винто́вка
vintóvkafeminine
The Russian word for rifle can be expressed in several ways depending on the context. The default form is винто́вка (vintóvka). Wiktionary also lists ружьё (ružʹjó) and караби́н (karabín).
Meaning: firearm with a rifled barrel (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ружьё | ružʹjó | [rʊʐˈjɵ] (narrow) | neuter |
| винто́вка | vintóvka | feminine | |
| караби́н | karabín | masculine |
The term for rifle changes based on whether you are discussing military equipment, hunting or a specific type of firearm. General firearms or shotguns are typically called ружьё, while винто́вка refers specifically to a military-style rifle.
Which one should you use?
Use ружьё when referring to a general gun or a hunting rifle/shotgun. Use винто́вка when specifically discussing a military rifle. If the weapon is a carbine, a shorter and lighter version of a rifle, use the term караби́н.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of ружьё is ру́жья.
How do you pronounce it?
vintóvka
Did you know?
- While винто́вка means 'rifle', its root винт means 'screw'. The word literally describes the 'screwed' or helical rifling inside the barrel.
- In Russian folklore and fairy tales, the word ружьё is often used to describe any primitive firearm, even if it does not fit the modern technical definition of a rifle.
- In historical contexts, the term ружьё could refer to early matchlock or flintlock muskets, which lack the rifling that defines a modern винто́вка.
Examples in context
- Он чистит своё ружьё.He's cleaning his rifle.This sentence is useful for describing the action of cleaning a ружьё.Tatoeba #4616660 by Selena777, translation #2210681 by Hybrid
- Убей того медведя ружьём.Kill that bear with a rifle.This sentence shows how to use ружьё as an instrument to kill a bear.Tatoeba #2357984 by Balamax, translation #1762180 by Amastan
- Том направил ружьё на Мэри.Tom pointed his rifle on Mary.This sentence demonstrates the use of ружьё when pointing a weapon at someone.Tatoeba #11585278 by soweli_Elepanto, translation #3928083 by Amastan
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rifle” translations and entries ружьё, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
