Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| злоде́й | zlodéj | masculine |
| негодя́й | negodjáj | masculine |
| мерза́вец | merzávec | masculine |
| подле́ц | podléc | masculine |
| лиходе́й | lixodéj | dated, masculine |
In Russian, the word you choose depends on whether you are discussing a character in a story or a person in real life.
Which one should you use?
The term злоде́й is typically used for a villain in a story, movie or myth. In contrast, the other terms are used for actual people behaving badly. If you want to describe someone of low character or someone who has acted dishonorably in real life, use негодя́й. For a stronger, more insulting term used in anger, use мерза́вец. The word подле́ц is used when you want to emphasize the contemptible or low nature of a person's actions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term лиходе́й is a dated word that sounds more literary or archaic, similar to 'knave' or 'rogue' in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun мерза́вец changes its ending to мерза́вца when it is the direct object of a verb. Similarly, the word негодя́й changes its ending to негодя́я in the accusative case.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is zlodéj.
Did you know?
- In Russian folklore and fairy tales, the 'villain' is often not a human but a supernatural entity like Баба Яга, yet she is rarely called a злоде́й because her role is complex.
- The word подле́ц is derived from подлый, which originally meant 'low-born' or 'of humble origin' before it came to mean 'base' or 'dishonorable'.
- Russian has a specific concept of подлость which describes a 'low' kind of betrayal that is considered far more disgusting than a grand, open act of villainy.
Examples in context
- В романе, главный злодей хитроумно плетет интриги.In the novel, the main villain cunningly weaves intrigues.
- Эта история полна жестокости и злодеев.This story is full of cruelty and villains.
- Маленький мальчик играет роль злодюги в школьной постановке.The little boy is playing the role of a villain in the school play.
- Он известен своими высокомерными действиями и стал настоящим подлецом.He is known for his arrogant actions and has become a real villain.
- Этот злоде́й разрушил мой план.Etot zlodey razrushil moy plan.This scoundrel ruined my plan.
- Он настоящий злоде́й в этой истории.On nastoyashchiy zlodey v etoy istorii.He is a real scoundrel in this story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “villain” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
