Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| перепо́лненный | perepólnennyj |
| наби́тый | nabítyj |
| лю́дный | ljúdnyj |
| многолю́дный | mnogoljúdnyj |
These terms describe something that contains a dense mass of something. For example, the adjective наби́тый is frequently used with the instrumental case людьми to mean 'packed with people'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word перепо́лненный is formed from the prefix пере- (over-) and the root полн- (full), literally meaning 'overfilled'. The word наби́тый is the past passive participle of the verb meaning 'to stuff or pack'.
Which one should you use?
Use перепо́лненный when emphasizing that a space is so crowded it is 'overflowing' or 'overfilled', such as for buses or rooms. The word Оживленный is used to describe a lively or bustling place and can convey the sense of being crowded. The word Забитый means 'packed' or 'crammed'.
How do you pronounce it?
perepólnennyj
Did you know?
- While лю́дный describes a place crowded with people, its root люд is the ancestor of the English word 'lewd', which originally meant 'layperson' or 'common folk'.
- In Russian slang, the root of наби́тый is used in the phrase наби́ть цену, which means to 'inflate the price' or 'overvalue' oneself.
- To say something is 'crowded' in a negative, claustrophobic sense, Russians might use the word тесно́, which actually describes the feeling of 'tightness' rather than the number of people.
Examples in context
- Вокзал был переполнен людьми.The train station was crowded with people.
- Клуб был забит людьми, но мы все равно нашли место.The club was packed with people, but we still found a spot.
- На карнавале была огромная толпа.There was a huge crowd at the carnival.
Example conversation
Andrey and Ekaterina are arriving at a train station.
- Андрей AndreyОго, вокзал сегодня очень перепо́лненный!Ogo, vokzal segodnya ochen' perepolnennyy!Wow, the station is very crowded today!
- Екатерина EkaterinaДа, людей просто очень много.Da, lyudey prosto ochen' mnogo.Yes, there are just so many people.
- Андрей AndreyНадеюсь, в поезде будет свободнее.Nadeyus', v poezde budet svobodneye.I hope it will be less crowded on the train.
- Екатерина EkaterinaСомневаюсь, Екатерина тоже это видит.Somnevayus', Ekaterina tozhe eto vidit.I doubt it, Ekaterina sees it too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crowded” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
