Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Championship'

English Word: Championship

Key Russian Translations:

• чемпионат [tʃɪmpɪɐˈnat] - [Formal, Commonly used for sports or competitions]
• первенство [pʲɪrˈvʲenstvə] - [Formal, Often used for regional or less prestigious events]

Frequency: High (especially "чемпионат" in sports contexts)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate) for "чемпионат"; B1 (Intermediate) for "первенство" due to less frequent usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

чемпионат: [tʃɪmpɪɐˈnat]

Note on чемпионат: Stress falls on the last syllable, which is common for borrowed words in Russian. The "ч" is pronounced like "ch" in "church."

первенство: [pʲɪrˈvʲenstvə]

Note on первенство: Stress on the second syllable. The soft "р" and "в" sounds may be challenging for non-native speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A competition to determine a champion (e.g., in sports):

Translation(s) & Context:

• чемпионат - Most commonly used for major sports events or tournaments (e.g., World Championship).

Usage Examples:

• Чемпионат мира по футболу пройдет в следующем году.

  The World Football Championship will take place next year.

• Он выиграл чемпионат по шахматам.

  He won the chess championship.

• На чемпионате было много зрителей.

  There were many spectators at the championship.

2. A leading position or title (less common, often regional competitions):

Translation(s) & Context:

• первенство - Used for competitions that may not have the prestige of a "чемпионат," often at a local or regional level.

Usage Examples:

• Первенство области по легкой атлетике состоится в субботу.

  The regional championship in athletics will take place on Saturday.

• Наша школа заняла первое место в первенстве города.

  Our school took first place in the city championship.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

чемпионат (Masculine Noun): Follows the standard masculine noun declension in Russian (2nd declension).

первенство (Neuter Noun): Follows the standard neuter noun declension (2nd declension).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for чемпионат:

• турнир (tournament, often broader in meaning)
• соревнование (competition, more general)

Note: "турнир" can sometimes imply a series of matches, while "чемпионат" often refers to a seasonal or annual event.

Antonyms for чемпионат:

• поражение (defeat, in the context of losing a title)

Related Phrases:

• чемпионат мира - World Championship
• чемпионат Европы - European Championship
• первенство школы - School Championship (local level)

Usage Notes:

• "чемпионат" is the go-to term for major, prestigious competitions, especially in sports. It is widely recognized and used in media.
• "первенство" is more specific to smaller-scale or regional events and might not be as familiar to non-native speakers.
• Both terms are formal and appropriate for written and spoken contexts, but "чемпионат" is far more frequent in everyday speech.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "первенство" for major international events. Incorrect: "Первенство мира по футболу." Correct: "Чемпионат мира по футболу." Explanation: "первенство" is not typically used for global events; it sounds odd and inappropriate.
• Error: Misplacing stress in "чемпионат." English speakers might stress the first syllable, but the correct stress is on the last syllable [tʃɪmpɪɐˈnat].

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, sports championships, especially in football and ice hockey, hold significant cultural importance. Events like the "Чемпионат мира" are widely followed, and the term "чемпионат" often evokes a sense of national pride and excitement.

Related Concepts:

• чемпион (champion)
• победа (victory)
• соревнование (competition)