Spanish Words of Slavic Origin

Quick Answer

In this article, we’ll discuss Spanish words of Slavic origin, such as estepa(steppe) and vodka(vodka).

Questions This Article Answers

What are Slavic languages?

How did Slavic words make their way into Spanish?

What are examples of Slavic words in Spanish?

Saint Basil's Cathedral

Influence of Slavic Languages on Spanish

Lenguas eslavas(Slavic languages) is the term used to refer to a family of languages from Europa del Este(Eastern Europe).

Some widely-spoken Slavic languages are:

bielorruso(Belarusian)
bosnio(Bosnian)
búlgaro(Bulgarian)
checo(Czech)
croata(Croatian)
eslovaco(Slovak)
esloveno(Slovene)
macedonio(Macedonian)
polaco(Polish)
ruso(Russian)
serbio(Serbian)
ucraniano(Ukrainian)

Given the geographical distance and lack of regular contact between the Hispanic and Slavic worlds, many Spanish words of Slavic origin found their way into Spanish through another language, such as francés(French) and alemán(German). Many Spanish words of Slavic origin refer to music, war, and terms related to the Unión Soviética(Soviet Union).

Adaptations, Calques, and Loanwords

A linguistic adaptación(adaptation) is a word or phrase taken from another language but adapted to the target language for phonologic, lexical, or syntactic reasons. For example, breeze is an adaptation of the Spanish word brisa.

A calco(calque) is a word or phrase translated literally into another language. For example, roadrunner is a calque of the Spanish word correcaminos (correr: to run + caminos: roads).

A préstamo lingüístico(loanword) is a word or phrase taken from another language and used in its original form. For example, patio is a loanword taken from Spanish.

Spanish Words of Slavic Origin

The following words are eslavismos(words of Slavic origin adapted to Spanish).

Origin	Spanish	English
hofnice (Czech)	obús	howitzer
kolesa (Czech)	calesa	calash
pišt'al (Czech)	pistola	pistol
polka (Czech)	polca, polka	polka
mazurek (Polish)	mazurca	mazurka
Polak (Polish)	polaco	Polish
Hr̀vāt (Serbo-Croatian)	corbata	necktie
kozák (Ukranian)	cosaco	Cossack
balalaika (Russian)	balalaica	balalaika
bolshevik (Russian)	bolchevique	Bolshevik
car’ (Russian)	zar	tsar, czar
dúma (Russian)	duma	Russian legislative assembly
intelligentsia (Russian)	inteligencia	intelligentsia
izbá (Russian)	isba	izba
kopeika (Russian)	kopek	kopeck
kosmonavt (Russian)	cosmonauta	cosmonaut
kreml (Russian)	kremlin	citadel
mámont (Russian)	mamut	mammoth
matrioshka (Russian)	matriosca, matrioska	Matryoshka doll
men'shevik (Russian)	menchevique	Menshevik
mužík (Russian)	mujik	peasant
pogrom (Russian)	pogromo	pogrom
politbiuró (Russian)	politburó	politburo
pop (Russian)	pope	priest of the Orthodox Church
rubl’ (Russian)	rublo	ruble
sóbolʹ (Russian)	marta cibelina	sable
sóvet (Russian)	sóviet	Soviet
step (Russian)	estepa	steppe
troika (Russian)	troika, troica	troika

examples
Esta mazurca fue compuesta por Chopin. This mazurka was composed by Chopin.
Me pondré la corbata azul. I'll wear the blue necktie.
¿Aleksei era bolchevique o menchevique? Was Aleksei a Bolshevik or a Menshevik?

Russian Matryoshka dolls

Slavic Loanwords in Spanish

The following list shows Slavic préstamos lingüísticos(loanwords) used in Spanish.

Source Language	Spanish	English
Czech	robot	robot
Russian	beluga	beluga
Russian	dacha	dacha
Russian	dolina	doline
Russian	gulag	gulag
Russian	parka	parka
Russian	samovar	samovar
Russian	ushanka	ushanka
Russian	vodka	vodka

examples
Me compré una parka y una ushanka para el inverno. I bought a parka and an ushanka for winter.
La familia pasó el verano en su dacha. The family spent summer at their dacha.
Llevaron a los prisioneros de guerra a un gulag. The prisoners of war were taken to a gulag.