# All Slavic languages: Pregnant



## Diaspora

How many words are there for "pregnant" in your language? In BCS we have several such as "trudna", "noseća" for women. From animals we use words such as "skotna", "steona".


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## DarkChild

In Bulgarian the main word is бременна/ bremenna, but трудна/ trudna is also used in dialects and folklore.


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## TriglavNationalPark

In Slovenian, we have *noseča* for women ("trudna" means tired) and *breja** for animals.

A pregnant woman is a *nosečnica*. The forms are, of course, derived from *nositi* = to carry.

 * I wonder of there is an etymological connection to the Bulgarian *bremenna* here (apparently from *breme* = burden). I'll check Snoj's etymological dictionary when I get a chance.


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## DarkChild

TriglavNationalPark said:


> * I wonder of there is an etymological connection to the Bulgarian *bremenna* here (apparently from *breme* = burden). I'll check Snoj's etymological dictionary when I get a chance.


Yes, this is exactly right.


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## Jana337

The most common Czech word is "těhotná". The root is related to "weight", "burden". In old Czech, one would often say "mít outěžek" or "chodit s outěžkem". That would mean something like "a small burden". You can also hear "gravidní" from doctors. A very common way to express pregnancy is "být v jiném stavu" (to be in a different/altered state). It was probably an euphemism originally but it is not necessarily perceived as such. Another euphemism, but not very common, is "být v očekávání" (to be in expectation).

For animals, we would most typically say "březí". I've also heard "skotná" from my grandmother but I don't think it is standard Czech.


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## winpoj

More on the slang side: být v tom, být zbouchnutá, být v jináči.

There is also "samodruhá", which is archaic but made somewhat more known thanks to a song by Nohavica, I think.


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## Azori

In Slovak: tehotná, gravidná, ťarchavá, "byť v druhom stave", "byť v inom stave"
For animals: kotná, ťarchavá, brezivá, gravidná. For some there are specific words - teľná (cow), žrebná (horse)


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## Aquatarkus

In Ukrainian most often it will be "вагітна".
About a pregnant woman one can also say: "вона у цікавому стані", literally "she is in interesting position".


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## xpictianoc

in Polish:
- być w ciąży ( to be in pregnant)
Moja żona jest w ciąży - my wife is pregnant
- być brzemienną
Moja żona jest brzemienna (it's rather old and biblical language very rarely used nowdays) Brzemienna from Brzemie (burden) polish rz is pronunced like ž
- być ciężarną
Moja żona jest ciężarna ( ciężarna means more and less the same like brzemienna but it very often used, ciężarna is from ciężar - burden, load, weight.

i forgot about very important expression like "być w stanie błogosławionym" (to be in blessed state[condition])
- moja żona jest w błogosławionym stanie 
my wife is in blessed state (condition) 
This expression is used mostly in church and by religious people. It's very high language.


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## DarkChild

DarkChild said:


> In Bulgarian the main word is бременна/ bremenna, but трудна/ trudna is also used in dialects and folklore.


By the way, the standard meaning of trudna is difficult.


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## winpoj

xpictianoc said:


> i forgot about very important expression like "być w stanie błogosławionym" (to be in blessed state[condition])
> - moja żona jest w błogosławionym stanie
> my wife is in blessed state (condition)
> This expression is used mostly in church and by religious people. It's very high language.



Oh yes, that works in Czech too: "v požehnaném stavu"; wouldn't call it a "very important expression" though.


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## Azori

Same in Slovak: v požehnanom stave


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## xpictianoc

the same in Polish ex.

Praca domowa była bardzo trudna
- The homework was very difficult


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## itreius

Diaspora said:


> In BCS we have several such as "trudna", "noseća" for women.


Another common expression in BCS would be _u drugom stanju_, which seems to correlate with some other expressions already mentioned here. (I only thought of it after reading the Ukrainian version that includes the word _position_)

_u drugom stanju_ - in second/another condition/state


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## Natabka

Aquatarkus said:


> In Ukrainian most often it will be "вагітна".
> About a pregnant woman one can also say: "вона у цікавому стані", literally "she is in interesting position".




