говно (govno)

//ˈgovnə//scatological

What does говно (govno) mean? говно (govno) is a Russian strong that translates to “shit / crap” in English.

Literal Translation

shit / excrement

Meaning & Usage

"shit / crap"

Feces; something of poor quality; bad situation.

Examples in the Wild

Это полное говно. (Eto polnoye govno.) - This is complete shit.

3/ 5

Strong. Strong. Will turn heads in public. Normal among close friends.

Cultural Context

Unlike English, говно is NOT considered mat (obscenity) and is milder. In Russian culture, sexual taboos far outweigh scatological ones. 'Говно' can be used in mixed company and even appears in literature. Means literal feces or metaphorical worthlessness ('это говно' = this is shit/crap). The derivative 'говнюк' means a contemptible person. Can be used as exclamation but less emphatic than mat words. Acceptable in many informal contexts where mat would be shocking.