for a small glass jar.
- While ва́нна refers to a tub, if you want to talk about the ritual of steam bathing in a ба́ня, you might use the verb пари́ться, which describes the sensation of being steamed.
Examples in context
- Где находится ванная комната?Where is the bathroom?
- Пойдем в баню!Let's go to the bathhouse!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bath” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