And there are also some dialectal word combinations as:

бути (to be) -
- У ТЯ́ЖІ (У ТЯЖУ́) (cf. Polish "być w ciąży"!)
- У ПОВА́ЖНОМУ СТА́НІ (old fashioned)
- У ВАГОТІ́  (dialectal) 
- ПРИ НАДІ́Ї (dialectal) (I like this one, a little poetic - "to be in hope")


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## .Jordi.

Natabka said:


> - ПРИ НАДІ́Ї (dialectal) (I like this one, a little poetic - "to be in hope")


The same in Polish (influence of Ukrainian?):
_być przy nadziei_


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## The Wombat

Diaspora said:


> How many words are there for "pregnant" in your language? In BCS we have several such as "trudna", "noseća" for women. From animals we use words such as "skotna", "steona".



G'day,

To point out words used to denote pregnancy in Serbian language, as used in various parts of Serbia, as well as in many regions of other countries which are populated by Serbs, I must add word "бременита". 

I am not sure of its etymology, however in Serbian language it is derived from a noun "бреме" which denotes load, a burden hence "бременита" and translated into English it would literally mean burdened - ladened, as loaded-up with weight. 

Also, I think that the same word is used in Bulgarian language for weight - "бреме".

Cheers


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## echo chamber

Трудна(Trudna) or Бремена(Bremena) in Macedonian. _Бреме_ means "burden".


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## xpictianoc

In Old Slavonic church language to be pregnant is I guess:


быти *во чревѣ*


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## The Wombat

xpictianoc said:


> In old slavonic church language to be pregnant is i guess
> быти *во чревѣ*



This is quite interesting!

In Russian it seems it is the same "беременная", having exactly the same meaning as in old Slavonic "чревоносная" which really means bearing within the gut, or there about.

Which in turn opens another can of worms, this time the English verb "to bear".

Bearing in a sense carrying, or child bearing, "бере".

Does it ring a bell?


Cheers


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## DarkChild

The Wombat said:


> Also, I think that the same word is used in Bulgarian language for weight - "бреме".


Бреме means primarily burden, not necessarily physical weight, although it could also have that meaning. The word for weight is tezhest/ тежест.


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## *cat*

TriglavNationalPark said:


> In Slovenian, we have *noseča* for women ("trudna" means tired) and *breja** for animals.



We also have "v drugem stanju" for women.


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## TriglavNationalPark

As promised, I checked *breja* (the Slovenian word for "pregnant" in animals) in Snoj's etymological dictionary. It existed in proto-Slavic as *berd'a*, which has the same Indo-European root (meaning "to carry") as *breme* (= burden), but is not derived directly from it, unlike (apparently) *bremenna* in Bulgarian.

According to Snoj, Old Church Slavonic has *brežda*, BCS has *bređa*, Russian has *berëžaja* in some dialects, and Czech has *březí* -- all with the same meaning and origin as *breja* in Slovenian.


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## kusurija

Jana337 said:


> The most common Czech word is "těhotná". The root is related to "weight", "burden". In old Czech, one would often say "mít outěžek" or "chodit s outěžkem". That would mean something like "a small burden". You can also hear "gravidní" from doctors. A very common way to express pregnancy is "být v jiném stavu" (to be in a different/altered state). It was probably an euphemism originally but it is not necessarily perceived as such. Another euphemism, but not very common, is "být v očekávání" (to be in expectation).
> 
> For animals, we would most typically say "březí". I've also heard "skotná" from my grandmother but I don't think it is standard Czech.


(In Czech)



Jana337 said:


> but I don't think it is standard Czech.


 Yes it is veterinary term.

As for animals: "skotná" only for cats and rabbits (I'm not sure, maybe also for goats??).
For all animals: "březí" 
For cows: "stelná" (rarely can be used also for deer and similal wild ruminants)
For mares (horse): hřebná (very rarely)
[This moment I don't remember how about bitches]
"Gravidní" can be used as for humans as for animals.(both)


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## iskon

Hi to all. 

I am pondering the word Chrev and it seems to escape resemblance to any modern slavic words, but the word Revnost (Ревност) which means excessive worry, or sometimes jealousy. 

