воню́чий
vonjúčij
The English phrase 'stinky' is expressed in Russian using the adjective воню́чий (vonjúčij). Wiktionary also lists злово́нный (zlovónnyj).
Meaning: having a strong, unpleasant smell (adj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| воню́чий | vonjúčij |
| злово́нный | zlovónnyj |
Both воню́чий and злово́нный are used to describe something having a strong, unpleasant smell.
Which one should you use?
воню́чий is the common, everyday word for 'stinky' and can be used offensively or colloquially. In contrast, злово́нный is a more formal, literary or poetic term for a bad smell, often used in writing rather than speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective воню́чий changes its ending to воню́чая when describing a feminine noun like 'fish' (рыба), воню́чее when describing a neuter noun like 'egg' (яйцо) and воню́чие when describing plural nouns. вонь is the noun form of the adjective, referring to the actual smell itself.
How do you pronounce it?
vonjúčij
Did you know?
- The noun вонь can be used metaphorically in Russian to describe a 'stinking' or corrupt political situation or a scandal. It implies that the atmosphere of a certain event or institution is morally offensive.
- While воню́чий describes a bad smell, Russian has a separate, dedicated word ду́шный for 'stuffy' air. English speakers often confuse these, but ду́шный describes a lack of oxygen rather than a foul odor.
- While воню́чий is a common adjective, calling a person воню́чка turns the word into a diminutive noun. This can be used as a teasing or slightly rude nickname for someone, rather than just a literal description of their scent.
Examples in context
- В подвале был зловонный запах.There was a foul odor in the basement.
- Этот воню́чий сыр совсем невку́сный.Etot vonyuchiy syr sovsem nevkusnyy.This stinky cheese is not tasty at all.
- Уберите этот воню́чий мусор.Uberite etot vonyuchiy musor.Take away this stinky trash.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stinky” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
