A dacha (Russian: да́ча; IPA: [ˈdatɕə] ) is a seasonal or year-round second home, often located in the exurbs of Russian and other post-Soviet cities. A cottage (коттедж, kottedzh) or shack serving as a family's main or only home, or an outbuilding, is not considered a dacha, although recently purpose-built dachas have been converted to year-round residences, and vice versa. In some cases, dachas are occupied for part of the year by their owners and rented out to urban residents as summer retreats. People in dachas are colloquially called dachniks (дачники); the term usually refers not only to presence in dacha, but to a whole distinctive lifestyle. The Russian term is often said to have no exact counterpart in English.