Dictionary of Russian Pyccknn Slang: Caeht & Colloquial Expressions

by Vladimir Shlyakhov, Eve Adler, Vladimir Shlykhov

Release Date: October, 1999

Edition: Paperback

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Words and expressions you won't learn in Russian class.

This book contains a lot of vulgar and profane words and expressions. If this is want you want, then this is the book for you. It not only contains translations but also gives examples. But be aware that the book is Russian-English only. Therefore finding the Russian equivalent to an English word is rather troublesome. But one nice feature of this book is the fact that it tells you in which circles words are used.(youth, military, criminal, etc.)

If It's Slang You Want, This Book Has It

From innocuous idiomatic expressions to vulgar profanities, this book provides a wide range of vocabulary that you won't find in Russian dictionaries. A quick caveat, however: If you aren't absolutely sure how to use the slang without inadvertently offending people, double-check with a native Russian speaker before you try some of these phrases out, because this book doesn't always give you an accurate description of the level of offensiveness of the words here listed. For example, the Russian word "blin" and the Russian equivalent of the "S" word are both described as being "rude". Yet the word "blin" is quite insipid, much like the English words "shucks" or "darn", whereas the other word is very offensive.

Although this book is a reasonably well-compiled reference, I personally have found little need to study slang in depth because I just don't hear it very often, and I have no need to use it. If you find the profanities offensive and want a book without the garbage, I recommend you buy "2001 Russian and English Idioms" by Agnes Arany-Makkai.