Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Complement'

English Word: Complement

Key Russian Translations:

• дополнение [dəpɐlˈnʲenʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Grammatical Term]
• комплемент [kɐmplʲɪˈmʲent] - [Formal, Scientific/Mathematical Context]
• дополнять [dəpɐlˈnʲætʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Meaning "to complement"]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in specific contexts like grammar and science)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies by context and translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

дополнение: [dəpɐlˈnʲenʲɪjə]

Note on дополнение: Stress falls on the third syllable; the "е" is pronounced as "ye."

комплемент: [kɐmplʲɪˈmʲent]

Note on комплемент: Stress on the last syllable; borrowed term with a foreign feel.

дополнять: [dəpɐlˈnʲætʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Something that completes or goes well with something (General Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• дополнение - Used in a general sense to mean something that completes or adds to something else.
• дополнять - Verb form, often used when describing the action of complementing.

Usage Examples:

• Это вино — отличное дополнение к ужину.

  This wine is an excellent complement to dinner.

• Его навыки дополняют мою работу.

  His skills complement my work.

• Цвета в этой комнате дополняют друг друга.

  The colors in this room complement each other.

2. Grammatical Term (Linguistics)

Translation(s) & Context:

• дополнение - Specifically refers to a grammatical complement in Russian linguistics.

Usage Examples:

• В предложении "Я вижу дом" слово "дом" является дополнением.

  In the sentence "I see a house," the word "house" is a complement.

• Прямое дополнение отвечает на вопрос "кого? что?"

  A direct complement answers the question "whom? what?"

3. Scientific/Mathematical Term (e.g., Set Theory)

Translation(s) & Context:

• комплемент - Used in formal contexts like mathematics or biology (e.g., complementary angles, complement in set theory).

Usage Examples:

• Комплемент множества A включает все элементы, не входящие в A.

  The complement of set A includes all elements not in A.

• Комплементарные углы в сумме составляют 90 градусов.

  Complementary angles add up to 90 degrees.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

дополнение (Noun, Neuter): Declines according to the second declension pattern for neuter nouns.

дополнять (Verb): First conjugation verb, follows regular patterns for imperfective verbs.

комплемент (Noun, Masculine): Borrowed term, declines as a masculine noun but is less flexible in usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for дополнение:

• прибавление (addition)
• добавление (supplement)

Note: "прибавление" often implies a numerical or quantitative addition, while "добавление" is more general.

Antonyms for дополнение:

• недостаток (deficiency)
• отсутствие (absence)

Related Phrases:

• прямое дополнение - Direct complement (grammatical term).
• дополнять друг друга - To complement each other (used for mutual enhancement).
• комплементарная пара - Complementary pair (scientific context).

Usage Notes:

• "дополнение" is the most versatile translation and is widely used in both grammatical and general contexts.
• "комплемент" is a specialized term and should only be used in formal or scientific discussions.
• When using "дополнять" as a verb, note that it often implies an active process of complementing or completing something.
• Be mindful of the context, as the grammatical meaning of "дополнение" can confuse learners if applied broadly.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "комплемент" in everyday speech instead of "дополнение." (Incorrect: Это комплемент к моему наряду.)

  Correct: Это дополнение к моему наряду. (This is a complement to my outfit.)

  Explanation: "комплемент" is rarely used outside technical contexts.

• Error: Misusing cases with "дополнение," e.g., incorrect case after prepositions.

  Correct: Pay attention to the required case (e.g., instrumental with "с" in some expressions).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of "complementing" someone or something often carries a sense of harmony or balance, which is reflected in expressions like "дополнять друг друга" (to complement each other). This mirrors a cultural value of mutual support and synergy in relationships or teamwork.

Related Concepts:

• гармония (harmony)
• сочетание (combination)
• добавление (addition)