пельме́ни
pelʹménimasculine, plural, usually
пельме́ни (pelʹméni) is the Russian word for pelmeni (Russian dumplings). Wiktionary also lists пельме́нь (pelʹménʹ).
Meaning: Russian dumplings (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| пельме́ни | pelʹméni | masculine, plural, usually |
| пельме́нь | pelʹménʹ | masculine |
The word is used to refer to the dish itself, whether homemade or store-bought.
Which one should you use?
The masculine singular form is пельме́нь, but the plural form пельме́ни is the standard way to refer to the dish, even when referring to a single serving.
How does it change in a sentence?
While пельме́нь is the singular masculine form, the plural form пельме́ни is usually the preferred way to name the dish.
How do you pronounce it?
pelʹméni
Did you know?
- Russian culture has a tradition of 'lucky' пельмени. When making a batch, one dumpling is filled with a surprise like a peppercorn, a coin or a piece of garlic to bring the person who finds it good luck.
- The word пельмени is not originally Russian but was borrowed from the Finno-Ugric languages of the Ural region. It likely comes from the words for 'bread' and 'ear', describing the shape of the dumpling.
- In Siberia, пельмени were traditionally made in massive batches during winter and stored outdoors in the snow. This acted as a natural freezer, preserving the dough and meat until spring.
Examples in context
- Давай возьмём пельмени!Let's grab some pelmeni!
- Я люблю пельме́ни со сметаной.Ya lyublyu pel'meni so smetanoy.I love pelmeni with sour cream.
- В этом магазине продаются вкусные пельме́ни.V etom magazine prodayutsya vkusnye pel'meni.This shop sells delicious pelmeni.
- Мама сегодня приготовила пельме́ни.Mama segodnya prigotovila pel'meni.Mom cooked pelmeni today.
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to eat for dinner in their kitchen.
- Ольга OlgaДмитрий, ты хочешь пельме́ни на ужин?Dmitriy, ty khochesh' pel'meni na uzhin?Dmitry, do you want pelmeni for dinner?
- Дмитрий DmitryДа, это отличная идея.Da, eto otlichnaya ideya.Yes, that is a great idea.
- Ольга OlgaТогда я сейчас их сварю.Togda ya seychas ikh svaru.Then I will boil them now.
- Дмитрий DmitryЯ помогу тебе с посудой.Ya pomogu tebe s posudoy.I will help you with the dishes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pelmeni” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
