ба́нда
bándafeminine
The English word 'gang' can be translated into Russian using ба́нда (bánda) or ша́йка.
Meaning: group of criminals who band together for mutual protection (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ба́нда | bánda | feminine |
| ша́йка | šájka | feminine |
ба́нда is a term used to describe a group of criminals who band together for mutual protection. It is commonly used in news reports and police terminology to describe organized criminal groups.
Which one should you use?
While ба́нда refers to a serious criminal gang, ша́йка often implies a smaller, more disorganized or less threatening group of troublemakers or ruffians.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word ба́нда is a feminine noun. Its plural form is ба́нды (which also serves as the genitive singular). When ба́нда is used as the direct object of a verb, it changes to the accusative singular form ба́нду.
How do you pronounce it?
bánda
Did you know?
- The term ба́нда is a loanword that entered Russian via European languages, whereas ша́йка is a native Slavic formation.
- In Russian slang, the word ба́нда can sometimes be used affectionately among close friends to describe their 'crew' or 'squad', similar to how English speakers use 'gang' in a non-criminal way.
- In Russian folklore and historical accounts, the word ша́йка was frequently used to describe groups of peasant rebels or bandits during the time of the 'oprichnina'.
Examples in context
- Эта ба́нда грабила банки.Eta banda grabila banki.This gang robbed banks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gang” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
