де́вочка
dévočkafeminine
The English phrase girl can be translated into Russian in several ways depending on the age and context of the person. The default form is де́вочка (dévočka). Wiktionary also lists де́вушка (dévuška) and девчо́нка (devčónka).
Meaning: young female person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| де́вочка | dévočka | feminine |
| де́вушка | dévuška | feminine |
| девчо́нка | devčónka | feminine |
| деви́ца | devíca | feminine |
The terms used for girl in Russian change based on whether you are referring to a child, a young woman or using a specific literary tone.
Which one should you use?
Use де́вочка specifically for a female child or a very young girl. For an adolescent, a young woman or a girlfriend, use де́вушка. The form девчо́нка is a more colloquial and affectionate way to say girl or lass. Finally, деви́ца is an archaic form used in poetry or fairy tales to mean maiden.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
dévočka
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use де́вочка to refer to a young adult woman, which can sound patronizing.
Did you know?
- In Russian folklore and old fairy tales, деви́ца is often paired with the adjective красная to mean 'beautiful', though красная literally translates to 'red'.
- Using де́вушка to address a woman who is clearly middle-aged is often seen as a flattering gesture or a way to avoid causing offense by mentioning her age.
- The root of all these words, дев-, is also found in the word for 'virgin', highlighting the historical connection between 'girl' and 'maiden'.
Examples in context
- Эта де́вочка очень умная.Eta dévochka o'chen' umnaya.This girl is very smart.
- Маленькая де́вочка играет в парке.Mal'en'kaya dévochka igrayet v parke.The little girl is playing in the park.
Example conversation
Alexander and Ekaterina are looking at a family photo.
- Александр AleksandrКто эта де́вочка на фото?Kto eta devochka na foto?Who is this girl in the photo?
- Екатерина EkaterinaЭто моя племянница.Eto moya plemyannitsa.This is my niece.
- Александр AleksandrОна очень милая де́вочка.Ona ochen’ milaya devochka.She is a very cute girl.
- Екатерина EkaterinaСпасибо, Александр!Spasibo, Aleksandr!Thank you, Alexander!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
