телёнок
teljónok[tʲɪˈlʲɵnək]masculine
The English word 'calf' is translated into Russian as телёнок (teljónok). Wiktionary also lists теле́ц (teléc).
Meaning: young cow or bull (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| телёнок | teljónok | [tʲɪˈlʲɵnək] (narrow) | masculine |
| теле́ц | teléc | dated, masculine, poetic |
The term refers to a young cow or bull.
Which one should you use?
While телёнок is the standard term, you may encounter теле́ц, which is a dated and poetic form of the word.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun телёнок changes its ending to телёнка in the genitive case, such as when saying 'the calf of the cow'.
How do you pronounce it?
teljónok
Did you know?
- Russian uses the word телёнок almost exclusively for cattle, whereas the English word 'calf' can also describe the muscle in the lower leg. For the leg muscle, Russian uses the word икра, meaning 'roe' or 'fish eggs'.
- The term теле́ц is often used in Russian astrology to refer to the zodiac sign Taurus.
- If a Russian speaker calls a person a телёнок, they are likely teasing them for being clumsy or overly youthful in their behavior.
Examples in context
- Телёнок родился сегодня утром.The calf was born this morning.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe a calf being born.Tatoeba #2474235 by sharptoothed, translation #2474234 by sharptoothed
- На лугу пасутся бык, корова и телёнок.A bull, a cow and a calf are grazing in the meadow.This sentence shows a list of animals in a meadow including the word телёнок.Tatoeba #6945632 by nina99nv, translation #10489849 by AlanF_US
- Новорождённый телёнок не мог угнаться за стадом, убегающим от ягуара.The newborn calf couldn't catch up with the herd running from the jaguar.This sentence illustrates the use of телёнок when describing a newborn calf in a herd.Tatoeba #5022474 by Ooneykcall, translation #3527120 by VilhelmsPort
- Какой милый телёнок! Его рога ещё очень маленькие.What a cute calf! Its horns are still very small.
- Завтра мы идём посмотреть новых теляток на ферму.Tomorrow, we're going to see the new calves at the farm.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anastasia and Andrey are visiting a farm.
- Анастасия AnastasiaПосмотри, какой милый телёнок!Posmotri, kak milyy telyonok!Look, what a cute calf!
- Андрей AndreyДа, он очень маленький.Da, on ochen malenkiy.Yes, he is very small.
- Анастасия AnastasiaМожно погладить этого телёнка?Mozhno pogladit etogo telyonka?Can I pet this calf?
- Андрей AndreyДа, он совсем ручной.Da, on sovsem ruchnoy.Yes, he is very tame.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “calf” translations and entries телёнок, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
