Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'City'

English Word: city

Key Russian Translations:

• город [ˈɡorət] - [Neutral, Most Common]
• мегаполис [mʲɪɡɐˈpolʲɪs] - [Formal, Refers to Large Cities or Metropolises]

Frequency: High (город); Medium (мегаполис)

Difficulty: A1/Beginner (город); B2/Intermediate (мегаполис)

Pronunciation (Russian):

город: [ˈɡorət]

Note on город: Stress is on the first syllable. The 'o' is pronounced as a short, unstressed 'a' in rapid speech.

мегаполис: [mʲɪɡɐˈpolʲɪs]

Note on мегаполис: Stress is on the second syllable. The 'e' is softened due to the following 'г'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. General Term for a City or Urban Area

Translation(s) & Context:

• город - Used for any city or town, the most common and neutral term.

Usage Examples:

• Я живу в большом городе.

  I live in a big city.

• Этот город очень старый.

  This city is very old.

• Мы поехали в другой город на выходные.

  We went to another city for the weekend.

2. Large, Modern Urban Center or Metropolis

Translation(s) & Context:

• мегаполис - Refers specifically to very large cities, often with a modern or international connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Москва — это настоящий мегаполис.

  Moscow is a true metropolis.

• Жизнь в мегаполисе может быть очень напряжённой.

  Life in a metropolis can be very stressful.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

город (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate):

мегаполис (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate): Follows similar declension patterns to 'город'. Commonly used in singular form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for город:

• поселение (less common, broader meaning)
• место (informal, context-dependent)

Note: 'мегаполис' is a synonym but implies a larger scale.

Antonyms for город:

• деревня (village)
• село (rural settlement)

Related Phrases:

• город мечты - "city of dreams" (a desired or ideal city)
• столица города - "capital city" (though technically incorrect, sometimes used colloquially)
• жизнь в городе - "life in the city" (urban lifestyle)

Usage Notes:

• город is the default and most versatile term for 'city' in Russian. It can refer to cities of any size, from small towns to large urban centers.
• мегаполис should only be used for very large cities or when emphasizing modernity and scale. It is less common in everyday speech.
• Be mindful of grammatical gender: 'город' is masculine, so adjectives and verbs must agree accordingly (e.g., "красивый город" - "beautiful city").

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'мегаполис' for small towns or regular cities. Wrong: "Я живу в мегаполисе" for a small city. Correct: Use "город" instead.
• Error: Incorrect case usage due to unfamiliarity with declensions. Wrong: "Я еду в городом" (wrong case). Correct: "Я еду в город" (accusative case).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of a 'город' often carries historical significance, as many cities were centers of trade, governance, or defense. Cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg are not just urban areas but symbols of Russian history and identity. Referring to a city as a 'мегаполис' often implies a bustling, modern lifestyle, which may contrast with the slower pace of rural 'деревня' (village) life.

Related Concepts:

• столица (capital)
• посёлок (settlement)
• область (region)