Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| избало́ванный | izbalóvannyj |
| бало́ванный | balóvannyj |
| распу́щенный | raspúščennyj |
The term is used to describe someone who has developed a selfish or greedy personality because they have been overindulged or pampered.
What does it mean word for word?
The word избало́ванный is derived from the verb бало́вать, which means to pamper or to indulge.
Which one should you use?
While избало́ванный specifically implies a person is spoiled because they were overindulged or pampered, распу́щенный describes someone who is 'spoiled' in the sense of being undisciplined, loose or lacking moral restraint. Additionally, бало́ванный is a related form for being spoiled or pampered.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. Use избало́ванная for a feminine subject like a girl (девочка), and use the plural form избало́ванные when describing multiple people or a group of children.
How do you pronounce it?
izbalóvannyj
Did you know?
- The word распу́щенный shares a root with the verb for 'untying' or 'letting down' hair, implying that the person's moral restraint has been 'untied'.
- While English speakers use 'spoiled' for both food and people, Russians use entirely different words. You would never call a piece of bread избало́ванный if it went bad.
- While избало́ванный describes a spoiled person, the root балу́яться can be used playfully by parents to describe a child who is just 'fooling around' or acting silly without being greedy.
Examples in context
- Этот продукт испорченный.This product is spoiled.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spoiled” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
