Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'clay'

English Word: clay

Key Russian Translations:

• глина [ˈɡlʲinə] - [General, Most Common]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner to Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

глина: [ˈɡlʲinə]

Note on глина: Stress falls on the first syllable. The 'г' is pronounced as a voiced velar stop, and 'и' sounds like 'ee' in 'see' but shorter.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Natural Material (Soil or Mineral Substance)

Translation(s) & Context:

• глина - Used to refer to the natural material used in pottery, construction, or as soil type.

Usage Examples:

• Из этой глины делают красивую посуду.

  Beautiful dishes are made from this clay.

• На этом поле много глины, поэтому земля липкая.

  There is a lot of clay in this field, so the soil is sticky.

• Глина используется в строительстве для производства кирпичей.

  Clay is used in construction to produce bricks.

• Она лепила фигурки из глины.

  She was molding figures out of clay.

• Глина может быть разных цветов в зависимости от состава.

  Clay can be of different colors depending on its composition.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

The word глина is a feminine noun in Russian and follows the regular declension pattern for feminine nouns ending in -а. Below is the declension table for singular and plural forms:

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• ил (refers to a similar muddy substance, often in water contexts)

Note: While "ил" can sometimes overlap with "глина," it more often refers to silt or mud rather than workable clay.

Antonyms:

• песок (sand, as an opposing soil type)

Related Phrases:

• глиняная посуда - Clay dishes (refers to pottery made from clay)
• глиняная почва - Clay soil (soil with a high clay content)
• лепить из глины - To mold from clay (common in artistic or craft contexts)

Usage Notes:

• The Russian word "глина" is the direct and most common translation of "clay" in almost all contexts, whether referring to the material for pottery or a type of soil.
• It is a neutral term with no significant regional variations or slang usage, making it appropriate for both formal and informal contexts.
• Be mindful of the grammatical gender (feminine) when using adjectives or pronouns with "глина."

Common Errors:

• Error: Incorrect case usage, such as using nominative "глина" after prepositions requiring genitive or instrumental case. Example of error: *У меня есть глина* (incorrect after "есть" in some contexts if implying possession of a specific type). Correct: *У меня есть немного глины* (genitive for partitive meaning).
• Error: Mispronunciation by stressing the second syllable. Incorrect: [ɡlʲiˈna]. Correct: [ˈɡlʲinə].

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, clay (глина) has historical significance due to its use in traditional crafts like pottery and brick-making. Many rural areas still associate clay with natural building materials, and it often appears in folklore and proverbs symbolizing simplicity or malleability.

Related Concepts:

• гончарство (pottery)
• кирпич (brick)
• почва (soil)