баловать
balovat'
The Russian verb for 'to indulge' is баловать (balovat').
Баловать is most commonly used in the context of indulging a person (like a child or a partner) or indulging a whim/desire. It can be translated as both 'to indulge' and 'to spoil'.
Meaning: to give way to (a habit or temptation), not to oppose or restrain (verb)
Which one should you use?
The default form баловать is an imperfective verb, used for ongoing actions or habitual indulgence. In contrast, the perfective form побаловать is used when referring to a single instance of indulging or a completed act of spoiling.
How do you pronounce it?
balovat'
Did you know?
- The word баловать is inherited from the Old East Slavic баловати, which originally meant 'to flatter' or 'to heal'.
- While English uses 'to spoil' for both a child and rotten food, in Russian, you would use баловать only for the child and never for the food.
- The phrase баловать себя ('to indulge oneself') is often used in Russian marketing and wellness culture to frame self-care as a necessary reward.
Examples in context
- Не стоит баловать себя сладким каждый день.Ne stoit balovat' sebya sladkim kazhdyy den'.You shouldn't indulge yourself with sweets every day.
- Она любит баловать своего кота вкусной едой.Ona lyubit balovat' svoyego kota vkusnoy yedoy.She likes to indulge her cat with delicious food.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries баловать, CC BY-SA 4.0.
