Russian · Insults
Сволочь!
svoloch'
SVOH-lahch · /ˈsvolət͡ɕ/
Bastard / swine / scum
3/5 Watch your audience
genuinely rude; friends only, never at work
Literally
"Something dragged together / riffraff"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
A satisfying, growly word for a genuinely rotten person — the villain in a novel is a "svoloch'." Works singular for one bastard or as a mass noun for a whole contemptible crowd. Real insult, but printable; no mat here.
Heard in the wild
Эта сволочь обманула стариков.
That bastard swindled the old folks.
Where it lands
Russia (universal)
Quick answers
- What does "Сволочь!" mean?
- In Russian, "Сволочь!" means "Bastard / swine / scum". Literally it's "Something dragged together / riffraff". A satisfying, growly word for a genuinely rotten person — the villain in a novel is a "svoloch'." Works singular for one bastard or as a mass noun for a whole contemptible crowd. Real insult, but printable; no mat here.
- Is "Сволочь!" offensive?
- It's genuinely rude — a 3/5 (Watch your audience) on the Punch-o-Meter. Fine among friends, never at work or with people you've just met.
- How do you pronounce "Сволочь!"?
- Say it "SVOH-lahch" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈsvolət͡ɕ.
Related in Russian
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