Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ло́дка | lódka | feminine | |
| шлю́пка | šljúpka | feminine | |
| бот | bot | [bot] (narrow) | masculine |
| чёлн | čoln | [t͡ɕɵɫn] (narrow) | masculine |
| ладья́ | ladʹjá | archaic, feminine |
The term boat in Russian can be expressed using several words depending on the size and type of the craft. ло́дка is the most common and general term for a small boat or rowing boat. For larger or more elaborate vessels, you might use the term судно, while корабль is used specifically for large ships, such as military ships or cruise ships.
Which one should you use?
ло́дка is the general term for a small boat. шлю́пка is a technical term used specifically for a lifeboat or a small utility boat intended for rescue or transport from a larger vessel. бот and чёлн are other forms of boat, while ладья́ refers to ancient Slavic sailing vessels or historical ships.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You may encounter the diminutive лодочка in informal contexts to mean a little boat. The term ладья́ is archaic and used to describe historical ships.
How do you pronounce it?
lódka
Did you know?
- The word ладья́ is not just an old word for a boat, but is also the Russian term for a 'rook' in the game of chess.
- The term бот is a linguistic chameleon, as it has been borrowed into Russian from Dutch, French, and English simultaneously.
- In Russian, корабль is used for ships, but the word судно can refer to any vessel regardless of size, as well as a 'basin' or 'tub'.
Examples in context
- Один из моих ботинок упал за борт, поэтому я прыгнул в воду и поплыл так быстро, как мог, чтобы достать его.One of my boots fell off the boat, so I jumped into the water and swam as fast as I could to get it.This sentence illustrates the use of бот in a context involving falling overboard.Tatoeba #10223602 by sharptoothed, translation #9814310 by CK
- Давай возьмем лодочку и поедем на рыбалку.Let's take a little boat and go fishing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boat” translations and entries бот, чёлн, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries бот, чёлн, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
