Vocabulary: 10 Fun Russian Loanwords for the Internet 

The Internet is a big part of our life these days, and it’s an important topic that everyone encounters often. These vocabulary will help you to confidently navigate and participate in discussions about the Internet in Russian. Whether you’re searching for information, scrolling through your social media feeds, or interacting with others online, these Russian loanwords for the Internet will help you blend in seamlessly with native speakers.

One of the most commonly used loanwords is “гуглить/погуглить,” which means to search for something on the Internet, essentially “to Google.” Thanks to its association with the popular search engine, this word has become deeply ingrained in the Russian language.

Another interesting loanword is “спамить/заспамить,” which means to spam. This term refers to the act of sending unsolicited or excessive messages or content, mirroring the English usage.

When it comes to expressing appreciation or agreement online, you can use the verb “лайкнуть/лайкать” to indicate that you liked something. This word draws directly from the English word “like,” and it is widely used in Russian social media platforms.

On the other hand, if someone violates the rules of an online community or platform, they might get “забанить/банить,” meaning to ban. This word accurately reflects the English term and is used to refer to the removal of someone’s access or participation rights due to their behavior.

Similarly, moderators or administrators in online communities may “кикать/кикнуть” disruptive individuals, removing them from the community. This word directly stems from the English word “kick” and is used when someone is expelled or ejected from an online space.

Now, let’s talk about “хейтер,” which comes from the English word “hater.” It refers to someone who consistently expresses negative or hostile opinions online. Unfortunately, haters exist in all corners of the Internet, and this loanword is useful to describe their presence.

You can’t ignore the prominence of hashtags in online conversations, and in Russian, they are referred to as “хэштэг.” This term is directly borrowed from English and is widely recognized and used in Russian social media.

When it comes to sharing or retweeting someone’s post on Twitter, you can use “ретвитнуть/ретвитить” to retweet, or “твитнуть/твитить” to tweet. These words reflect the action of reposting or sharing someone’s tweet with your followers.

Last but not least, we have “репостить,” which means to repost. As you may have guessed, this loanword is used to describe the act of sharing someone else’s content on social media platforms.

Now that you’re familiar with these Russian loanwords for the Internet, you can enhance your Russian communication skills and fully participate in online discussions. So go ahead and гуглите, лайкайте, and репостите with confidence, and you’ll be amazed at how effortlessly you can navigate the Russian Internet space.

Yeap, currently studying Russian at Liden & Denz Riga

 (Photo credits to cottonbro studio on pexel.com)