How To Talk About Animals In Russian

So far, we lack the technology to talk to animals in Russian, but that doesn’t stop you from talking about animals in Russian. Learning the basics of animal vocabulary can be a fun way to take a break from the more intense parts of learning Russian. Step back from memorizing grammar and just find out what all those animals you love are called. Hey, you never know when you’ll end up at the Moscow Zoo.

To get you started, we assembled a guide to some of the basic animals in Russian that you’ll want to know. To hear the vocabulary pronounced by a native speaker, press the play button next to each word!

General Animal Vocab

pet — домашнее животное

wild animal — дикое животное

farm animal — сельскохозяйственное животное

sea creature — морское животное

fur — шерсть

to feed — кормить, покормить (imperf., perf.)

veterinarian — ветеринар

Names Of Animals In Russian

dog — собака

cat — кошка

fish — рыба

mouse — мышь

hamster — хомяк

rabbit — кролик

rat — крыса

guinea pig — морская свинка

chicken — курица

duck — утка

cow — корова

pig — свинья

sheep — овца

goat — коза

horse — лошадь

bird — птица

penguin — пингвин

fish — рыба

dolphin — дельфин

octopus — осьминог

blue whale — синий кит

shark — акула

bear — медведь

wolf — волк

snake — змея

frog — лягушка

squirrel — белка

giraffe — жираф

deer — косуля