# Russian Translation Help, Please! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649 "2013-10-08T03:45:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OldnCrinkly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OldnCrinkly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldnCrinkly)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/1 "2013-10-08T03:45:08Z")
I was reminded of an unpleasant coincidence the other day. I met a young woman, who was from Russia. Well, she seemed nice and friendly, so before I left I gave her my phone number and wrote out my last name for the facebook. The problem is, my last name is some word in Russian that is not good. So, its awkward. But the worst thing is that I don’t know exactly what it means. I don’t want to put my last name here, but if you can understand Russian well, especially insults, can I PM you? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/2 "2013-10-08T03:48:09Z")
I’m pretty rusty, but I’ll look if you want. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/3 "2013-10-08T04:05:09Z")
You could try Google Translate. ---
**Author:** ![OldnCrinkly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OldnCrinkly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldnCrinkly)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/4 "2013-10-08T04:17:20Z")
I did not think of that, SDT. I did just try it though. It did not work, I guess because my name is not a word in English? Levdrakon, not familiar? I don’t think it would be, f’rinstance, a vocabulary word. I think maybe its something kind of vulgar? If someone can tell me, I’ll post it. Even if its really bad 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/5 "2013-10-08T04:21:38Z")
PM me ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/6 "2013-10-08T04:22:19Z")
I answered your pm. It’s not that bad. More amusing than anything. It’s a bit like cow or mutherfucker, depending on how you mean it. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/7 "2013-10-08T04:26:55Z")
> [@OldnCrinkly](#): > > I did not think of that, SDT. I did just try it though. It did not work, I guess because my name is not a word in English? Oh, hmm, I guess it wouldn’t work if the spelling from Russian to English isn’t just right, or maybe not at all if it’s not typed in Russian. I checked with German to see if it would translate a swear word and it does. Now I’m really curious! I suppose if no one can get it through PM, you could try different words in English to Russian and press the sound button to see if any of them sound like your name - the English approximation of spelling is under the box in grey. Or put in your name and see if it can “detect language” with the English spelling. ---
**Author:** ![OldnCrinkly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OldnCrinkly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldnCrinkly)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/8 "2013-10-08T04:29:55Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I answered your pm. It’s not that bad. More amusing than anything. It’s a bit like cow or mutherfucker, depending on how you mean it. Well, sure, cow is maybe not so bad, but motherfucker?😛 ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/9 "2013-10-08T04:35:36Z")
> [@OldnCrinkly](#): > > Well, sure, cow is maybe not so bad, but motherfucker?😛 Levdrakon exaggerates a bit. It’s a lot less harsh than that. More like calling someone a “filthy animal”. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/10 "2013-10-08T04:43:10Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Levdrakon exaggerates a bit. It’s a lot less harsh than that. More like calling someone a “filthy animal”. Yeah, I don’t have personal experience with the word, thank goodness, but it would be like saying "pick your clothes off the floor, motherfucker (pig, animal, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![OldnCrinkly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OldnCrinkly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldnCrinkly)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/11 "2013-10-08T04:47:35Z")
Thank you, Terr! I don’t think Levdrakon is exaggerating, but he sent me a link to, I think, a Russian dictionary. It also has _ **scumbag, dork, and cad** _ listed as definitions. No wonder this girls face went all funny! “My name is A. (filthy animal), nice to meet you!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/12 "2013-10-08T04:54:01Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yeah, I don’t have personal experience with the word, thank goodness, but it would be like saying "pick your clothes off the floor, motherfucker (pig, animal, etc.) LOL, well, back when I was young, “motherf\*r” was a stronger word than it is today, I guess. Today it seems like it is used in place of “pal” or “buddy”. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/13 "2013-10-08T05:01:47Z")
Those Russians have potty-mouths. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![OldnCrinkly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OldnCrinkly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldnCrinkly)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/14 "2013-10-08T05:06:22Z")
**Terr’s Reply** When used as a “swear word” it is also “beast” but in a pejorative sense. As in low-class person, violent, someone not to be trusted. It’s not a hard swear word. But not a nice thing to call someone. You probably have some Slavic roots, thus the name - the “bad” meaning is more recent than the neutral one. Thank you, Terr. I have faith in your interpretation. Is it okay with you if I share your last two paragraphs? I don’t think I have any Slavic roots, this name is from my Italian immigrant family. I hope if my family was Slavic their name wouldn’t mean low-class, violent, and not to be trusted! ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/15 "2013-10-09T05:15:45Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Those Russians have potty-mouths. 🙂 The Russians? \*\*OldNCrinkly’s \*\*the one going around with a filthy last name! ---
**Author:** ![Rowland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@Rowland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rowland)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-translation-help-please/670649/16 "2013-10-09T18:03:43Z")
I would not worry about that thing, Russians have quite good sense of humor, you should also take is easily.