Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Alive'

English Word: alive

Key Russian Translations:

• живой [ʐɨˈvoj] - [Formal/Informal, Masculine Singular]
• жива [ʐɨˈva] - [Formal/Informal, Feminine Singular]
• живое [ʐɨˈvoje] - [Formal/Informal, Neuter Singular]
• живые [ʐɨˈvɨje] - [Formal/Informal, Plural]

Frequency: High

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner to Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

живой: [ʐɨˈvoj]

Note on живой: The initial sound [ʐ] is a voiced retroflex fricative, similar to the 's' in "measure" but harder. Stress is on the second syllable.

жива: [ʐɨˈva]

живое: [ʐɨˈvoje]

живые: [ʐɨˈvɨje]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Living, Not Dead

Translation(s) & Context:

• живой - Used for masculine subjects to mean "living" or "alive" in a literal sense (e.g., a person or animal).
• жива - Feminine form, used for female subjects.

Usage Examples:

• Он ещё живой, не волнуйся.

  He is still alive, don't worry.

• Собака жива после аварии.

  The dog is alive after the accident.

• Растение живое, нужно поливать.

  The plant is alive, it needs watering.

2. Lively, Full of Life

Translation(s) & Context:

• живой - Can also mean "lively" or "vivid" when describing personality, conversation, or atmosphere.

Usage Examples:

• У неё очень живая улыбка.

  She has a very lively smile.

• Разговор был живой и интересный.

  The conversation was lively and interesting.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

The Russian word живой is an adjective and changes form based on gender, number, and case. Below is a table of its forms in the nominative case (most common for basic usage):

Note: This adjective also declines by case (e.g., genitive, dative) following standard Russian adjective declension rules.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• живущий (living, existing)
• энергичный (energetic, lively)

Note: "энергичный" is used more for the "lively" sense rather than the literal "not dead" meaning.

Antonyms:

• мёртвый (dead)
• безжизненный (lifeless)

Related Phrases:

• живой интерес - Keen interest (literal: "alive interest")
• живая вода - Living water (a term from folklore, meaning magical or healing water)
• живой как ртуть - Lively as mercury (idiom for someone very energetic)

Usage Notes:

• The word "живой" and its forms are used both literally (to indicate something is not dead) and figuratively (to describe liveliness or vividness).
• Always match the gender and number of the subject when using this adjective. For example, use "жива" for a feminine noun like "собака" (dog, if referring to a female dog).
• In formal or literary contexts, "живой" can also mean "current" or "active" (e.g., "живая традиция" - a living tradition).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using the wrong gender form, e.g., saying "Она живой" instead of "Она жива" for a female subject.

  Correction: Match the adjective to the gender of the noun. "Она жива" is correct.

• Error: Misusing "живой" in idiomatic expressions by translating literally from English.

  Correction: Learn fixed expressions like "живой интерес" (keen interest) rather than inventing phrases.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian folklore and literature, the concept of "живой" (alive) often contrasts with "мёртвый" (dead) in symbolic ways, such as in tales of "живая вода" (living water) and "мёртвая вода" (dead water), which have magical properties of healing or harming. Understanding this dichotomy can enrich comprehension of Russian cultural texts.

Related Concepts:

• жизнь (life)
• живущий (living, existing)
• смерть (death)