Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| шу́тка | šútka | feminine |
| анекдо́т | anekdót | masculine |
Russian uses different words depending on the type of joke you are describing. шу́тка is a general term for any kind of joke, jest, witty remark, prank or playful tease. In contrast, анекдо́т refers specifically to a structured, short humorous story or an anecdote that typically has a punchline. If you want to describe the action of joking around or indicate that a statement was not meant seriously, use the verb шути́ть.
Which one should you use?
Use анекдо́т specifically for a narrative funny story with a punchline. Use шу́тка as a general term for any joke, ranging from a single witty remark to a prank. While both can refer to jokes, анекдо́т is more specific to the format of a story.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun анекдо́т is often used with the verb рассказать (to tell) to form the natural collocation рассказа́ть анекдо́т (to tell a joke). The feminine noun is шу́тка.
How do you pronounce it?
šútka
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to assume that анекдо́т refers to a dry or serious biographical account as it does in English. In Russian, it almost always implies a funny, humorous story.
Did you know?
- During the Soviet era, анекдо́ты became a clandestine form of political commentary and a way for citizens to share subversive humor about the government.
- In Russian, there is a specific genre of анекдо́ты called 'Radio Yerevan' jokes, which used a fictional radio station to provide ironically honest answers to listener questions.
- There is a common Russian phrase это не шу́тки which literally means 'these are not jokes' but is used to convey that a situation is gravely serious.
Examples in context
- Это была очень смешная шу́тка.Eto byla ochen' smeshnaya shutka.It was a very funny joke.
- Её шу́тка рассмешила всех.Eyo shutka rassmeshila vsekh.Her joke made everyone laugh.
- У меня есть хорошая шу́тка.U menya yest' khoroshaya shutka.I have a good joke.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “joke” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
