Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ве́дьма | védʹma | feminine |
| волше́бница | volšébnica | |
| колду́нья | koldúnʹja | feminine |
| чароде́йка | čarodéjka | feminine |
All the terms provided refer to a female person who uses magic, but they vary significantly in tone and the type of magic being described.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the connotation you wish to convey. ве́дьма typically carries a more sinister, folkloric or derogatory connotation, often referring to a person practicing dark magic or witchcraft. In contrast, волше́бница is used for a female magic user in a positive, wondrous or fairytale context, such as a fairy godmother or a magical queen. чароде́йка has a more poetic or literary feel and is often found in fantasy literature to describe someone who weaves spells. Finally, колду́нья is another term for a sorceress.
How does it change in a sentence?
Each of these feminine nouns has its own plural form: ве́дьмы is the plural of ве́дьма, колду́ньи is the plural of колду́нья, волше́бницы is the plural of волше́бница and чароде́йки is the plural of чароде́йка.
How do you pronounce it?
védʹma
Did you know?
- The word ве́дьма is derived from the Old Church Slavonic word for 'to know'. In ancient Slavic culture, a witch was not just a magic user but literally 'the one who knows'.
- In modern Russian slang, calling a woman a ве́дьма can be a compliment describing her as an irresistibly attractive or cunning woman.
- While ве́дьма is the standard word for a witch, the term веду́н was historically used for a male practitioner of traditional folk magic.
Examples in context
- Старая ве́дьма живёт в лесу.Staraya ved'ma zhivyot v lesu.An old witch lives in the forest.
- Эта ве́дьма напугала всех детей.Eta ved'ma napugala vsekh detey.This witch scared all the children.
- В сказке была злая ве́дьма.V skazke byla zlaya ved'ma.There was an evil witch in the fairy tale.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a movie they just watched.
- Александр AleksandrТы видела ту злую ве́дьму в кино?Ty videla tu zluyu ved'mu v kino?Did you see that evil witch in the movie?
- Мария MariaДа, эта ве́дьма была очень страшная.Da, eta ved'ma byla ochen' strashnaya.Yes, that witch was very scary.
- Александр AleksandrМария, она мне даже приснилась!Mariya, ona mne dazhe prisnilas'!Maria, she even appeared in my dream!
- Мария MariaНаверное, она была настоящая колдунья.Navernoye, ona byla nastoyashchaya koldu'nya.Maybe she was a real sorceress.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “witch” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
