крича́ть
kričátʹ
The Russian verb for 'to scream' is крича́ть (kričátʹ).
The verb крича́ть is used to describe the general act of screaming or shouting. Related to this, the noun крик is the most common way to refer to the sound of a scream or a shout.
Meaning: to make the sound of a scream (verb)
Which one should you use?
While крича́ть is a general term for shouting or screaming, визжать is used specifically for high-pitched, piercing screams, such as those made by a child or a person in terror. The colloquial verb вопить is used for yelling or bawling and often implies a loud, repetitive or annoying way of making sound.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb крича́ть is imperfective and is used to describe an ongoing process or a habit. If you want to refer to a single, completed act of screaming, use the perfective aspect крикнуть.
How do you pronounce it?
kričátʹ
Did you know?
- While визжать describes a piercing scream, it is also the specific verb used for the sound a pig makes in Russian.
- Russian has the word крикливый to describe a person who is naturally loud or a color that is 'loud' and gaudy.
- The noun крик can be used in the phrase крик души, which translates to 'a cry of the soul', referring to a heartfelt, desperate plea or an honest confession.
Examples in context
- Учитель кричал на учеников из-за шума в классе.The teacher was screaming at the students because of the noise in the classroom.
- Воспитатель вопил от боли, когда его ногу ужалила оса.The caregiver screamed in pain when he was stung by a wasp on his leg.
- Мы орали от смеха, слушая его шутку.We screamed with laughter while listening to his joke.
- Дети визжали от радости, когда увидели снежных барсов в зоопарке.The children screamed with joy when they saw the snow leopards at the zoo.
- Она вопит во всю мочь, когда ей страшно.She screams at full power when she is scared.
- Дети начали громко крича́ть.Deti nachali gromko krichat'.The children started to scream loudly.
- Не надо так сильно крича́ть!Ne nado tak sil'no krichat'!Don't scream so loudly!
- Она стала крича́ть от страха.Ona stala krichat' ot strakha.She started to scream from fear.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scream” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
