молоде́ц!
molodéc!
In Russian, "well done" can be expressed as молоде́ц! (molodéc!) Wiktionary also lists бра́во! (brávo!) and так держа́ть (tak deržátʹ).
Meaning: exclamation of praise (intj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| молоде́ц! | molodéc! |
| бра́во! | brávo! |
| так держа́ть | tak deržátʹ |
The phrase is used as an exclamation of praise. While молоде́ц praises the individual, так держа́ть is specifically used to encourage someone to continue performing at their current high level, similar to "keep it up".
Which one should you use?
молоде́ц is used to praise a person's character or a specific achievement, whereas бра́во! is used specifically to applaud a performance or an artistic feat. Additionally, великолепно сделано can be used to convey the meaning of "great job" or "magnificently done".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form молоде́ц is used specifically when praising a male.
How do you pronounce it?
molodéc!
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use молоде́ц to describe food that is well-cooked. Instead, use по́лностью прожа́ренный.
Did you know?
- The word молоде́ц shares an ancient root with the word 'milk', as it originally referred to a 'young, vigorous, and healthy' person, often used in folk songs to describe brave warriors.
- In a formal workplace, using молоде́ц to praise a superior might be seen as too condescending, as the term implies a person in a higher position is praising a subordinate.
- If you call a person a молоде́ц with a sarcastic tone, it can be used as a subtle insult to imply they have done something foolish or clumsy.
Examples in context
- Отличная работа по выполнению этого проекта!Excellent work on completing this project!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “well done” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
