Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'besides'

English Word: besides

Key Russian Translations:

• кроме [ˈkromʲɪ] - [Formal/Informal, Preposition]
• помимо [pɐˈmʲimə] - [Formal, Preposition]
• к тому же [k tɐˈmu ʐɨ] - [Informal, Conjunction, Used for adding information]

Frequency: High (commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate; "кроме" is easier, while "помимо" and "к тому же" may require more context understanding)

Pronunciation (Russian):

кроме: [ˈkromʲɪ]

Note on кроме: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "е" sounds like "ye" in "yes."

помимо: [pɐˈmʲimə]

Note on помимо: Stress on the second syllable. The "о" is reduced to a schwa sound in unstressed position.

к тому же: [k tɐˈmu ʐɨ]

Note on к тому же: Stress on "му." The "ж" sounds like the "s" in "measure."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Apart from / Except

Translation(s) & Context:

• кроме - Used to indicate exclusion, often interchangeable in formal and informal speech.
• помимо - More formal, often used in written or academic contexts to mean "apart from."

Usage Examples:

• Кроме него, никто не пришёл.

  Besides him, no one came.

• Помимо работы, у меня есть хобби.

  Besides work, I have hobbies.

• Все, кроме одного, согласились.

  Everyone, besides one person, agreed.

2. In Addition / Moreover

Translation(s) & Context:

• к тому же - Used as a conjunction to add extra information, often in spoken language.

Usage Examples:

• Я устал, к тому же идёт дождь.

  I’m tired, and besides, it’s raining.

• Он умён, к тому же очень добрый.

  He is smart, and besides, very kind.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

кроме and помимо: These are prepositions and do not inflect. They are always followed by the genitive case (e.g., кроме кого? - besides whom?).

к тому же: This is a fixed conjunctive phrase and does not change form. It functions as an adverbial expression.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for кроме/помимо (meaning "apart from"):

• за исключением
• не считая

Note: "за исключением" is very formal, often used in legal or official texts.

Synonyms for к тому же (meaning "in addition"):

• вдобавок
• кроме того

Antonyms: None directly applicable, as the word's meanings are context-dependent.

Related Phrases:

• кроме того - "besides that" or "moreover" (used to add information in a slightly more formal tone than "к тому же").
• помимо всего прочего - "besides everything else" (used to emphasize additional points).

Usage Notes:

• "кроме" is the most versatile and frequently used translation for "besides" when meaning "except." It works in both formal and informal contexts.
• "помимо" is more formal and often appears in written texts or academic discussions. It can sometimes imply "in addition to" rather than strict exclusion.
• "к тому же" is strictly used for adding information (like "moreover") and cannot be used in the sense of "except."
• Pay attention to the genitive case requirement after "кроме" and "помимо." This is a common grammatical pitfall for learners.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "к тому же" to mean "except." Incorrect: *К тому же меня, все ушли.* Correct: Кроме меня, все ушли. (Besides me, everyone left.) Explanation: "к тому же" only means "in addition" and cannot be used for exclusion.
• Error: Forgetting the genitive case after "кроме" or "помимо." Incorrect: *Кроме я.* Correct: Кроме меня. Explanation: These prepositions always require the genitive case in Russian.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, expressions like "к тому же" are often used in conversational storytelling to build on a point, reflecting a cultural tendency to elaborate or provide reasoning in dialogue. Using it correctly can make speech sound more natural and engaging to native speakers.

Related Concepts:

• вдобавок (in addition)
• за исключением (with the exception of)
• не считая (not counting)