Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| непослу́шный | neposlúšnyj |
| озорно́й | ozornój |
| шаловли́вый | šalovlívyj |
| шкодли́вый | škodlívyj |
In Russian, there are different words for 'naughty' depending on whether the person is being truly disobedient, playful or a troublemaker. You can use these adjectives to describe someone's behavior or use nouns like Шалун (Shalun) to describe a charmingly mischievous person, or Задира (Zadira) for a provocateur or troublemaker.
What does it mean word for word?
The word непослу́шный is built from the prefix не- meaning 'not' and the root послушный meaning 'obedient'.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the nuance of the behavior: непослу́шный is the most common way to describe a child who refuses to follow rules or instructions. Озорно́й implies a more playful, harmless kind of naughtiness, similar to a prankster. Шаловли́вый is often used for children who are restless or prone to silly, slightly disruptive behavior. Шкодли́вый can also be used in this context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective непослу́шный changes based on gender and number: the feminine form is непослу́шная and the plural form is непослу́шные.
How do you pronounce it?
neposlúšnyj
Did you know?
- Calling an adult непослу́шный can sound infantilizing, as if the speaker is treating the adult like a small child who cannot follow simple instructions.
- The adjective шкодли́вый is rarely used for people because it is typically reserved for things that cause actual damage, such as 'harmful' smoke or 'dangerous' bacteria.
- The word послу́шный (obedient) is directly related to the verb слу́шать, which means 'to listen'. To be 'naughty' in a literal sense is to be someone who does not 'listen'.
Examples in context
- Малыш, ты сегодня настоящий шалун!Little one, you are a real troublemaker today!
- Он – настоящий задира, всегда подшучивает над коллегами.He is a real troublemaker, always teasing his colleagues.
- Этот непослу́шный ребёнок совсем не слушается.Etot neposlushnyy rebyonok sovsem ne slushayetsya.This naughty child does not listen at all.
- Твой непослу́шный кот опять разбил вазу.Tvoy neposlushnyy kot opyat' razbil vazu.Your naughty cat broke the vase again.
- Нам не нужен этот непослу́шный мальчик.Nam ne nuzhen etot neposlushnyy mal'chik.We do not need this naughty boy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “naughty” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
