лени́вец
lenívecmasculine
The Russian word for the mammal sloth is лени́вец (lenívec).
The word лени́вец is used to refer to the slow-moving mammal.
Meaning: mammal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The form лени́вец is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is lenívec.
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'sloth' is a noun for both the animal and the vice, Russian uses лени́вец strictly for the creature and ле́нь for the state of being lazy.
- While лени́вец refers to the animal, the word ле́нь is also used in Russian to describe the abstract concept of sloth as one of the seven deadly sins.
- In Russian, the word for the animal лени́вец can also be used metaphorically to describe an extremely idle or sluggish person. It carries a slightly more descriptive, almost mocking tone than simply calling someone 'lazy'.
Examples in context
- Я похож на ленивца утром без кофе.I look like a sloth in the morning without coffee.
- У него такой ленивый характер, что его друзья называют его "ленивец".He has such a lazy character that his friends call him "sloth."
Example conversation
Olga and Dmitry are watching a documentary about animals.
- Ольга OlgaСмотри, какой забавный лени́вец!Smotri, kakoy zabavnyy lenivets!Look, what a funny sloth!
- Дмитрий DmitryДа, он почти не двигается.Da, on pochti ne dvigaetsya.Yes, he hardly moves.
- Ольга OlgaОн просто спит на дереве.On prosto spit na dereve.He is just sleeping in the tree.
- Дмитрий DmitryЭто очень спокойное животное.Eto ochen' spokoynoye zhivotnoye.It is a very calm animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sloth” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
