Animals in Russian: 20 Words With Audio
Animals are a favorite first vocabulary set for a reason: the words are concrete, easy to picture and fun to drill. These 20 common Russian animal names come with transliteration, meaning and audio.
Practice deck
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Word reference
| Russian | Translit. | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| животное | zhivótnoye | animal | |
| собака | sobáka | dog | |
| кошка | kóshka | cat | |
| лошадь | lóshad | horse | |
| корова | koróva | cow | |
| свинья | svinyá | pig | |
| овца | ovtsá | sheep | |
| коза | kozá | goat | |
| курица | kúritsa | chicken / hen | |
| птица | ptítsa | bird | |
| рыба | rýba | fish | |
| мышь | mysh | mouse | |
| медведь | medvéd | bear | |
| волк | volk | wolf | |
| лиса | lisá | fox | |
| заяц | záyats | hare / rabbit | |
| лев | lev | lion | |
| слон | slon | elephant | |
| обезьяна | obezyána | monkey | |
| змея | zmeyá | snake |
Example sentences
У меня есть собака и кошка.
U menyá yest sobáka i kóshka.
I have a dog and a cat.
Медведь живёт в лесу.
Medvéd zhivyót v lesú.
The bear lives in the forest.
Птица поёт утром.
Ptítsa poyót útrom.
The bird sings in the morning.
FAQ
What is the Russian word for dog?
Dog is собака (sobáka), a feminine noun. Cat is кошка (kóshka). Both are among the first nouns most learners pick up.
How do you say bear in Russian?
Bear is медведь (medvéd), a masculine noun and a cultural icon in Russia. The little bear cub, медвежонок, is a common term of endearment.
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