щекота́ть
ščekotátʹimperfective
To tickle in Russian is щекота́ть (ščekotátʹ). Wiktionary also lists пощекота́ть (poščekotátʹ).
Meaning: to touch in a manner that causes tingling sensation (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| щекота́ть | ščekotátʹ | imperfective |
| пощекота́ть | poščekotátʹ | perfective |
The verb means to touch in a manner that causes tingling sensation.
Which one should you use?
The default form щекота́ть is imperfective and describes the ongoing process of tickling or a habitual action. In contrast, пощекота́ть is perfective and specifically implies tickling someone for a short duration or a single instance.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun щеко́тка refers to the sensation of being tickled or the quality of being ticklish.
How do you pronounce it?
ščekotátʹ
Did you know?
- If you want to say someone is 'ticklish', you would use the adjective щекотливый, which can also be used to describe a 'ticklish' or delicate subject in a conversation.
- In Russian literature, describing a character as having щекотливое положение (a ticklish position) is a common way to describe a person in a precarious or awkward situation.
- When someone is ticklish, Russians often say they 'have' щеко́тка, treating the trait like a physical possession or a condition rather than an adjective.
Examples in context
- Пожалуйста, не щекочите меняPlease, don't tickle me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tickle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
