Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'civil'

English Word: civil

Key Russian Translations:

• гражданский [ɡrɐˈʐdanskʲɪj] - [Formal, Adjective]
• вежливый [vʲɪˈʐlʲɪvɨj] - [Formal/Informal, Adjective, Related to politeness]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

гражданский: [ɡrɐˈʐdanskʲɪj]

Note on гражданский: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ж' sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for English speakers.

вежливый: [vʲɪˈʐlʲɪvɨj]

Note on вежливый: Stress on the second syllable. Pay attention to the soft 'л' sound, which requires the tongue to touch the palate.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Related to citizens or civilian matters (non-military)

Translation(s) & Context:

• гражданский - Used in legal, administrative, or societal contexts (e.g., civil rights, civil law).

Usage Examples:

• Гражданский кодекс регулирует права собственности.

  The Civil Code regulates property rights.

• Он работает в гражданской авиации.

  He works in civil aviation.

• Гражданские права должны быть защищены.

  Civil rights must be protected.

2. Related to politeness or courteous behavior

Translation(s) & Context:

• вежливый - Used to describe polite or civil behavior in social interactions.

Usage Examples:

• Будьте вежливы с гостями.

  Be civil to the guests.

• Он всегда был вежлив, даже в споре.

  He was always civil, even in an argument.

• Её вежливый тон успокоил всех.

  Her civil tone calmed everyone down.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

гражданский (Adjective): Declines according to Russian adjective rules based on gender, number, and case.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	гражданский	гражданская	гражданское	гражданские
Genitive	гражданского	гражданской	гражданского	гражданских

вежливый (Adjective): Follows similar declension patterns as above.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for гражданский:

• общественный (public, societal) - Broader in scope, often used for communal matters.
• светский (secular) - Used in contexts of non-religious matters.

Antonyms for гражданский:

• военный (military)

Synonyms for вежливый:

• учтивый (courteous)
• любезный (kind, polite)

Antonyms for вежливый:

• грубый (rude)

Related Phrases:

• гражданский брак - Civil marriage (a legally recognized union without religious ceremony).
• гражданская война - Civil war (conflict within a country).
• вежливый отказ - Polite refusal (a courteous way to decline something).

Usage Notes:

• "Гражданский" is primarily used in formal or legal contexts and does not carry the connotation of politeness inherent in the English word "civil" in social settings.
• "Вежливый" should be used when referring to courteous behavior or tone. It is unrelated to legal or civic matters.
• Ensure the context is clear when translating "civil" to avoid mixing up these distinct meanings.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing up гражданский and вежливый: English learners often use "гражданский" when they mean "polite." For example, saying "Он был гражданский в разговоре" (He was civil in conversation) is incorrect. The correct word is "вежливый."

Correct: Он был вежлив в разговоре. (He was civil in conversation.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the term "гражданский" often appears in discussions of law and societal structure, such as "гражданский брак" (civil marriage), which is distinct from religious marriage. Politeness, expressed through "вежливый," is highly valued in formal and informal interactions, and Russians may place emphasis on maintaining a courteous tone in public settings.

Related Concepts:

• закон (law)
• общество (society)
• этикет (etiquette)