суеве́рие
sujevérijeneuter
The English phrase superstition is суеве́рие (sujevérije) in Russian. If unsure, use суеве́рие. Wiktionary also lists пристра́стие (pristrástije) and предрассу́док (predrassúdok).
Meaning: a belief considered irrational, unfounded, or guided by fear and ignorance (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| суеве́рие | sujevérije | neuter |
| пристра́стие | pristrástije | neuter |
| предрассу́док | predrassúdok | masculine |
| пове́рье | povérʹje | neuter |
The word суеве́рие refers to a belief that is considered irrational, unfounded or guided by fear and ignorance.
What does it mean word for word?
The word суеве́рие is literally vain belief, derived from the root суе- meaning vain or empty and -ве́рие meaning belief or faith.
Which one should you use?
While суеве́рие refers specifically to irrational beliefs (superstitions), the word предрассу́док is often used to mean a prejudice or a preconceived bias against a person or group.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the neuter noun суеве́рие is суеве́рия.
How do you pronounce it?
sujevérije
Did you know?
- In Russian culture, whistling indoors is considered a суеве́рие that will lead to the household losing all its money.
- In Russia, it is a common суеве́рие to never shake hands across a threshold, as this is believed to bring bad luck or cause a fight.
- Many Russian superstitions involve the word нельзя (it is forbidden/not allowed) rather than just 'should not'. To say someone is superstitious, you might describe them as someone who follows many нельзя rules.
Example sentences for Russian are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “superstition” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
