Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'constitutional'

English Word: constitutional

Key Russian Translations:

• конституционный [ˌkɐnstʲɪtʊˈtsɨonːɨj] - [Formal, Adjective]
• конституциональный [ˌkɐnstʲɪtʊtsɨɐˈnalʲnɨj] - [Formal, Rare, Adjective]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

конституционный: [ˌkɐnstʲɪtʊˈtsɨonːɨj]

Note on конституционный: Stress falls on the fourth syllable. The double "н" is pronounced distinctly.

конституциональный: [ˌkɐnstʲɪtʊtsɨɐˈnalʲnɨj]

Note on конституциональный: Less common, with stress on the fifth syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Related to a constitution (legal/governmental context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• конституционный - Used in formal legal contexts to refer to matters of a constitution, e.g., constitutional law or rights.

Usage Examples:

• Конституционный суд принял важное решение.

  The Constitutional Court made an important decision.

• Это нарушает конституционные права граждан.

  This violates the constitutional rights of citizens.

• Конституционная реформа была одобрена парламентом.

  The constitutional reform was approved by the parliament.

2. Related to inherent nature or structure (less common, often figurative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• конституциональный - Occasionally used in academic or technical contexts to describe something inherent or structural, though rare.

Usage Examples:

• Конституциональные особенности организма изучаются генетиками.

  Constitutional characteristics of the organism are studied by geneticists.

• Этот кризис имеет конституциональный характер для системы.

  This crisis has a constitutional nature for the system.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

конституционный (Adjective): Follows standard Russian adjective declension rules based on gender, number, and case.

Note: Other cases (Accusative, Instrumental, Prepositional) follow similar patterns. Short forms are rarely used.

конституциональный (Adjective): Declines similarly to "конституционный" but is less frequent in usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for конституционный:

• основной (in some contexts, meaning "fundamental")
• законодательный (when referring to legal frameworks)

Note: Synonyms often carry slightly different connotations; "основной" is broader, while "законодательный" emphasizes legislation.

Antonyms for конституционный:

• неконституционный (unconstitutional)
• незаконный (illegal)

Related Phrases:

• Конституционный суд - Constitutional Court (a key legal institution in Russia).
• Конституционные права - Constitutional rights (fundamental rights protected by the constitution).
• Конституционная реформа - Constitutional reform (changes to the constitution).

Usage Notes:

• Primary Translation: "конституционный" is the standard and most widely used term for anything related to a constitution, especially in legal and political contexts.
• Rare Variant: "конституциональный" is less common and often restricted to academic or technical discussions about inherent structures or characteristics.
• Formal Register: Both terms are formal and rarely used in casual conversation.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "конституционный" with "конституция" (the noun for "constitution"). Example of incorrect usage: *Это моя конституция проблема* (wrong). Correct: *Это моя конституционная проблема* (This is my constitutional problem).
• Error: Misusing case endings due to unfamiliarity with adjective declension. Example of incorrect usage: *Я изучаю конституционный право* (wrong). Correct: *Я изучаю конституционное право* (I study constitutional law).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian-speaking countries, the term "конституционный" is heavily associated with discussions of state governance and legal frameworks, especially in the context of the Russian Constitution adopted in 1993. References to "конституционный порядок" (constitutional order) often appear in political discourse.

Related Concepts:

• конституция (constitution)
• закон (law)
• право (right/law)
• государство (state)