Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Chronicle'

English Word: Chronicle

Key Russian Translations:

• летопись [ˈlʲetəpʲɪsʲ] - [Formal, Historical]
• хроника [ˈxrɒnʲɪkə] - [Neutral, Common]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in historical or literary contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "хроника"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "летопись" due to its historical specificity

Pronunciation (Russian):

летопись: [ˈlʲetəpʲɪsʲ]

Note on летопись: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "е" is pronounced as a soft "ye" sound.

хроника: [ˈxrɒnʲɪkə]

Note on хроника: Stress on the first syllable. The "х" is a guttural sound, similar to the Scottish "loch."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A historical record or narrative (written account of events)

Translation(s) & Context:

• летопись - Often used for ancient or medieval records, especially in Russian history (e.g., "Nestor's Chronicle").
• хроника - Can refer to historical records but is less formal and more general.

Usage Examples:

• Эта летопись описывает события XI века.

  This chronicle describes events of the 11th century.

• В музее хранится древняя летопись.

  An ancient chronicle is kept in the museum.

• Хроника войны была опубликована в прошлом году.

  The chronicle of the war was published last year.

2. A detailed account or report (modern usage, often journalistic)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хроника - Commonly used for news reports, documentaries, or ongoing records of events.

Usage Examples:

• Телеканал показал хронику событий.

  The TV channel showed a chronicle of events.

• Журналист написал хронику протестов.

  The journalist wrote a chronicle of the protests.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

летопись (feminine noun): Follows the 3rd declension pattern in Russian.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	летопись	летописи
Genitive	летописи	летописей
Dative	летописи	летописям
Accusative	летопись	летописи
Instrumental	летописью	летописями
Prepositional	летописи	летописях

хроника (feminine noun): Follows the 1st declension pattern in Russian.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	хроника	хроники
Genitive	хроники	хроник
Dative	хронике	хроникам
Accusative	хронику	хроники
Instrumental	хроникой	хрониками
Prepositional	хронике	хрониках

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "летопись":

• анналы
• история

Note: "анналы" is more formal and rare; "история" is broader and can mean "history" in general.

Synonyms for "хроника":

• репортаж
• отчёт

Note: "репортаж" emphasizes live reporting; "отчёт" is more formal and structured.

Antonyms: None directly applicable for this concept.

Related Phrases:

• летопись времён - "Chronicle of times" (used for historical accounts of specific eras).
• хроника дня - "Chronicle of the day" (often used for daily news summaries).
• вести хронику - "To keep a chronicle" (to document events over time).

Usage Notes:

• "летопись" is more specific to historical or ancient texts and is rarely used in modern contexts outside of literature or history discussions. It carries a formal and somewhat archaic tone.
• "хроника" is more versatile and can be used for both historical records and modern event reporting, such as in journalism or media.
• When choosing between the two, consider the context: use "летопись" for medieval or historical narratives and "хроника" for contemporary or general accounts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "летопись" in a modern context, e.g., "Я написал летопись вчерашнего дня" (Incorrect: I wrote a chronicle of yesterday).
• Correction: Use "хроника" instead, e.g., "Я написал хронику вчерашнего дня" (Correct: I wrote a chronicle of yesterday). "летопись" implies a historical or ancient record, not a casual or recent one.
• Error: Mispronouncing "хроника" by stressing the second syllable (хро-НИ-ка).
• Correction: The stress is on the first syllable: ХРО-ни-ка.

Cultural Notes:

The word "летопись" is deeply tied to Russian history, particularly to works like the "Primary Chronicle" (Повести временных лет), which is a foundational text of early Slavic history. It evokes a sense of ancient tradition and is often associated with the chronicles written by monks in medieval times.

Related Concepts:

• история (history)
• анналы (annals)
• документ (document)