Babushka - Meaning in Russian
Babushka means grandmother in Russian. The word babushka is also used to talk about old ladies in general.
In Russian alphabet it’s written ба́бушка.
Possible variations of babushka:
– бабу́ля [ba-bú-lya]
– бабу́ся [ba-bú-sya]
An old lady can be also called стару́шка [sta-rúsh-ka], it comes from the word ста́рый (old). In this case it’s just a random old lady and not a grandma.
Donna Kadmet says:
My polish grandparents use to call crabby old ladies “Studda ( not sure of spelling) Babas. Is it a saying or something them made up?
Learn Russian Words says:
Hi Donna,
Thanks for the interesting question.
“Studda Baba” is likely a phonetic misspelling or mispronunciation of the Polish phrase “stara baba”, which means “old lady” or “old woman”.
According to my research, the term is often used colloquially and can have a somewhat negative connotation, depending on the context:
– Informal expression: it’s commonly used as an informal way to refer to an elderly woman.
– Mild insult: in some contexts, it can be used as a mild insult or criticism, particularly when referring to someone’s behavior or speed. For example, a mother might tell a slow-moving child that they’re acting like a “stara baba.”
– Joking term: It can also be used in a lighthearted or joking manner among family members or friends.
It’s worth noting that the exact spelling and pronunciation may vary slightly depending on regional dialects or family usage. Some variations mentioned in the search results include “stada baba” and “studda bubba,” but these are likely phonetic approximations of the original Polish phrase.