Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| то́лстый | tólstyj | |
| по́лный | pólnyj | |
| ту́чный | túčnyj | |
| жи́рный | žírnyj | impolite |
These terms are used to describe someone who is extremely overweight.
Which one should you use?
The different forms convey different levels of politeness and context. по́лный is a euphemism used to describe someone as 'full-figured' or 'plump' to avoid being offensive. ту́чный is a formal or medical term used to describe obesity or a corpulent build. то́лстый is the most common, direct way to say 'fat' and can range from a neutral description to a blunt or slightly rude one depending on context. Finally, жи́рный translates as 'fat' or 'fatty' and is used as an insult.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite approach, use по́лный. For formal or medical contexts, use ту́чный. The word то́лстый is neutral to informal. Avoid using жи́рный, as it is an informal and highly offensive way to describe a person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective то́лстый changes its ending based on the gender and number of the subject: use толста́я when describing a female subject, and use толсты́е when describing multiple people or objects.
Did you know?
- The word жи́рный, used as an insult for people, is a positive and desirable quality when describing food, meaning 'juicy' or 'rich'.
- While то́лстый is the standard word for a 'fat' person, it is also the primary word used to describe a 'thick' book or a 'thick' piece of rope.
- The word по́лный shares its root with the word for 'full'. In some contexts, it can describe a 'full' moon or a 'full' glass of water.
Examples in context
- Она всегда борется с полнотой.She always struggles with being overweight.
- У него лишний вес.He's overweight.
- Этот кот очень то́лстый.Etot kot ochen' tolstyy.This cat is very fat.
Example conversation
Dmitry and Maria are discussing a character in a book.
- Дмитрий DmitryЭтот персонаж в книге слишком то́лстый?Etot personazh v knige slishkom tolstyy?Is this character in the book too fat?
- Мария MariaДа, он очень то́лстый мужчина.Da, on ochen' tolstyy muzhchina.Yes, he is a very fat man.
- Дмитрий DmitryЭто выглядит нелепо.Eto vyglyadit nelepo.It looks ridiculous.
- Мария MariaПросто это описание в тексте.Prosto eto opisaniye v tekste.It is just the description in the text.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “obese” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
