Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Acid'

English Word: acid

Key Russian Translations:

• кислота [kʲɪsˈlotə] - [Formal, General]
• кислый [ˈkʲislɨj] - [Informal, Adjective, Describing taste or nature]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for "кислота"), B1 (Intermediate for "кислый")

Pronunciation (Russian):

кислота: [kʲɪsˈlotə]

Note on кислота: Stress falls on the second syllable; the "о" is pronounced as a reduced "a" sound due to Russian vowel reduction.

кислый: [ˈkʲislɨj]

Note on кислый: Stress on the first syllable; the "ы" sound is unique to Russian and often challenging for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Acid as a chemical substance (noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• кислота - Used in scientific, formal, or general contexts to refer to a chemical acid (e.g., hydrochloric acid).

Usage Examples:

• В лаборатории мы изучаем свойства кислоты.

  In the laboratory, we study the properties of acid.

• Серная кислота очень опасна.

  Sulfuric acid is very dangerous.

• Кислота может разъедать металл.

  Acid can corrode metal.

2. Acid as a taste or characteristic (adjective)

Translation(s) & Context:

• кислый - Used to describe something sour or acidic in taste, or metaphorically for a sharp tone or mood.

Usage Examples:

• Этот лимон очень кислый.

  This lemon is very sour.

• У неё был кислый тон в голосе.

  She had a sharp tone in her voice.

• Кислое молоко уже нельзя пить.

  Sour milk is no longer drinkable.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

кислота (noun, feminine):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	кислота	кислоты
Genitive	кислоты	кислот
Dative	кислоте	кислотам
Accusative	кислоту	кислоты
Instrumental	кислотой	кислотами
Prepositional	о кислоте	о кислотах

кислый (adjective):

Gender/Number	Form
Masculine Singular	кислый
Feminine Singular	кислая
Neuter Singular	кислое
Plural (All Genders)	кислые

Note: "кислый" also has comparative and superlative forms: кислее (more sour), самый кислый (the sourest).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for кислота:

• едкое вещество (caustic substance, less common)

Synonyms for кислый:

• терпкий (tart, often for taste)
• едкий (sharp, often for tone or smell)

Note: "терпкий" is often used for astringent tastes, while "едкий" may apply to sharp smells or remarks.

Antonyms for кислый:

• сладкий (sweet)
• щелочной (alkaline, for chemical contexts)

Related Phrases:

• серная кислота - Sulfuric acid, a common chemical term.
• кислый вкус - Sour taste, often used for food or drinks.
• кислый взгляд - Sour look, a metaphorical expression for displeasure.

Usage Notes:

• "кислота" is strictly a noun and refers to the chemical substance or concept of acid. It is the most common translation for scientific or formal contexts.
• "кислый" is an adjective and is used for describing tastes, smells, or tones. It cannot be used interchangeably with "кислота."
• Be mindful of context when choosing between the two translations, as they are not interchangeable despite their shared root.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "кислый" to refer to a chemical acid. Incorrect: "кислый в лаборатории" (酸在实验室里). Correct: "кислота в лаборатории" (acid in the laboratory).
• Error: Misplacing stress in pronunciation. Many learners stress the first syllable of "кислота" as [ˈkʲɪslətə], but the correct stress is on the second syllable [kʲɪsˈlotə].

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the adjective "кислый" is often used metaphorically to describe a person's mood or expression, much like "sour" in English. For example, "кислый вид" (sour look) implies dissatisfaction or grumpiness, which reflects a cultural tendency to associate taste with emotion.

Related Concepts:

• щелочь (alkali/base)
• раствор (solution)
• химия (chemistry)