сын
syn[sɨn]masculine
The English word "son" is translated into Russian as сын (syn). Wiktionary also lists сыно́к (synók).
Meaning: a male person in relation to his parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| сын | syn | [sɨn] (narrow) | masculine |
| сыно́к | synók | masculine |
The term refers to a male person in relation to his parents.
Which one should you use?
The diminutive form сыно́к is used to express affection or endearment, similar to saying "sonny" or "dear son" in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word сын changes to сына when it is used as a direct object or follows certain prepositions, such as нет (no/none).
How do you pronounce it?
syn
Did you know?
- Russian has a specific term единственный сын for an only son, but the phrase сын-маменькин refers to a 'mamma's boy' in a derogatory way.
- The Russian word сын shares a very ancient ancestor with the English word 'son', both descending from the Proto-Indo-European root *suHnús.
- In Russian culture, it is common for a mother to call her adult сын by the diminutive сыно́к, even if he is a grown man and a father himself.
Examples in context
- Я не ваш сын.I'm not your son.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of сын in a negative statement.Tatoeba #2906763 by marafon, translation #1943921 by Spamster
- Я не твой сын.I am not your son.This sentence shows the use of сын with the informal second-person pronoun.Tatoeba #2906762 by marafon, translation #2906750 by Hybrid
- Том – ваш сын?Is Tom your son?This sentence demonstrates how to ask a question using сын.Tatoeba #4795214 by marafon, translation #4397621 by CK
- Мы должны всегда поддерживать наших детей, дочь или сына.We should always support our children, be it a daughter or a son.
- Как дела, сынок?How are you, son?
- 1525 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anastasia and Sergey are discussing their son at home.
- Анастасия AnastasiaНаш сын уже вырос.Nash syn uzhe vyros.Our son has already grown up.
- Сергей SergeyДа, мой сын стал взрослым мужчиной.Da, moy syn stal vzroslym muzhchinoy.Yes, my son has become a grown man.
- Анастасия AnastasiaСергей, ты гордишься им?Sergey, ty gordish'sya im?Sergey, are you proud of him?
- Сергей SergeyКонечно, я очень люблю своего сына.Konechno, ya ochen' lyublyu svoyego syna.Of course, I love my son very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son” translations and entries сын, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries сын, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
