Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Alumnus'

English Word: alumnus

Key Russian Translations:

• выпускник [vɨˈpusknʲɪk] - [Masculine, Formal/Neutral]
• выпускница [vɨˈpusknʲɪtsə] - [Feminine, Formal/Neutral]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

выпускник: [vɨˈpusknʲɪk]

Note on выпускник: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ы' sound is unique to Russian and does not have a direct English equivalent; it is pronounced between 'i' and 'u'.

выпускница: [vɨˈpusknʲɪtsə]

Note on выпускница: Similar to выпускник, with stress on the second syllable. The ending '-ца' indicates the feminine form.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A male graduate or former student of a school, college, or university

Translation(s) & Context:

• выпускник - Used to refer to a male graduate in formal or neutral contexts, such as academic or professional settings.

Usage Examples:

• Он выпускник Гарвардского университета.

  He is a graduate of Harvard University.

• Многие выпускники нашей школы стали успешными врачами.

  Many alumni of our school have become successful doctors.

• Выпускник 2020 года вернулся на встречу одноклассников.

  A 2020 alumnus returned for the class reunion.

2. A female graduate or former student of a school, college, or university

Translation(s) & Context:

• выпускница - Used to refer to a female graduate in formal or neutral contexts, similar to the male form.

Usage Examples:

• Она выпускница МГУ.

  She is a graduate of MSU (Moscow State University).

• Выпускница нашей школы выиграла престижную награду.

  An alumna of our school won a prestigious award.

• Многие выпускницы поддерживают связь с университетом.

  Many alumnae maintain contact with the university.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

выпускник (Masculine Noun): Follows the regular second declension pattern for masculine nouns.

выпускница (Feminine Noun): Follows the regular first declension pattern for feminine nouns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for выпускник/выпускница:

• дипломант (more formal, refers to someone who received a diploma)
• абитуриент (less common, sometimes used for recent graduates entering further studies)

Antonyms for выпускник/выпускница:

• студент (current student)
• первокурсник (first-year student)

Note: Synonyms may vary slightly in formality or context. For instance, "дипломант" is more formal and less common in everyday speech.

Related Phrases:

• выпускник школы - Refers to a school graduate (high school alumnus).
• выпускница университета - Refers to a female university graduate (university alumna).
• встреча выпускников - Means "alumni reunion" or "class reunion."

Usage Notes:

• Russian distinguishes gender when referring to graduates. Use "выпускник" for males and "выпускница" for females. This is a key grammatical difference from English, where "alumnus" (male) and "alumna" (female) are less commonly distinguished in casual speech.
• Both terms are neutral in register and can be used in formal or informal contexts, though they are most common in academic or professional discussions.
• When addressing a group of mixed genders, the masculine plural "выпускники" is typically used as the default form in Russian.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "выпускник" to refer to a female graduate.
  Incorrect: Она выпускник школы.
  Correct: Она выпускница школы.
  Explanation: Gender agreement is mandatory in Russian. Always match the noun to the gender of the person being described.
• Error: Misusing cases after prepositions or verbs.
  Incorrect: Я горжусь выпускник.
  Correct: Я горжусь выпускником.
  Explanation: The verb "гордиться" requires the instrumental case. Pay attention to case requirements in sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, graduation is a significant milestone, often celebrated with formal ceremonies and gatherings. The term "выпускник/выпускница" carries a sense of pride and achievement, especially when associated with prestigious institutions. Alumni networks are also important in professional and social contexts, and reunions ("встречи выпускников") are common events.

Related Concepts:

• диплом (diploma)
• образование (education)
• университет (university)
• школа (school)