Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| близне́ц | bliznéc | masculine |
| близня́шка | bliznjáška | colloquial, feminine, masculine |
| дво́йня | dvójnja | feminine |
| близня́та | bliznjáta | collective, colloquial, neuter, plural |
The term is used to describe either of two people who shared the same uterus or two very similar objects. To specify the type of twins, you can use однояйцевые близнецы for identical (monozygotic) twins or разнояйцевые близнецы for fraternal twins. If you wish to speak of a "twin bond", you say связь близнецов. When referring to specific genders, use брат-близнец for a twin brother and сестра-близнец for a twin sister.
Which one should you use?
Russian uses different words depending on whether you are focusing on the individuals or the biological event. Use близнецы when referring to the people themselves. In contrast, дво́йня refers to the pair as a single unit or the biological event (for example, when saying "She gave birth to twins"). For a more affectionate, collective way to refer to the pair, you can use the colloquial term близня́та.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard term is близне́ц. For a more endearing or casual tone, especially when talking about children, you can use the diminutive близня́шка.
How does it change in a sentence?
The standard masculine singular form is близне́ц, and its standard plural form is близнецы. The term близня́та functions as a collective neuter plural.
How do you pronounce it?
bliznéc
Did you know?
- The word близне́ц shares the same root as the Russian word for 'near' or 'close', rather than a word for 'two'.
- To describe identical twins, Russians use the term однояйцевые близнецы, which literally translates to 'one-egg twins'.
- In Russian, the collective term близня́та uses a neuter plural ending, even if the twins are two boys or two girls.
Examples in context
- Мои родители воспитывали двух разнояйцевых близнецов – мальчика и девочку.My parents raised two fraternal twins – a boy and a girl.
- Общественность всегда интересовала связь близнецов и их способность понимать друг друга без слов.The public has always been fascinated by the twin bond and their ability to understand each other without words.
- В нашем городе каждый год проводят День близнецов. Множество одинаково одетых двойняшек собираются на площади, чтобы отметить этот праздник.In our town, Twins' Day is celebrated every year. Numerous identically dressed twins gather in the square to celebrate this holiday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twin” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
