How Russian obscene language differs from simple vulgarity
The great Russian language has given rise to an equally vast and abundant lexicon of obscenities and vulgarities. Russian profanity is often the first thing many foreigners learn, marveling at the intricate interplay of consonants.
Unlike English, which has a limited number of “forbidden” words (such as those starting with ‘F’ or ‘N’, largely dictated by political correctness), Russian has quite a few words that are either legally prohibited or avoided for philological reasons.
They cannot be spoken or written in public spaces. You won’t hear them in movies or on TV or read them in a book or play; and, if you do, it will invariably carry an ‘18+’ rating.
Which words in Russian are considered obscene?
The official Explanatory Dictionary, approved in 2025, lists 14 root words whose derivatives are classified as obscene profanity. Among them, journalists discovered the root ‘-жоп-’ (meaning ‘butt’ or ‘arse’) and raised an uproar, spreading the news that the word was now banned.
The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (‘Roskomnadzor’) hurried to reassure journalists. This and many other words are not taboo. However, they still fall under the category of vulgar, coarse, colloquial or slang language; in other words, non-standard vocabulary. They are unacceptable “in public, socially, and state-significant communication”.
“It’s obvious that there is no place for the word ‘ж*па’ (‘butt’, ‘arse’) in formal speech. But, this does not at all mean that it is now ‘banned in the Russian language’,” explains Vladimir Pakhomov, a researcher at the Institute of the Russian Language of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on his ‘Telegram’ channel.
The only words that are strictly forbidden start with four letters” ‘х’, ‘п’, ‘ё’, ‘б’, as well as their derivatives.
So, what’s the difference?
In Russian, there is a subtle gradation: there are forbidden words and their use in public spaces is prohibited by law, as we mentioned above. They’re considered obscene online and are seen as so indecent that they can provoke genuine public outrage. Although, everyone understands that, in casual conversations, many Russians use them quite liberally.
On the other hand, there are vulgar and coarse words that are not forbidden or considered obscene. However, their use is still considered inappropriate in many situations. If you want to be seen as well-mannered, polite and educated, it’s better never to use them in public. You wouldn’t say them to your boss or a stranger and it’s generally advised not to use them around children. Although, for children, profanity and swearing are one way of protesting and self-expression and even among elementary school students (when adults aren’t around), one can often hear a variety of such words.
There are even “lighter” versions of swear words; they are colloquial, informal, but not too coarse. Words like ‘дурак’ (‘durak’, ‘fool’) or ‘чёрт’ (‘chyort’, ‘devil’), among others.
Nevertheless, Russian obscene words are an integral part of the language, shaped over centuries and linked to ancient Slavic ritual practices. Moreover, Russians have, over time, coined a wealth of euphemisms. They sound similar to obscene words, but are acceptable in speech and Russian swearing inevitably invisibly permeates everyday language. Even in a commonplace filler word like ‘блин’ (‘blin’, ‘damn’), there are echoes of obscene language.
“The very act of balancing between socially approved and forbidden language is also an effective way of conveying meaning and a distinct channel of communication. Remove the ‘forbidden’ and the Russian language will be impoverished,” Gramota.ru notes, quoting linguists and doctors of sciences Anatoly Baranov and Dmitry Dobrovolsky.