Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Clothing'

English Word: Clothing

Key Russian Translations:

• одежда [ˈodʲɪʐdə] - [Neutral, Most Common]
• платье [ˈplatʲjə] - [Specific, Often Refers to Dresses]

Frequency: High (especially for "одежда")

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner) for "одежда"; A2 (Elementary) for "платье" due to specific usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

одежда: [ˈodʲɪʐdə]

Note on одежда: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

платье: [ˈplatʲjə]

Note on платье: Stress on the first syllable. The soft "т" sound (palatalized) requires attention.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. General Term for Clothing

Translation(s) & Context:

• одежда - Used as the general term for clothing, applicable in most contexts (formal and informal).

Usage Examples:

• Мне нужно купить новую одежду.

  I need to buy new clothes.

• Одежда в этом магазине очень дорогая.

  Clothing in this store is very expensive.

• Зимняя одежда должна быть тёплой.

  Winter clothing should be warm.

2. Specific Reference to a Dress

Translation(s) & Context:

• платье - Refers specifically to a dress, often used in feminine contexts or fashion discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Она выбрала красивое платье на свадьбу.

  She chose a beautiful dress for the wedding.

• Это платье ей очень идёт.

  This dress suits her very well.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

одежда (Noun, Feminine, Inanimate): Follows the standard declension for feminine nouns ending in "-а".

платье (Noun, Neuter, Inanimate): Follows the standard declension for neuter nouns ending in "-е".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for одежда:

• наряд (more formal, often refers to attire for special occasions)
• гардероб (refers to a collection of clothing or wardrobe)

Antonyms for одежда:

• обнажённость (nakedness)

Related Phrases:

• зимняя одежда - Winter clothing
• повседневная одежда - Everyday clothing
• надеть платье - To put on a dress
• сшить платье - To sew a dress

Usage Notes:

• "Одежда" is the most versatile and commonly used term for "clothing" in Russian. It can refer to any type of clothing in both formal and informal contexts.
• "Платье" specifically means "dress" and should not be used as a general term for clothing. It is often associated with women’s fashion.
• Be mindful of grammatical gender: "одежда" is feminine, while "платье" is neuter, affecting adjective agreement and pronoun usage.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "платье" to refer to clothing in general. Incorrect: У меня много платьев (meaning general clothing). Correct: У меня много одежды.
• Error: Incorrect case usage due to unfamiliarity with declensions. Incorrect: Я купил одежду (wrong accusative form). Correct: Я купил одежду.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, clothing, especially traditional attire, holds significant value during festivals and ceremonies. For instance, "платье" might evoke images of elegant dresses worn during celebrations like weddings, while "одежда" in historical contexts might refer to traditional garments like the "сарафан" (sundress) for women.

Related Concepts:

• обувь (footwear)
• аксессуары (accessories)
• мода (fashion)