Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| лгать | lgatʹ | [ɫɡatʲ] (narrow) | |
| врать | vratʹ | [vratʲ] (narrow) | |
| бреха́ть | brexátʹ | colloquial |
All forms refer to the act of telling an intentional untruth. For a formal noun meaning 'deception', you can use Обман. Related nouns include ложь, непра́вда and враньё, which all describe an intentionally false statement.
Which one should you use?
лгать is the formal and literary form. врать is the most common, neutral and everyday way to express 'to lie' in spoken language. бреха́ть is a more coarse, colloquial and sometimes vulgar way to say 'to lie' or 'to bullsh*t'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
лгать is used in formal or literary contexts. врать is a neutral, everyday term suitable for most spoken situations. бреха́ть is colloquial and carries a coarser tone.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun враньё is used to describe a collection of lies or a situation involving lying, such as in the phrase 'какое враньё!' (what a load of lies!).
How do you pronounce it?
lgatʹ
Did you know?
- The verb бреха́ть is so coarse that it is often used to describe the barking of a dog, making it a very insulting way to call someone a liar.
- The English word 'lie' and the Russian verb лгать are actually distant relatives, both tracing back to the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to tell a lie'.
- In Russian culture, calling someone a врун (a liar) can sometimes be used affectionately or teasingly between friends, similar to calling someone a 'storyteller'.
Examples in context
- Я не могу лгать.I can't tell a lie.This sentence demonstrates the use of лгать.Tatoeba #4292646 by odexed, translation #3722406 by CM
- Я не хочу лгать.I don't want to lie.Tatoeba #4409555 by Selena777, translation #3823046 by CK
- Я не могу врать.I can't lie.This sentence demonstrates the use of врать.Tatoeba #5276768 by marafon, translation #4458556 by fekundulo
- Не верь его словам, это обман.Don't believe his words, it's a deception.
- Не стоит мне врать.There's no need to lie to me.
- 262 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anastasia and Andrey are discussing a secret.
- Анастасия AnastasiaТы зачем решил лгать своему отцу?Ty zachem reshil lgat' svoemu ottsu?Why did you decide to lie to your father?
- Андрей AndreyЯ просто боялся его реакции.Ya prosto boyalsya yego reaktsii.I was just afraid of his reaction.
- Анастасия AnastasiaЛучше сказать правду, чем лгать.Luchshe skazat' pravdu, chem lgat'.It is better to tell the truth than to lie.
- Андрей AndreyТы права, Анастасия. Я всё расскажу.Ty prava, Anastasiya. Ya vsyo rasskazhu.You are right, Anastasia. I will tell him everything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lie” translations and entries лгать, врать, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries врать, лгать, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
