Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Colour'

English Word: Colour (Color - US variant)

Key Russian Translations:

• цвет [tsvet] - [Neutral, Most Common]
• окраска [okˈraska] - [Often used for shade or tint, Slightly Formal]
• тон [ton] - [Specific to shade or tone, Neutral]

Frequency: High (especially for "цвет")

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner) for "цвет"; B1 (Intermediate) for "окраска" and "тон" due to nuanced usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

цвет: [tsvet]

Note on цвет: The initial "ц" is a unique Russian sound, similar to "ts" in "cats". Stress is on the single syllable.

окраска: [okˈraska]

Note on окраска: Stress falls on the second syllable ("крас").

тон: [ton]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. General concept of color (hue or pigmentation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• цвет - Used for general color references (e.g., color of objects, abstract concepts).

Usage Examples:

• Какой у тебя любимый цвет?

  What is your favorite color?

• Цвет неба сегодня очень красивый.

  The color of the sky today is very beautiful.

• Этот цвет тебе очень идёт.

  This color suits you very well.

2. Shade, tint, or specific coloring

Translation(s) & Context:

• окраска - Refers to shade, tint, or the act of coloring (e.g., paint, dye).
• тон - Used for tone or subtle shade differences (often in art or design).

Usage Examples:

• Окраска стен изменилась после ремонта.

  The color of the walls changed after the renovation.

• Этот тон идеально подходит для картины.

  This shade is perfect for the painting.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

цвет (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate):

окраска (Noun, Feminine, Inanimate): Declines as a regular feminine noun ending in "-а".

тон (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate): Declines as a regular masculine noun ending in a consonant.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for цвет:

• оттенок (shade, nuance)
• колер (color, often in technical contexts)

Note: "оттенок" often implies a subtle difference in color, while "колер" is more technical or archaic.

Antonyms:

• бесцветность (colorlessness)

Related Phrases:

• цвет кожи - skin color
• яркий цвет - bright color
• менять окраску - to change color (often figurative, e.g., chameleon)
• тон голоса - tone of voice (figurative use of "тон")

Usage Notes:

• "цвет" is the most versatile and frequently used term for "colour" in Russian. It applies to most general contexts.
• "окраска" often implies a specific type of coloring (e.g., paint or natural tint) and can sound slightly formal or technical.
• "тон" is narrower in scope, focusing on shade or tone, and is common in artistic or nuanced discussions of color.
• Be mindful of grammatical gender when using adjectives with these nouns: "цвет" is masculine, "окраска" is feminine, and "тон" is masculine.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "окраска" for general color references. Incorrect: "Какой у тебя любимый окраска?" Correct: "Какой у тебя любимый цвет?" Explanation: "окраска" is not used for abstract or personal preferences.
• Error: Misusing grammatical case after prepositions. Incorrect: "Я думаю о цвет." Correct: "Я думаю о цвете." Explanation: Prepositional case requires the ending "-е" for "цвет".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, colors often carry symbolic meanings. For instance, red ("красный", derived from the same root as "красивый" meaning "beautiful") historically symbolizes beauty, power, and revolution (e.g., Red Square - Красная площадь). Understanding such connotations can enrich your use of color-related vocabulary.

Related Concepts:

• оттенок (shade)
• яркость (brightness)
• контраст (contrast)