Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Birthday'

English Word: Birthday

Key Russian Translations:

• День рождения [dʲenʲ rɐʐˈdʲenʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Most Common]

Frequency: High (Widely used in everyday conversations)

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner - Easy to learn and use)

Pronunciation (Russian):

День рождения: [dʲenʲ rɐʐˈdʲenʲɪjə]

Note on День рождения: Stress falls on the second syllable of "рождения" (rozh-DEN-iya). The "д" sounds soft due to palatalization.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. The anniversary of the day a person was born

Translation(s) & Context:

• День рождения - Used universally to refer to someone's birthday in both formal and informal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• У меня завтра день рождения.

  Tomorrow is my birthday.

• Мы празднуем день рождения моей сестры.

  We are celebrating my sister's birthday.

• Поздравляю с днём рождения!

  Congratulations on your birthday!

• Когда у тебя день рождения?

  When is your birthday?

• На день рождения я получил много подарков.

  I got a lot of gifts for my birthday.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

День рождения is a compound noun phrase consisting of "день" (day, masculine) and "рождения" (birth, genitive of "рождение", neuter). It follows the declension pattern of its components, primarily "день" as the head noun.

Note: The phrase does not typically appear in plural form as it refers to a specific annual event.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• Нет точных синонимов, но иногда используется "днюха" [Informal, Slang].

Note: "Днюха" is a very informal, colloquial term and should be used only among close friends or peers.

Antonyms:

• Нет прямых антонимов.

Related Phrases:

• С днём рождения! - "Happy Birthday!" (Standard congratulatory phrase).
• Праздновать день рождения - "To celebrate a birthday."
• Подарок на день рождения - "Birthday gift."
• Торт ко дню рождения - "Birthday cake."

Usage Notes:

• "День рождения" is the standard and most widely used term for "birthday" in Russian, suitable for all contexts.
• When congratulating someone, Russians often say "С днём рождения!" which directly translates to "With the day of birth!" rather than "Happy Birthday."
• The phrase is always written with a lowercase "д" in "день" unless it starts a sentence, as proper nouns are not capitalized in Russian in this context.

Common Errors:

• Error: Translating "Happy Birthday" literally as "Счастливый день рождения." This is incorrect and unnatural in Russian. Correct: Use "С днём рождения!" instead.
• Error: Using incorrect case forms, e.g., saying "На день рождений" instead of "На день рождения." Explanation: "Рождения" must be in the genitive case after "день."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, birthdays are significant celebrations often marked by gatherings with family and friends, toasts, and gift-giving. A unique tradition is pulling the birthday person's ears (a gentle tug for each year of age) in some families, symbolizing good luck. Additionally, when congratulating someone, it's common to wish them health, happiness, and success alongside "С днём рождения!"

Related Concepts:

• Праздник (Holiday)
• Юбилей (Anniversary/Jubilee, often for milestone birthdays)
• Подарок (Gift)