бу
bu
The English exclamation "boo" can be translated into Russian as бу (bu). Wiktionary also lists шш (šš).
Meaning: loud exclamation intended to scare someone (intj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| бу | bu |
| шш | šš |
бу is a popular informal exclamation used when someone wants to startle or surprise another person.
Which one should you use?
Use бу specifically for a sudden exclamation intended to scare someone. In contrast, шш is used to mimic a shushing sound or a hiss.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is bu.
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'boo' to heckle performers they dislike, Russians would never use бу for this purpose and instead use 'фу' or loud whistling.
- The sound бу is closely associated with the Russian word бука, a mythical bogeyman or monster used by parents to frighten naughty children.
- While бу is for scaring people, Russians use the sound ку-ку to play a game of hide-and-seek similar to 'peek-a-boo'.
Examples in context
- Бу!Boo!This sentence is useful for practicing the exclamation бу.Tatoeba #13550895 by no_cli, translation #11021466 by shekitten
- Ты меня пугаешь!You're scaring me!
- Бу! Ты меня напугал.Bu! Ty menya napugall.Boo! You scared me.
- Я спрятался и крикнул: бу!Ya spryatalsya i kriknul: bu!I hid and shouted: boo!
Example conversation
A playful game of hide and seek in the living room.
- Андрей AndreyБу! Я нашел тебя.Bu! Ya nashol tebya.Boo! I found you.
- Анастасия AnastasiaОй, Андрей, ты меня напугал!Oy, Andrey, ty menya napugall!Oh, Andrey, you scared me!
- Андрей AndreyПрости, я просто хотел пошутить.Prosti, ya prosto khotel shutit'.Sorry, I just wanted to joke around.
- Анастасия AnastasiaТвое «бу» было очень внезапным.Tvoyo "bu" bylo ochen' vnezapnym.Your "boo" was very sudden.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boo” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
