Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'broom'

English Word: broom

Key Russian Translations:

• метла [mʲɪˈtɫa] - [Common, General Use]
• веник [vʲɪˈnʲik] - [Informal, Often for Smaller Brooms or Household Use]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday contexts)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for both translations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

метла: [mʲɪˈtɫa]

Note on метла: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'е' is pronounced as a soft 'ye' sound due to the following soft consonant.

веник: [vʲɪˈnʲik]

Note on веник: Stress on the second syllable. The 'и' after 'н' is softened, creating a palatalized sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A tool for sweeping (general)

Translation(s) & Context:

• метла - Used for general or outdoor sweeping, often associated with larger brooms.

Usage Examples:

• Она подмела двор метлой.

  She swept the yard with a broom.

• Метла стояла в углу сарая.

  The broom was standing in the corner of the shed.

• Купи новую метлу для уборки.

  Buy a new broom for cleaning.

2. A smaller broom for household use

Translation(s) & Context:

• веник - Refers to a smaller broom, often made of twigs or used indoors.

Usage Examples:

• Возьми веник и подмети пол.

  Take the broom and sweep the floor.

• Веник сломался, нужен новый.

  The broom broke; we need a new one.

• Бабушка всегда держала веник у двери.

  Grandma always kept a broom by the door.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

метла (feminine noun, 1st declension):

веник (masculine noun, 2nd declension):

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for метла:

• щётка (more general term for brush, sometimes used for brooms)

Note: щётка often implies a brush with bristles rather than a traditional broom.

Synonyms for веник:

• метёлка (diminutive, often for small brooms)

Antonyms: None directly applicable for "broom."

Related Phrases:

• метла ведьмы - "witch's broom" (often used in folklore or fairy tales)
• махать метлой - "to wave a broom" (figuratively, to clean or take action)
• веник для бани - "bathhouse broom" (a bundle of twigs used in Russian saunas)

Usage Notes:

• While both метла and веник translate to "broom," метла is more often used for larger, outdoor brooms, while веник refers to smaller, household brooms or traditional twig brooms.

• веник also has a cultural connotation, as it is used in Russian bathhouses (banya) for massage and steaming rituals.

• Pay attention to grammatical gender: метла is feminine, while веник is masculine, affecting adjective agreement and verb forms.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using метла for a small household broom. Incorrect: "Возьми метлу для кухни." Correct: "Возьми веник для кухни." Explanation: метла implies a larger broom, unsuitable for indoor spaces like a kitchen.

• Error: Incorrect case usage in sentences. Incorrect: "Я подмел метла." Correct: "Я подмел метлой." Explanation: The instrumental case is required after verbs like "подмести" (to sweep).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian folklore, a метла is often associated with witches, as in the image of Baba Yaga flying on a broom. Additionally, веник plays a significant role in Russian bathhouse (banya) culture, where bundles of birch or oak twigs are used for therapeutic purposes.

Related Concepts:

• щётка (brush)
• совок (dustpan)
• уборка (cleaning)