Signification
A young kid.
Contexte culturel
There is a superstition that you shouldn't show a 'маленький ребёнок' to strangers for the first 40 days to avoid the 'evil eye' (сглаз). Public transport etiquette dictates that you must always give up your seat to a person with a 'маленький ребёнок'. The 'holy child' or 'innocent child' is a recurring theme in Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, often using this phrase to contrast with a corrupt adult world. The rise of 'child-free' vs 'pro-family' movements has made the presence of a 'маленький ребёнок' in cafes a topic of social media debate.
The Plural Rule
Always remember: 1 ребёнок, but 2, 3, 4 ребёнка, and 5+ детей. But for the general plural 'children', always use 'дети'.
Gender Neutrality
The word 'ребёнок' is grammatically masculine, but it is used for both boys and girls. You don't need to change it to a feminine form.
Signification
A young kid.
The Plural Rule
Always remember: 1 ребёнок, but 2, 3, 4 ребёнка, and 5+ детей. But for the general plural 'children', always use 'дети'.
Gender Neutrality
The word 'ребёнок' is grammatically masculine, but it is used for both boys and girls. You don't need to change it to a feminine form.
Diminutives
If you want to sound like a native, use 'малыш' when talking to the child directly, and 'маленький ребёнок' when talking about them to others.
Public Help
Don't be surprised if a Russian 'babushka' tells you to put a hat on your 'маленький ребёнок'—it's a sign of care, not an insult!
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'маленький ребёнок' in the Genitive case.
У меня нет ___. (I don't have a small child.)
After 'нет', we use the Genitive case. For a masculine animate noun, the ending is -ого -а.
Choose the correct plural form.
В парке играют...
The plural of 'ребёнок' is 'дети'. Since it's the subject of the sentence, we use the Nominative plural.
Match the phrase to the most appropriate situation.
When would you say 'Ты как маленький ребёнок'?
This is a common metaphorical use of the phrase to criticize someone's behavior.
Complete the dialogue.
— Сколько лет вашему сыну? — Он ещё совсем ___.
We are identifying the subject, so the Nominative case is required.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Age Categories in Russian
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesУ меня нет ___. (I don't have a small child.)
After 'нет', we use the Genitive case. For a masculine animate noun, the ending is -ого -а.
В парке играют...
The plural of 'ребёнок' is 'дети'. Since it's the subject of the sentence, we use the Nominative plural.
When would you say 'Ты как маленький ребёнок'?
This is a common metaphorical use of the phrase to criticize someone's behavior.
— Сколько лет вашему сыну? — Он ещё совсем ___.
We are identifying the subject, so the Nominative case is required.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsNo, it is a masculine noun but it refers to a child of any gender.
'Ребёнок' is neutral and descriptive. 'Малыш' is affectionate and informal.
You must say 'маленькие дети'. Never say 'маленькие ребёнки'.
No, at 12 he is a 'подросток' (teenager) or just 'сын'. 'Маленький ребёнок' implies a much younger age.
This is a standard rule in Russian for Genitive masculine/neuter adjective endings.
Yes, but it is very informal or dialectal. Stick to 'ребёнок' for standard Russian.
Я был маленьким ребёнком (for men) or Я была маленьким ребёнком (for women).
Yes, it implies they are being immature or throwing a tantrum.
Usually from about 1 year old to 6 or 7 years old.
No, 'ребёнок' alone is fine, but 'маленький' adds emphasis to their youth and vulnerability.
Игрушка маленького ребёнка.
Yes, 'малыши'. This is often used for a group of young children.
Yes, if you are explaining why you need time off or discussing a product for children.
'Ребёночек' is the diminutive of 'ребёнок', but 'малыш' is used more frequently.
Expressions liées
Грудной ребёнок
specialized formNursing baby / infant
Единственный ребёнок
similarOnly child
Трудный ребёнок
similarProblem child
Малыш
synonymKiddo / little one
