Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Cardinal'

English Word: cardinal

Key Russian Translations:

• кардинал [kɐrʲdʲɪˈnal] - [Formal, Refers to a church official]
• основной [ɐsnɐˈvnoj] - [Formal/Informal, Meaning 'main' or 'principal']
• главный [ˈɡlavnɨj] - [Informal/Formal, Meaning 'chief' or 'primary']

Frequency: Medium (varies by context; "основной" and "главный" are more common than "кардинал")

Difficulty: A2-B1 for "основной" and "главный" (Beginner-Intermediate); B2 for "кардинал" (Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

кардинал: [kɐrʲdʲɪˈnal]

Note on кардинал: Stress falls on the last syllable. The 'р' is rolled slightly, typical of Russian pronunciation.

основной: [ɐsnɐˈvnoj]

Note on основной: Stress on the second syllable. The 'о' in the unstressed position is reduced to a schwa sound [ɐ].

главный: [ˈɡlavnɨj]

Note on главный: Stress on the first syllable. The final 'ы' is pronounced as a short [ɨ].

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Cardinal as a Church Official

Translation(s) & Context:

• кардинал - Used specifically for a high-ranking Catholic Church official.

Usage Examples:

• Кардинал был назначен Папой Римским.

  The cardinal was appointed by the Pope.

• На собрании присутствовали несколько кардиналов.

  Several cardinals attended the meeting.

• Кардинал выступил с речью о мире.

  The cardinal gave a speech about peace.

2. Cardinal as 'Main' or 'Principal'

Translation(s) & Context:

• основной - Often used in formal or technical contexts to mean 'basic' or 'fundamental'.
• главный - More general, used for 'main' or 'chief' in everyday speech.

Usage Examples:

• Основной вопрос обсуждения — это бюджет.

  The cardinal issue of discussion is the budget.

• Главный вход в здание закрыт.

  The main entrance to the building is closed.

• Основная цель проекта — улучшение качества.

  The cardinal goal of the project is to improve quality.

• Главный герой книги — молодой учёный.

  The main character of the book is a young scientist.

• Основные правила игры объяснены в начале.

  The cardinal rules of the game are explained at the beginning.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

кардинал (Noun, Masculine, Animate):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	кардинал	кардиналы
Genitive	кардинала	кардиналов
Dative	кардиналу	кардиналам
Accusative	кардинала	кардиналов
Instrumental	кардиналом	кардиналами
Prepositional	о кардинале	о кардиналах

основной (Adjective, Masculine shown): Declines as a regular adjective based on gender, number, and case. Feminine: основная, Neuter: основное, Plural: основные.

главный (Adjective, Masculine shown): Declines similarly. Feminine: главная, Neuter: главное, Plural: главные.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for основной/главный (meaning 'main'):

• важный
• ключевой
• ведущий

Note: "важный" often implies importance, while "ключевой" is closer to 'key' or 'crucial'.

Antonyms for основной/главный:

• второстепенный
• незначительный

Related Phrases:

• основной принцип - 'fundamental principle'
• главная роль - 'main role' or 'leading role'
• кардинальное решение - 'cardinal decision' (meaning a fundamental or decisive one)

Usage Notes:

• "кардинал" is strictly used for the ecclesiastical title and is not interchangeable with the other translations when referring to 'main' or 'principal'.
• "основной" is preferred in formal or academic contexts to denote something fundamental or primary, while "главный" is more versatile and common in daily speech.
• Adjectives like "основной" and "главный" must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify, a key grammatical feature in Russian.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "кардинал" to mean 'main' or 'principal'. Incorrect: "Кардинал вопрос" (meant to say 'main question'). Correct: "Основной вопрос" or "Главный вопрос". Explanation: "кардинал" refers only to the church official, not abstract importance.
• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement. Incorrect: "Основной идея" (wrong gender). Correct: "Основная идея" (feminine form for 'idea'). Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun in gender, number, and case.

Cultural Notes:

The term "кардинал" is closely tied to Catholic Church hierarchy, which may not resonate as deeply in predominantly Orthodox Christian Russia. However, it is still widely understood due to global cultural exposure. The concept of 'cardinal' as 'main' (via "основной" or "главный") is often used in Russian to emphasize importance or priority, similar to English usage.

Related Concepts:

• епископ (bishop)
• папа (pope)
• приоритет (priority)