Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Billion'

English Word: billion

Key Russian Translations:

• миллиард [mʲɪlʲɪˈart] - [Formal, Standard Usage]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in formal and numerical contexts)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate, due to straightforward usage but specific numerical context)

Pronunciation (Russian):

миллиард: [mʲɪlʲɪˈart]

Note on миллиард: Stress falls on the last syllable. The "р" sound is rolled, typical of Russian pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Numerical Value (1,000,000,000)

Translation(s) & Context:

• миллиард - Used in formal, scientific, and financial contexts to denote the number 1 billion.

Usage Examples:

• Население мира превышает семь миллиардов человек.

  The world's population exceeds seven billion people.

• Компания заработала миллиард долларов в прошлом году.

  The company earned a billion dollars last year.

• Мы вложили миллиард рублей в этот проект.

  We invested a billion rubles in this project.

• Миллиард лет назад на Земле не было жизни.

  A billion years ago, there was no life on Earth.

• Это стоит миллиард усилий, но оно того стоит.

  It costs a billion efforts, but it's worth it. (Figurative use)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

The word миллиард is a masculine noun in Russian and follows the standard declension pattern for inanimate nouns of this type. Below is the declension table:

Note: When used with numbers, the case of "миллиард" depends on the numeral (e.g., "один миллиард" - Nominative; "два миллиарда" - Genitive).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• тысяча миллионов (lit. "a thousand millions" - less common, explanatory)

Note: "тысяча миллионов" is rarely used in spoken or written Russian and is mostly a descriptive alternative.

Antonyms:

• None (numerical terms like this typically lack direct antonyms)

Related Phrases:

• миллиард долларов - "a billion dollars" (common in financial contexts)
• миллиард человек - "a billion people" (used in demographic discussions)
• миллиард лет - "a billion years" (used in scientific or historical contexts)

Usage Notes:

• The Russian word "миллиард" directly corresponds to the English "billion" (10^9) and is used in formal and numerical contexts.
• Unlike English, where "billion" once meant 10^12 in British usage (now largely obsolete), "миллиард" has always meant 10^9 in Russian, avoiding confusion.
• Be mindful of the grammatical case when combining "миллиард" with numerals, as Russian numerals affect the case of the noun (e.g., "пять миллиардов" - Genitive plural).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using incorrect case after numerals (e.g., saying "пять миллиард" instead of "пять миллиардов").

  Explanation: In Russian, numerals like 5 and above require the noun in Genitive plural. Correct: "пять миллиардов рублей" (five billion rubles).

• Error: Confusing "миллиард" with "миллион" due to similar sounding words.

  Explanation: "Миллион" means "million" (10^6), while "миллиард" is "billion" (10^9). Double-check numerical context to avoid mistakes.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian-speaking cultures, large numbers like "миллиард" often appear in discussions of global economics, population statistics, or government budgets. The term does not carry significant cultural connotations beyond its numerical meaning, unlike smaller numbers that might appear in folklore or idioms.

Related Concepts:

• миллион (million)
• триллион (trillion)
• тысяча (thousand)