Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'beside'

English Word: beside

Key Russian Translations:

• рядом [ˈrʲadəm] - [Informal, Neutral]
• возле [ˈvozlʲɪ] - [Neutral, Often used for proximity]
• около [ˈokələ] - [Formal, Neutral, Often used with places]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

рядом: [ˈrʲadəm]

Note on рядом: The stress is on the first syllable. The 'р' sound is rolled slightly.

возле: [ˈvozlʲɪ]

Note on возле: The 'е' is pronounced softly, with a slight 'y' sound before it due to palatalization.

около: [ˈokələ]

Note on около: The stress is on the first syllable, and the middle 'о' is reduced to a schwa sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Next to or at the side of (Physical proximity)

Translation(s) & Context:

• рядом - Commonly used in everyday speech to indicate being next to someone or something.
• возле - Often used to describe close proximity to an object or location.

Usage Examples:

• Я сижу рядом с другом.

  I am sitting beside my friend.

• Машина стоит возле дома.

  The car is parked beside the house.

• Поставь сумку рядом со мной.

  Put the bag beside me.

2. Near or close to (Location or approximation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• около - Often used for approximate locations or quantities, more formal than 'возле'.

Usage Examples:

• Мы живём около парка.

  We live beside the park.

• Около десяти человек пришло на встречу.

  About ten people came to the meeting (beside as an approximation).

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All three translations (рядом, возле, около) are prepositions or adverbs and do not inflect. They are used with nouns in the genitive case when indicating proximity or location (e.g., возле дома - beside the house).

Note: These words do not change form based on number, gender, or case of the accompanying noun.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• близко
• подле (Archaic, Formal)

Note on Synonyms: 'близко' is often used for closer conceptual proximity or emotional closeness, while 'подле' is rarely used in modern Russian.

Antonyms:

• далеко

Related Phrases:

• рядом с кем-то - Beside someone (used to emphasize companionship).
• возле входа - Beside the entrance (common in directions or location descriptions).
• около полуночи - Around midnight (used for approximate time).

Usage Notes:

• The choice between рядом, возле, and около often depends on the context and formality. Рядом is the most versatile and commonly used in casual speech for physical proximity. Возле is slightly more specific to physical closeness, often with tangible objects. Около can be used for both location and approximation (e.g., "about" in terms of quantity or time).
• These words typically require the genitive case for the noun they govern, which might be tricky for English speakers unfamiliar with Russian grammar.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using the nominative case instead of the genitive after these prepositions. For example, saying "рядом дом" instead of the correct "рядом с домом".
• Explanation: In Russian, prepositions like 'рядом с', 'возле', and 'около' require the genitive case to indicate the relationship. Always check the case of the noun following these words.
• Error: Overusing 'около' for physical proximity when 'рядом' or 'возле' would be more natural. For example, saying "Я сижу около друга" sounds unnatural; "Я сижу рядом с другом" is correct.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of proximity or being "beside" someone can carry a sense of companionship or emotional closeness in certain contexts, especially with рядом. For instance, saying "Я всегда рядом" (I’m always beside you) often implies emotional support rather than just physical presence.

Related Concepts:

• близость (closeness)
• соседство (neighborhood, adjacency)