In Macedonian words for pregnant: 
Bremena - as in burdened
Trudna 
and Blazhena (Блажена) - meaning, blessed or literally "sweetened"


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## TriglavNationalPark

iskon said:


> I am pondering the word Chrev and it seems to escape resemblance to any modern slavic words...


 
What about *črevo** (= gut, intestine)? The Wombat implied this meaning in post #21 when he/she spoke of "the old Slavonic 'чревоносная' which really means bearing within the gut."

* That's the Slovenian form. Croatian (BCS) uses *crijevo*. I'm not sure about the exact forms used by other Slavic languages, but I think it's widespread.


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## iskon

TriglavNationalPark said:


> What about *črevo** (= gut, intestine)? The Wombat implied this meaning in post #21 when he/she spoke of "the old Slavonic 'чревоносная' which really means bearing within the gut."
> 
> * That's the Slovenian form. Croatian (BCS) uses *crijevo*. I'm not sure about the exact forms used by other Slavic languages, but I think it's widespread.



That makes much more sense.


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## The Wombat

iskon said:


> ... In Macedonian words for pregnant:
> Bremena - as in burdened
> Trudna
> and Blazhena (Блажена) - meaning, blessed or literally "sweetened"



G'day

I have forgotten that term. It is also present in Serbian language. I know it as "блажено стање" or just "блажена"; derived from  "благословљена" - blessed; given divine blessing, "благословена" in later years and hardly ever used nowadays.

Also while at it, the word "гравидна" as well as "гравидност" are also used in Serbian language, although very rarely in modern days.



TriglavNationalPark said:


> What about *črevo** (= gut, intestine)? The Wombat implied this meaning in post #21 when he/she spoke of "the old Slavonic 'чревоносная' which really means bearing within the gut."
> 
> * That's the Slovenian form. Croatian (BCS) uses *crijevo*. I'm not sure about the exact forms used by other Slavic languages, but I think it's widespread.



The same word "црево" is used in Serbian language, comes from old Serbian from a time prior to the Vukovian alphabet reform, like: "черно" - "црно" _black _; "чeрвено" - "црвено" _red _etc.

By the way, *The Wombat*, my humble self, is *he*. This raises an interesting question although OT but, do my posts or my writing suggest to You anything feminine about me? (no macho pretence of any kind)

Cheers


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## TriglavNationalPark

The Wombat said:


> The same word "црево" is used in Serbian language, comes from old Serbian from a time prior to the Vukovian alphabet reform, like: "черно" - "црно" _black _; "чeрвено" - "црвено" _red _etc.


 
I checked Snoj's dictionary and got some more information. The word *črevo* exists in Old Slavonic and doesn't mean just "intestines" but also "womb" -- hence the meaning "pregnant". It's derived from proto-Slavic *červo*, which originally meant "that which comes from an animal's belly." Modern Slovenian *čevelj* (= shoe) has the same origin, since shoes are made of leather.

According to Snoj, the proto-Slavic form comes from an Indo-European root meaning "cut (hide)". This root, with the meaning "to cut", is evident in modern Slovenian words such as *črka* (= letter of the alphabet) and *črta* (= line).



The Wombat said:


> By the way, *The Wombat*, my humble self, is *he*. This raises an interesting question although OT but, do my posts or my writing suggest to You anything feminine about me? (no macho pretence of any kind)


 
Not at all! I just vaguely remembered some gender confusion in a recent thread, so I wanted to be safe -- hence my use of "he/she". (Don't worry; your writing exudes masculinity!  )


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## Ptak

The Wombat said:


> In Russian it seems it is the same "беременная", having exactly the same meaning as in old Slavonic "чревоносная" which really means bearing within the gut, or there about.


Yes, it is *беременна(я)* (_having a burden_) in Russian, but I wouldn't say it has the same literal meaning as "чревоносная" which means, as you said above, _bearing within the womb_.


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## Mrs Large

So is there a particular expression in Polish just referring to pregnant animals?


