Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Canal'

English Word: canal

Key Russian Translations:

• канал [kɐˈnaɫ] - [Neutral, Most Common]
• пролив [prɐˈlʲif] - [Specific, Natural Waterway]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in geographical and technical contexts)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for "канал"); B1 (Intermediate for "пролив")

Pronunciation (Russian):

канал: [kɐˈnaɫ]

Note on канал: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "а" sounds like the 'a' in "father."

пролив: [prɐˈlʲif]

Note on пролив: Stress on the second syllable. The "л" is palatalized (soft), pronounced with the tongue near the palate.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Artificial Waterway (for transportation or irrigation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• канал - Used for man-made waterways like the Suez Canal or irrigation channels.

Usage Examples:

• Суэцкий канал соединяет два моря.

  The Suez Canal connects two seas.

• Этот канал был построен для орошения полей.

  This canal was built for irrigating fields.

• По каналу плывут баржи с грузом.

  Barges with cargo are sailing along the canal.

2. Natural Waterway (narrow sea passage)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пролив - Refers to a natural narrow waterway connecting two larger bodies of water.

Usage Examples:

• Пролив Ла-Манш отделяет Англию от Франции.

  The English Channel separates England from France.

• Этот пролив очень узкий и опасный для судов.

  This strait is very narrow and dangerous for ships.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

канал (Masculine Noun): Follows the regular second declension pattern for masculine nouns ending in a consonant.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	канал	каналы
Genitive	канала	каналов
Dative	каналу	каналам
Accusative	канал	каналы
Instrumental	каналом	каналами
Prepositional	о канале	о каналах

пролив (Masculine Noun): Also follows the second declension pattern with minor stem changes in some cases.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	пролив	проливы
Genitive	пролива	проливов
Dative	проливу	проливам
Accusative	пролив	проливы
Instrumental	проливом	проливами
Prepositional	о проливе	о проливах

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for канал:

• водовод (more technical, for water conduits)
• русло (for natural or artificial riverbeds, less common)

Note: "водовод" is more specialized and less common in everyday speech compared to "канал."

Synonyms for пролив:

• стеснение (rare, formal, for narrow passages)

Antonyms:

• перешеек (isthmus, a narrow strip of land, opposite of a waterway)

Related Phrases:

• рыть канал - "to dig a canal" (used for constructing artificial waterways).
• пересечь пролив - "to cross a strait" (common for describing navigation).
• канал связи - "communication channel" (metaphorical use of "канал").

Usage Notes:

• "канал" is the most common and versatile term for "canal," covering both artificial waterways and metaphorical uses (e.g., TV channel as "телеканал"). Use it unless referring specifically to a natural strait.
• "пролив" is strictly for natural narrow waterways like straits or channels between seas. It cannot be used for man-made structures.
• Be mindful of context: using "пролив" for an artificial canal would be incorrect and confusing to native speakers.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "пролив" for man-made canals. Incorrect: "Суэцкий пролив." Correct: "Суэцкий канал."
• Error: Misplacing stress in pronunciation. For "канал," stress is on the second syllable [kɐˈnaɫ], not the first. Saying [ˈkanɐl] sounds unnatural.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, canals hold historical significance, especially in cities like St. Petersburg, often called the "Venice of the North" due to its network of canals (e.g., "канал Грибоедова"). Mentioning "канал" might evoke imagery of such iconic places for native speakers.

Related Concepts:

• река (river)
• озеро (lake)
• море (sea)
• водный путь (waterway)