Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| моше́нник | mošénnik | masculine | |
| вор | vor | [vor] (narrow) | masculine |
| плут | plut | [pɫut] (narrow) | masculine |
| жу́лик | žúlik | masculine |
The terms used to translate 'crook' in Russian depend on whether you are describing a person who physically steals property, a person who uses deception and scams to cheat others or a more general scoundrel.
Which one should you use?
The word вор specifically refers to a thief who steals property. In contrast, моше́нник is the best translation for a 'crook' in the sense of a fraudster or swindler who uses deception. жулик is a more colloquial and slightly less serious term, often used for a petty cheat or a trickster. Finally, плут is a more literary or old-fashioned term used to describe a rogue or a cunning person, often found in storytelling.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All the provided forms are masculine nouns. Note that the related verb сгиба́ть means 'to bend' and is not a translation for 'crook'.
How do you pronounce it?
mošénnik
Did you know?
- In Russian criminal culture, the term вор в законе refers to a 'thief-in-law', a high-ranking member of a strict criminal hierarchy with its own code of honor.
- While жулик means a petty crook, it is often used affectionately or jokingly when describing a mischievous child.
- The Russian word for a thief, вор, shares a linguistic root with the verb врать, which means 'to lie'.
Examples in context
- Я не вор.I'm not a crook.This sentence is useful for practicing the word вор.Tatoeba #2764499 by marafon, translation #1836096 by Spamster
- Этот человек – мошенникThis person is a crook
- Он аферист и обманывает людейHe is a crook and deceives people
Example conversation
Maria warns Alexander about a suspicious man.
- Мария MariaОсторожно, этот продавец моше́нник.Ostorozhno, etot prodavets moshennik.Be careful, this seller is a crook.
- Александр AleksandrПочему ты так думаешь, Мария?Pochemu ty tak dumayesh', Mariya?Why do you think so, Maria?
- Мария MariaОн обманул многих людей сегодня.On obmanul mnogikh lyudey segodnya.He cheated many people today.
- Александр AleksandrТогда я ничего у него не куплю.Togda ya nichego u nego ne kuplyu.Then I won't buy anything from him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crook” translations and entries вор, плут, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries вор, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
