Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Cold'

English Word: Cold

Key Russian Translations:

• холодный [ˈxolədnɨj] - [Adjective, Formal/Informal]
• простуда [prɐˈstudə] - [Noun, Informal, Refers to illness]
• холод [ˈxolət] - [Noun, Formal/Informal, Refers to temperature or weather]

Frequency: High (commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate, depending on context and form)

Pronunciation (Russian):

холодный: [ˈxolədnɨj]

Note on холодный: Stress on the first syllable; the final 'ый' sound is a soft 'y' typical in Russian adjectives.

простуда: [prɐˈstudə]

Note on простуда: Stress on the second syllable; the 'р' is rolled slightly.

холод: [ˈxolət]

Note on холод: Stress on the first syllable; the 'д' is pronounced clearly.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Cold as in low temperature (adjective/noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• холодный - Used to describe cold weather, objects, or feelings (e.g., a cold stare).
• холод - Refers to the concept of coldness or cold weather as a noun.

Usage Examples:

• Сегодня очень холодный день.

  Today is a very cold day.

• Вода в озере холодная.

  The water in the lake is cold.

• На улице сильный холод.

  It's very cold outside.

2. Cold as in illness (noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• простуда - Refers to the common cold or a mild respiratory illness.

Usage Examples:

• У меня простуда, я не могу выйти.

  I have a cold, I can’t go out.

• Она подхватила простуду на прошлой неделе.

  She caught a cold last week.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

холодный (Adjective): Changes according to gender, number, and case.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	холодный	холодная	холодное	холодные
Genitive	холодного	холодной	холодного	холодных

простуда (Noun, Feminine): Declines according to standard feminine noun patterns in singular and plural.

холод (Noun, Masculine): Declines as a masculine noun; no plural form in standard usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for холодный (cold as temperature):

• ледяной (icy, very cold)
• прохладный (cool, less intense)

Antonyms for холодный:

• тёплый (warm)
• горячий (hot)

Note: Synonyms like 'ледяной' imply extreme cold, while 'прохладный' is milder.

Related Phrases:

• холодный ветер - Cold wind; commonly used to describe weather.
• простудиться на ветру - To catch a cold from the wind; a frequent expression for getting sick.
• холод в душе - Cold in the soul; a metaphorical phrase for emotional detachment.

Usage Notes:

• Be mindful of context when choosing between 'холодный' (adjective for temperature or demeanor) and 'простуда' (noun for illness). English speakers often confuse these due to the single word 'cold' covering both meanings.

• 'Холод' as a noun is more formal or literary compared to 'холодный' when describing weather.

• Russian adjectives like 'холодный' must agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case, unlike English adjectives.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'простуда' to describe cold weather. Incorrect: "Сегодня простуда на улице." (Today there’s a cold outside.)

  Correct: "Сегодня холодно на улице." (It’s cold outside today.)

  Explanation: 'Простуда' refers only to the illness, not weather conditions.

• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "холодный вода" instead of "холодная вода" for cold water.

  Explanation: 'Вода' is feminine, so the adjective must match with 'холодная'.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'простуда' (a cold) is often taken very seriously, with traditional remedies like hot tea with honey or wearing warm clothing even indoors to avoid getting sick. The concept of 'холод' (coldness) also carries emotional connotations, often linked to aloofness or unfriendliness, as in 'холодный взгляд' (a cold stare).

Related Concepts:

• мороз (frost)
• зима (winter)
• болезнь (illness)