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## The Wombat

Ptak said:


> Yes, it is *беременна(я)* (_having a burden_) in Russian, but I wouldn't say it has the same literal meaning as "чревоносная" which means, as you said above, _bearing within the womb_.



G'day Ptak,

I have meant one thing and have said another. I was actually referring to the pregnancy not to the literal meaning of the two words.

 However, You are right, I stand corrected. 

Thanks!

Cheers


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## Kotlas

Belarusian:
цяжарная [câžárnaâ] (derivative of цяжар [câžár] 'burden')

Regarding the Russian words used in this meaning:
I remember that in a movie I once heard a woman say to her man, "Тяжёлая я", [tʲɪˈʐoɫəɪ̯ə ja]] (lit. I am heavy) thus announcing her pregnancy. But I don't think it is used very often now.


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## jasio

Mrs Large said:


> So is there a particular expression in Polish just referring to pregnant animals?


There are several words referring to specific spieces, like "kotna" (pregnant tabby - although I seem to recall this word used also to refer to some other small animals), "szczenna" (pregnant bitch), "cielna" (pregnant cow or some other herbivores), "źrebna" (pregnant mare). I can't recall a word which would refer to pregnant animals and only animals, clearly excluding humans. 'Ciężarna' or "w ciąży" can be used for both women and animal females, so can "brzemienna" (although the latter is a bit old-fashioned). Some euphemisms mentioned earlier in this thread (like "przy nadziei", "w stanie błogosławionym", "w odmiennym stanie") are used basically for humans and if someone uses them for animals, it's typically a pun.

But that's interesting that in all Slavic languages the terms seem to relate to existing or old words which mean a burden or weight, and the euphemisms - to a hope, blessing or a different condition.


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## ilocas2

winpoj said:


> There is also "samodruhá", which is archaic but made somewhat more known thanks to a song by Nohavica, I think.



Upper Sorbian:

pregnant = *samodruha*



> *schwanger*
> *Němsce (Deutsch)* *Serbsce (Sorbisch)*
> schwanger
> 1. samodruha, ... ćežkeho žiwota, ćežka, _veralt._ sama druha, _derb_ zlěhana
> s. sein z dźěsćom/z ćežkim žiwotom/tołsta chodźić, dźěćo nosyć
> s. werden podjeć _Präs. ungebr. p_
> 2.a) _übertr._ mit etw. s. gehen so nosyć z čim
> 2.b) _übertr._ s. (angefüllt) sein von etw. napjelnjeny być je [wot čeho\z čim]


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## miasam

Despite the already mentioned above, in Bulgarian there is the archaic word "непразна" (literaly - not-empty) НЕПРАЗЕН — 		Речник на българския език 2.0


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## nimak

iskon said:


> In Macedonian words for pregnant:
> Bremena - as in burdened
> Trudna
> and Blazhena (Блажена) - meaning, blessed or literally "sweetened"



Hi!

I just like to add an another word. Like you said:

*бремена* [bremena] - _Standard Macedonian. Also: *бременост* [bremenost] - pregnancy_
*трудна* [trudna] - _often used in everyday speech_
*блажена* [blažena] - _Standard Macedonian, mainly used in religious meaning_
*тешка* [teška] - _archaic, dialectal word, same meaning as бремена and трудна: weight, burden_


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## oveka

Natabka said:


> And there are also some dialectal word combinations as:
> бути (to be) -
> - У ТЯ́ЖІ (У ТЯЖУ́) (cf. Polish "być w ciąży"!)
> - У ПОВА́ЖНОМУ СТА́НІ (old fashioned)
> - У ВАГОТІ́  (dialectal)
> - ПРИ НАДІ́Ї (dialectal) (I like this one, a little poetic - "to be in hope")


вагітна́, важка́, тягітна́, тяжка́, непоро́жня, поне́сла, самодру́га;
бу́ти в ста́ні, бу́ти впо́вні, бу́ти у вазі́, такою (в такім ділі) бути, надію мати, на таки́х пора́х бу́ти, ходи́ти дити́ною, важко́ю ходити, на таких порах бути;
(_rudely_) бути грубою , бути череватою, черева́та.


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