га́нгстер
gángstermasculine
The English phrase 'gangster' can be translated into Russian as га́нгстер (gángster). Wiktionary also lists банди́т (bandít) and разбо́йник (razbójnik).
Meaning: street gang member (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| га́нгстер | gángster | masculine |
| банди́т | bandít | masculine |
| разбо́йник | razbójnik | masculine |
These terms are used to describe members of street gangs or criminals.
Which one should you use?
While all three words describe criminals, they carry different nuances. банди́т is the common, everyday term used for a criminal or gang member in a general sense. In contrast, га́нгстер is a loanword used specifically to refer to the stylized or cinematic concept of a gangster, such as those seen in American Prohibition-era films.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of га́нгстер is га́нгстеры, and the plural form of банди́т is банди́ты.
How do you pronounce it?
gángster
Did you know?
- During the 1990s, the term бра́ток was frequently used instead of банди́т to describe the specific subculture of Russian mobsters, literally meaning 'little brother'.
- In Russian criminal subculture, the term авторитет (authority) is often used to denote a boss, whereas in English, 'authority' usually refers to the police or government.
- In modern Russian slang, the word банди́т can sometimes be used ironically or affectionately between close friends to imply they are 'troublemakers'.
Examples in context
- Он был настоящим бандитомHe was a real gangster
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gangster” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
