pula
penis
/ˈpu.la/ "POO-lah"
severity: strong vulgarstreet
penis
Usage examples
- Du-te-n pula mea.Go to my dick (get lost / fuck off).
- Pula mea, ești prost!My dick, you're an idiot! (expression of disbelief)
- Ce pulă mă faci?What the dick are you doing to me? (what the hell are you doing?)
Etymology
Romanian "pulă" derives from Latin "pullus" (young animal, chick), following a metaphorical path paralleled in other Romance languages. The shift from "young creature" to "penis" likely occurred through the diminutive/cute-animal metaphor common in folk sexuality. The word is attested in Romanian from early modern texts and remains the primary colloquial term for the penis to this day.
Cultural notes
"Pulă" is the most common Romanian obscenity and appears in a remarkably wide range of idiomatic expressions. The phrase "du-te-n pula mea" (go to my dick) functions as the standard Romanian equivalent of "fuck off," while exclamatory uses like "pula mea!" serve as general intensifiers similar to "for fuck's sake." Its frequency in everyday speech, especially among younger urban Romanians, has somewhat reduced its shock value, though it remains taboo in formal contexts.