Animals

1. Собака

   So-ba-ka

   Dog

   Usage

   Everywhere, town or country. "Ostorozhno, zlaya sobaka" is the standard beware-of-the-dog sign

2. Кошка

   Kosh-ka

   Cat

   Usage

   This is the female; a tomcat is "kot", the form you see on cat-café signs

3. Птица

   Pti-tsa

   Bird

   Usage

   The general word, useful when talking about feeding birds in a park

4. Рыба

   Ry-ba

   Fish

   Usage

   The same word for the animal and the food; it labels the fish counter at a market

5. Лошадь

   Lo-shad'

   Horse

   Usage

   Seen at tourist stables and carriage rides; a foal is "zherebyonok"

6. Корова

   Ko-ro-va

   Cow

   Usage

   Herds still cross rural roads. Milk is "moloko"

7. Свинья

   Svi-n'ya

   Pig

   Usage

   The live animal; pork on a menu is "svinina"

8. Курица

   Ku-ri-tsa

   Chicken

   Usage

   Also the meat — on a menu "kuritsa" means the chicken dish

9. Утка

   Ut-ka

   Duck

   Usage

   Common on park ponds, and also a dish name

10. Коза

    Ko-za

    Goat

    Usage

    Goat; goat-milk cheese is "syr iz kozego moloka"

11. Лиса

    Li-sa

    Fox

    Usage

    Seen in forests and on town edges, and a stock character in Russian folk tales

12. Бурый медведь

    Bu-ryy med-ved'

    Brown bear

    Usage

    A real presence in Russian forests — trail warnings in Kamchatka and Siberia always mention it

13. Волк

    Volk

    Wolf

    Usage

    Lives in forest regions and can come near villages in winter

14. Ёж

    Yozh

    Hedgehog

    Usage

    A familiar garden and park animal, and a staple of children stories

15. Кабан

    Ka-ban

    Wild boar

    Usage

    One of the animals to watch for on forest hikes, most active at dawn and dusk

16. Олень

    O-len'

    Deer

    Usage

    Seen in forests and parks; the reindeer of the north is "severnyy olen"

17. Лось

    Los'

    Elk (moose)

    Usage

    The moose. Collisions are common up north, and it appears on road warning signs

18. Белка

    Bel-ka

    Squirrel

    Usage

    Comes within arm reach in city parks, though some parks ban feeding

19. Заяц

    Za-yats

    Hare

    Usage

    Seen at field edges; colloquially it also means a passenger riding without a ticket

20. Мышь

    Mysh'

    Mouse

    Usage

    Can come up about lodgings; it is also the computer mouse

21. Летучая мышь

    Le-tu-cha-ya mysh'

    Bat

    Usage

    Seen in caves and parks at dusk; literally "flying mouse"

22. Аист

    A-ist

    Stork

    Usage

    Nests on roofs and poles in southern villages and is considered a lucky bird

23. Голубь

    Go-lub'

    Pigeon

    Usage

    Fills every square; feeding them draws a crowd, so mind your bags

24. Чайка

    Chay-ka

    Seagull

    Usage

    On the Black Sea and Baltic coasts and along big rivers, and it goes for food

25. Змея

    Zme-ya

    Snake

    Usage

    Found in forests and grassland; the venomous one to know is the adder, "gadyuka"

26. Комар

    Ko-mar

    Mosquito

    Usage

    Swarms in summer forests, by lakes and across Siberia; repellent is "sredstvo ot komarov"

27. Клещ

    Kleshch

    Tick

    Usage

    The pest to take most seriously in spring and early summer forests — it carries tick-borne encephalitis, endemic across much of Russia

    Grammar Note

    If bitten, get it removed at a "medpunkt" — a first-aid point — as soon as you can

28. Муха

    Mu-kha

    Fly

    Usage

    Lands on food at stalls and markets; a swatter is "mukhoboyka"

29. Муравей

    Mu-ra-vey

    Ant

    Usage

    Forest anthills grow huge — stay on the path so you do not disturb one

30. Пчела

    Pche-la

    Bee

    Usage

    Beekeeping is widespread, and it comes up at the honey — "myod" — stalls

31. Оса

    O-sa

    Wasp

    Usage

    Drawn to sweet drinks on summer terraces, and a sting can trigger an allergy

32. Паук

    Pa-uk

    Spider

    Usage

    Common indoors, and almost none of the Russian species are dangerous to people

33. Таракан

    Ta-ra-kan

    Cockroach

    Usage

    Turns up in older kitchens; report it at reception and you may be moved

34. Бабочка

    Ba-boch-ka

    Butterfly

    Usage

    Everywhere in summer meadows; the same word means a bow tie

35. Медуза

    Me-du-za

    Jellyfish

    Usage

    The Black Sea gets summer blooms; most do not sting badly, but do not touch them

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