говя́дина
govjádinafeminine
The English word beef is translated into Russian as говя́дина (govjádina). Wiktionary also lists теля́тина (teljátina).
Meaning: meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| говя́дина | govjádina | feminine |
| теля́тина | teljátina | feminine |
говя́дина is the general term for beef. While говя́дина is the noun for the meat itself, you should use the related adjective говя́жий when describing food products, such as говя́жий бульон (beef broth).
What does it mean word for word?
The word говя́дина is derived from a root referring to cattle or an ox, specifically denoting the meat of cattle.
Which one should you use?
говя́дина refers to beef in a general sense, whereas теля́тина specifically refers to veal (the meat of a calf).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The related adjective говя́жий changes its ending to match the gender of the noun it modifies, such as the neuter form говя́жье.
How do you pronounce it?
govjádina
Did you know?
- In Russian menus, you may see говя́дина listed as мя́со ('meat'). Because beef is the most common red meat, the general word for meat often implies beef unless pork or lamb is specified.
- While English speakers often use 'beef' as a slang term for a grievance or a grudge, Russians have no such linguistic connection between meat and conflict.
- Russian has a specific term вырезка for the tenderloin of говя́дина. Unlike English where 'cut' is a general term, this word specifically denotes the most prized part of the beef.
Examples in context
- Можно говядину, пожалуйста?Can I have some beef, please?
- У вас есть говядина?Do you have beef?
- Говядина – это мое любимое мясоBeef is my favorite meat
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beef” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
