Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'baby'

English Word: baby

Key Russian Translations:

• ребёнок [rʲɪˈbʲonək] - [Neutral, Commonly Used]
• малыш [mɐˈlɨʂ] - [Informal, Affectionate]
• младенец [mlɐˈdʲenʲɪts] - [Formal, Refers to Newborn]

Frequency: High (especially "ребёнок" and "малыш")

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner) for "ребёнок" and "малыш"; A2 (Elementary) for "младенец"

Pronunciation (Russian):

ребёнок: [rʲɪˈbʲonək]

Note on ребёнок: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ё" is always stressed and pronounced as "yo."

малыш: [mɐˈlɨʂ]

Note on малыш: Stress on the second syllable. The final "ш" sounds like "sh."

младенец: [mlɐˈdʲenʲɪts]

Note on младенец: Stress on the second syllable. The "ц" sounds like "ts."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A very young child or infant:

Translation(s) & Context:

• ребёнок - General term for a child, often used for babies as well.
• младенец - Specifically refers to a newborn or very young infant, often in formal or medical contexts.

Usage Examples:

• У меня маленький ребёнок, ему всего три месяца.

  I have a small baby, he is only three months old.

• Младенец спит в колыбели.

  The infant is sleeping in the cradle.

• Этот ребёнок только начал ползать.

  This baby just started crawling.

2. Term of endearment (affectionate address):

Translation(s) & Context:

• малыш - Used affectionately for a child or even between adults as a term of endearment.

Usage Examples:

• Иди сюда, малыш, я тебе помогу.

  Come here, baby, I’ll help you.

• Малыш, не плачь, всё будет хорошо.

  Baby, don’t cry, everything will be okay.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

ребёнок (noun, masculine): Follows the second declension pattern for masculine nouns. Plural: дети (irregular).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ребёнок	дети
Genitive	ребёнка	детей
Dative	ребёнку	детям
Accusative	ребёнка	детей
Instrumental	ребёнком	детьми
Prepositional	о ребёнке	о детях

малыш (noun, masculine): Regular second declension noun. Plural: малыши.

младенец (noun, masculine): Regular second declension noun. Plural: младенцы.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for ребёнок:

• дитя (poetic or old-fashioned)
• кроха (informal, affectionate for very small child)

Synonyms for малыш:

• малютка (very affectionate)

Antonyms:

• взрослый (adult)

Note: "малыш" and "младенец" carry more specific affectionate or formal tones compared to the neutral "ребёнок."

Related Phrases:

• мой ребёнок - "my child/baby" (used by parents).
• спокойной ночи, малыш - "good night, baby" (affectionate bedtime phrase).
• уход за младенцем - "care for an infant" (formal or medical context).

Usage Notes:

• "ребёнок" is the most neutral and widely used term for "baby" or "child" and can refer to children of various ages, though context often clarifies if a baby is meant.
• "малыш" is an affectionate term, often used by parents or loved ones. It can also be used between adults as a term of endearment, similar to "baby" in English.
• "младенец" is more formal or specific to newborns and very young infants, often used in medical, religious, or literary contexts.
• Be mindful of the plural form of "ребёнок," which is the irregular "дети," a common point of confusion for learners.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "дети" (plural of ребёнок) when referring to a single baby. Wrong: "У меня есть дети" when meaning one baby. Correct: "У меня есть ребёнок."
• Error: Misusing "малыш" in formal contexts. Wrong: Using "малыш" in a medical report. Correct: Use "младенец" or "ребёнок" in formal writing.
• Error: Forgetting the stress on "ё" in "ребёнок," leading to mispronunciation. Stress is always on "ё."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "малыш" are frequently used as affectionate nicknames, not only for children but also in romantic relationships, similar to "baby" or "honey" in English. Additionally, Russian parents often use diminutive forms or pet names for babies, reflecting a strong cultural emphasis on tenderness and care toward children.

Related Concepts:

• колыбель (cradle)
• пелёнка (diaper)
• мама (mom)
• папа (dad)