Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'beauty'

English Word: beauty

Key Russian Translations:

• красота [krɐˈsotə] - [Formal, Neutral, Commonly Used]
• прелесть [ˈprʲelʲɪsʲtʲ] - [Informal, Often Emotional or Affectionate]

Frequency: High (both translations are widely used)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for 'красота'); B1 (Intermediate for 'прелесть' due to nuanced emotional usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

красота: [krɐˈsotə]

Note on красота: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'р' sound is rolled, and 'о' is reduced in unstressed positions.

прелесть: [ˈprʲelʲɪsʲtʲ]

Note on прелесть: Stress on the first syllable. The 'е' sounds softer due to palatalization of the preceding consonant.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Physical or Aesthetic Attractiveness

Translation(s) & Context:

• красота - Used to describe physical beauty of people, nature, or objects in a neutral or formal tone.

Usage Examples:

• Её красота поражает всех.

  Her beauty amazes everyone.

• Красота природы здесь невероятна.

  The beauty of nature here is incredible.

• Эта картина — настоящая красота.

  This painting is true beauty.

2. Charm or Delight (Often Emotional)

Translation(s) & Context:

• прелесть - Used to express delight or affection, often for something cute or endearing.

Usage Examples:

• Этот ребёнок — просто прелесть!

  This child is just a delight!

• Какая прелесть этот маленький котёнок.

  What a beauty this little kitten is.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

красота (Noun, Feminine, 1st Declension):

Note: No plural form as it is an abstract noun.

прелесть (Noun, Feminine, 3rd Declension):

Note: Plural form 'прелести' can mean 'charms' or 'delights,' often with a figurative or poetic tone.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for красота:

• великолепие (magnificence)
• прекрасное (the beautiful)

Note: 'великолепие' often implies grandeur, while 'прекрасное' is more abstract.

Antonyms for красота:

• уродство (ugliness)
• безобразие (hideousness)

Related Phrases:

• красота спасёт мир - "Beauty will save the world" (a famous Russian proverb from Dostoevsky).
• неземная красота - "Unearthly beauty" (used for extraordinary or otherworldly beauty).
• какая прелесть! - "How delightful!" (common exclamation of joy or admiration).

Usage Notes:

• 'красота' is the most direct and neutral translation of 'beauty,' suitable for most contexts, including formal and descriptive language.
• 'прелесть' carries an emotional or affectionate tone and is often used in informal or personal contexts. It is less appropriate for describing abstract or grand beauty.
• Be mindful of the grammatical case when using these nouns in sentences, as Russian relies heavily on declensions to convey meaning.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Misusing 'прелесть' for formal beauty.

Incorrect: Эта картина — прелесть. (This painting is a delight.)

Correct: Эта картина — красота. (This painting is beauty.)

Explanation: 'прелесть' sounds overly personal or childish for describing art or abstract beauty. Use 'красота' instead.

Error 2: Incorrect case usage.

Incorrect: Я восхищаюсь красота. (I admire beauty [wrong case]).

Correct: Я восхищаюсь красотой. (I admire beauty [instrumental case]).

Explanation: After verbs like 'восхищаться' (to admire), the instrumental case is required.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'красота' is often associated with harmony and inner qualities as much as physical appearance. The famous phrase "красота спасёт мир" (beauty will save the world) reflects a deep philosophical belief in the redemptive power of beauty, originating from Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel The Idiot.

Related Concepts:

• гармония (harmony)
• душа (soul)
• очарование (charm)