жопа is a vulgar Russian noun meaning “ass,” “butt,” or, in British English, “arse.” It refers literally to the buttocks, but it is also very commonly used figuratively for a bad, difficult, or hopeless situation—similar to “we’re screwed,” “this is a mess,” or “it’s a disaster,” depending on context.
- Register: vulgar and informal; avoid it in polite, professional, or formal settings.
- Neutral alternatives include ягодицы for “buttocks” in an anatomical/formal sense, or задница, which is still rude but often slightly less harsh.
- Common slang uses: полная жопа means “a total disaster,” and жопа мира literally means “the ass of the world,” meaning an extremely remote or undesirable place.
- The word is inherited from an old Slavic root associated with the rear/back side of the body. It has long been considered coarse language in Russian.
Examples:
- Я упал на жопу на скользкой дороге.
I fell on my ass on the slippery road.
- Без интернета на работе просто жопа.
Without internet at work, it’s a complete disaster.
- Мы заблудились и оказались в какой-то жопе мира.
We got lost and ended up in the middle of nowhere.
- Если не сдать отчёт сегодня, будет жопа.
If we do not submit the report today, we’ll be screwed.
- После ремонта в квартире была полная жопа.
After the renovation, the apartment was a total mess.
