Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Classmate'

English Word: Classmate

Key Russian Translations:

• одноклассник [ˌodnəˈklasʲnʲɪk] - [Informal, Masculine]
• одноклассница [ˌodnəˈklasʲnʲɪtsə] - [Informal, Feminine]
• товарищ по классу [tɐˈvarʲɪɕʲ pə ˈklasʊ] - [Formal, Gender-Neutral]

Frequency: High (commonly used in everyday conversations)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for "одноклассник/одноклассница"; B1 for "товарищ по классу" due to formal tone)

Pronunciation (Russian):

одноклассник: [ˌodnəˈklasʲnʲɪk]

Note on одноклассник: Stress falls on the third syllable. The 'к' sound is sharp, and 'н' is palatalized before 'и'.

одноклассница: [ˌodnəˈklasʲnʲɪtsə]

Note on одноклассница: Similar stress pattern to "одноклассник," with a feminine ending '-ца' pronounced softly.

товарищ по классу: [tɐˈvarʲɪɕʲ pə ˈklasʊ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A person in the same class at school

Translation(s) & Context:

• одноклассник/одноклассница - Used to refer to a male/female peer from the same class in a school setting (informal, most common).
• товарищ по классу - A more formal or outdated way to refer to a classmate, often used in official contexts or older literature.

Usage Examples:

• Мой одноклассник помог мне с домашним заданием.

  My classmate helped me with my homework.

• Одноклассница пригласила меня на свой день рождения.

  My (female) classmate invited me to her birthday party.

• Мы с одноклассниками часто гуляем после уроков.

  We often hang out with classmates after classes.

• Товарищ по классу выступил с докладом на собрании.

  A classmate gave a report at the meeting. (formal)

• Я встретил старого одноклассника на улице.

  I met an old classmate on the street.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

одноклассник (Masculine Noun): Follows the standard masculine declension pattern.

одноклассница (Feminine Noun): Follows the standard feminine declension pattern with the '-а' ending.

товарищ по классу: "товарищ" declines as a masculine noun, while "по классу" remains static as a prepositional phrase.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• сверстник (peer, often broader in meaning)
• соученик (co-student, less common)

Note: "сверстник" may imply someone of the same age, not necessarily in the same class.

Antonyms:

• учитель (teacher)
• преподаватель (instructor, professor)

Related Phrases:

• встреча одноклассников - Class reunion (a gathering of former classmates).
• старый одноклассник - Old classmate (someone from past school years).
• дружить с одноклассниками - To be friends with classmates (common social context).

Usage Notes:

• The choice between "одноклассник" and "одноклассница" depends on the gender of the person being referred to. Use "одноклассник" for a male classmate and "одноклассница" for a female classmate.
• "товарищ по классу" is rarely used in modern spoken Russian and may sound overly formal or outdated. It is more common in written or historical contexts.
• In plural form, "одноклассники" is gender-neutral and refers to a group of classmates of any gender.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "одноклассник" to refer to a female classmate.
  Incorrect: Моя одноклассник очень добрая.
  Correct: Моя одноклассница очень добрая.
  Explanation: Russian nouns are gender-specific; always match the noun's gender to the person's gender.
• Error: Misusing "товарищ по классу" in casual conversation.
  Incorrect: Привет, товарищ по классу!
  Correct: Привет, одноклассник!
  Explanation: "товарищ" sounds overly formal or Soviet-era in casual settings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, classmates often form close-knit groups, especially in school settings where students typically stay in the same class for many years. The term "одноклассники" also refers to a popular Russian social networking site, similar to Facebook, where people reconnect with old school friends.

Related Concepts:

• школа (school)
• ученик (student)
• друг (friend)