бабайка
babayka
The Russian word for boogeyman is бабайка (babayka).
бабайка refers to an imaginary monster that adults use to frighten children into behaving.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is babayka.
Did you know?
- The word бабай is thought by some linguists to be onomatopoeic, mimicking the sounds or the repetitive, rhythmic chanting one might use to scare a child.
- Russian children might also fear the кикимора, a female bog-spirit, which serves a similar psychological purpose to бабайка by frightening children into staying quiet or behaving.
- The term бабайка can sometimes be used metaphorically in adult slang to describe a harmless, non-existent threat or a problem that is being blown out of proportion.
Examples in context
- Бабайка крадёт непослушных детей.The boogeyman kidnaps naughty children.This sentence is useful for illustrating how бабайка is described as kidnapping naughty children.Tatoeba #13370736 by marafon, translation #7063273 by Babilfrenzo
- Не бойся, это просто бабайка.Ne boy'sya, eto prosto babayka.Don't be afraid, it's just the boogeyman.
- Мама сказала, что в шкафу живёт бабайка.Mama skazala, chto v shkafu zhivyot babayka.Mom said the boogeyman lives in the closet.
Example conversation
A mother puts her son to bed.
- Андрей AndreyМама, а в шкафу живёт бабайка?Mama, a v shkafu zhivyot babayka?Mom, does the boogeyman live in the closet?
- Екатерина EkaterinaНет, Андрей, это просто твои вещи.Net, Andrey, eto prosto tvoi veshchi.No, Andrey, those are just your things.
- Андрей AndreyНо я слышал какой-то шум!No ya slyshal kakoy-to shum!But I heard some noise!
- Екатерина EkaterinaЭто просто ветер, засыпай скорее.Eto prosto veter, zasypay skoreye.It's just the wind, go to sleep quickly.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
