Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Country'

English Word: Country

Key Russian Translations:

• страна [strɐˈna] - [General, Neutral]
• держава [dʲɪrˈʐavə] - [Formal, Historical or Poetic]

Frequency: High (for "страна"); Medium (for "держава")

Difficulty: A1/Beginner (for "страна"); B2/Intermediate (for "держава")

Pronunciation (Russian):

страна: [strɐˈna]

Note on страна: Stress is on the second syllable. The "а" sounds are pronounced clearly.

держава: [dʲɪrˈʐavə]

Note on держава: Stress on the second syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, unique to Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A nation or sovereign state

Translation(s) & Context:

• страна - Commonly used for any country or nation in everyday speech.
• держава - Used in formal, historical, or poetic contexts to emphasize power or sovereignty.

Usage Examples:

• Россия — большая страна.

  Russia is a big country.

• В этой стране много культур.

  There are many cultures in this country.

• Российская держава была могущественной в прошлом.

  The Russian state was powerful in the past.

• Страна переживает экономический рост.

  The country is experiencing economic growth.

• Великая держава защищает свои границы.

  The great power defends its borders.

2. Rural area or countryside (less common)

Translation(s) & Context:

• страна - Rarely used to imply rural areas, mostly in poetic or outdated contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он уехал в страну, подальше от города.

  He went to the country, far from the city.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

страна (noun, feminine): Follows the standard feminine noun declension in Russian.

держава (noun, feminine): Also follows feminine noun declension but is less commonly used in plural form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for страна:

• государство (more formal, emphasizes the political entity)
• родина (emphasizes homeland or native land)

Synonyms for держава:

• империя (empire, for large powerful states)
• государство (state, formal)

Antonyms:

• город (city, as opposed to a larger entity)

Related Phrases:

• страна чудес - "land of wonders" (used metaphorically or in fairy tales)
• великая держава - "great power" (refers to a powerful state or nation)
• страны мира - "countries of the world" (common in geopolitical contexts)

Usage Notes:

• "страна" is the most common and versatile term for "country" in Russian, suitable for almost all contexts.
• "держава" is more formal and often used in historical, political, or poetic contexts to emphasize the power or sovereignty of a nation.
• Be mindful of grammatical gender: both "страна" and "держава" are feminine nouns, which affects adjective agreement and verb forms in sentences.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "держава" in casual conversation.
  Incorrect: Я поеду в державу на каникулы.
  Correct: Я поеду в страну на каникулы.
  Explanation: "держава" sounds overly formal or outdated in everyday speech.
• Error: Incorrect case usage.
  Incorrect: Я живу в страна.
  Correct: Я живу в стране.
  Explanation: After prepositions like "в" (in), the noun must be in the prepositional case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the word "страна" often carries a sense of pride or emotional attachment when referring to one's own country, similar to "homeland." "держава," on the other hand, is frequently used in literature or speeches to evoke the grandeur of historical empires like the Russian Empire.

Related Concepts:

• государство (state)
• нация (nation)
• родина (homeland)