инде́йка
indéjkafeminine
The English word turkey translates to Russian as инде́йка (indéjka). Wiktionary also lists индю́к (indjúk) and индю́шка (indjúška).
Meaning: bird in the genus Meleagris (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| инде́йка | indéjka | feminine |
| индю́к | indjúk | masculine |
| индю́шка | indjúška | colloquial, feminine |
The Russian terms for the bird in the genus Meleagris depend on the gender of the bird or whether you are discussing meat. Note that the name of the country Turkey is a separate word, Ту́рция, which is not etymologically related to the bird.
Which one should you use?
The masculine form индю́к refers specifically to a male turkey. The feminine form инде́йка is used for a female turkey or to refer to turkey meat in a culinary context. The form индю́шка is a colloquial way to refer to a female turkey.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
индю́шка is a colloquial term for a female turkey.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is индю́к and the feminine forms are инде́йка and индю́шка.
How do you pronounce it?
indéjka
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the word for the bird when you want to refer to the country Turkey. Instead, use the proper noun Ту́рция.
Did you know?
- Because the word индю́к sounds similar to the word for 'Indian' in older Russian contexts, it reflects the historical belief that turkeys came from India.
- Calling a man an индю́к is a common way to describe someone as vain, pompous or foolishly proud.
- The diminutive индю́шка can be used to express affection or tenderness, which is a common feature of Russian where adding a suffix changes the emotional tone of the noun.
Examples in context
- Я мечтаю посетить Турцию летом.I dream of visiting Turkey in summer.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “turkey” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
