лени́вый
lenívyj
The Russian word for "lazy" is лени́вый (lenívyj).
The term is used to describe someone who is unwilling to work.
Meaning: unwilling to work (adj)
Which one should you use?
The formal term Бездеятельный can be used to emphasize a specific lack of activity or initiative.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the word changes its ending to match the gender and number of the noun it describes: use лени́вая for feminine nouns, лени́вое for neuter nouns and лени́вых for the plural genitive or accusative cases.
Did you know?
- There is a common Russian expression ленивый (lazy) used to describe a specific type of 'lazy' dumpling called ленивые вареники. These are made by skipping the labor-intensive process of rolling the dough.
- Russian speakers often use the word лень (laziness) as a verb-like excuse. Instead of saying 'I am too lazy to do it', they say мне лень, which literally means 'laziness is to me'.
- The word лени́вый is closely related to the Russian word for a 'sloth' (ленивец), which literally translates to 'the lazy one'.
Examples in context
- Мой коллега – очень ленивый человек.My colleague is a very lazy person.
- Давай, не будь вялым!Come on, don't be lazy!
- Ты такой ленивый! Я делаю всю работу сама.You're so lazy! I do all the work myself.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lazy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
