Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Couple'

English Word: Couple

Key Russian Translations:

• пара [ˈparə] - [Informal, General Use]
• супруги [sʊˈpruɡʲɪ] - [Formal, Refers to Married Couple]
• двое [ˈdvoje] - [Neutral, Often Used for Quantity]

Frequency: High (commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for "пара" and "двое"; B1 for "супруги" due to formal context)

Pronunciation (Russian):

пара: [ˈparə]

Note on пара: Stress on the first syllable; the 'r' is rolled slightly.

супруги: [sʊˈpruɡʲɪ]

Note on супруги: Stress on the second syllable; the 'g' is soft due to the following 'i'.

двое: [ˈdvoje]

Note on двое: Stress on the first syllable; often used with genitive case nouns.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A Pair of People or Things

Translation(s) & Context:

• пара - Used for a pair of people or objects in informal contexts.
• двое - Refers to two people, often in a neutral or quantitative sense.

Usage Examples:

• У меня есть пара новых туфель.

  I have a couple of new shoes.

• На вечеринке было двое друзей.

  There were a couple of friends at the party.

• Купи пару яблок, пожалуйста.

  Buy a couple of apples, please.

2. A Romantic or Married Pair

Translation(s) & Context:

• пара - Used for romantic partners in informal settings.
• супруги - Specifically for a married couple, formal tone.

Usage Examples:

• Эта пара выглядит очень счастливой.

  This couple looks very happy.

• Супруги отметили золотую свадьбу.

  The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

пара (Noun, Feminine):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	пара	пары
Genitive	пары	пар
Dative	паре	парам
Accusative	пару	пары
Instrumental	парой	парами
Prepositional	паре	парах

супруги (Noun, Plural Only, Masculine/Feminine): This word is used only in plural form to refer to a married couple. It follows regular plural declension patterns for animate nouns.

двое (Numeral): This is a numeral and does not decline by itself but affects the case of the noun it modifies (usually genitive).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for пара:

• двойка (informal, often for a pair of things)
• два (neutral, numeral for "two")

Note: "двойка" is more colloquial and often used for objects rather than people.

Antonyms for пара:

• один (one, singular)

Related Phrases:

• пара слов - "a couple of words" (used when briefly speaking or mentioning something)
• молодая пара - "young couple" (refers to a romantic pair, often newlyweds)
• супруги Ивановы - "the Ivanovs couple" (formal way to address a married couple by surname)

Usage Notes:

• "пара" is the most versatile and commonly used translation for "couple," suitable for both people and objects in informal contexts.
• "супруги" is strictly reserved for married couples and is more formal, often used in official or respectful contexts.
• "двое" is primarily a numeral and often paired with nouns in the genitive case to indicate "a couple of" people.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations, as using "супруги" for an unmarried couple would be incorrect.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "супруги" for unmarried couples.
  Incorrect: Они супруги, но не женаты.
  Correct: Они пара, но не женаты.
  Explanation: "супруги" implies a legal marriage, so it cannot be used for dating or unmarried partners.
• Error: Misusing "двое" without the genitive case.
  Incorrect: Двое человек пришли.
  Correct: Двое человек пришло.
  Explanation: "двое" requires the noun to be in the genitive case and affects verb agreement.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, addressing or referring to a married couple as "супруги" is a sign of respect, often used in formal settings or documents. Younger or unmarried couples are more casually referred to as "пара," reflecting a modern, less formal tone.

Related Concepts:

• семья (family)
• брак (marriage)
• отношения (relationship)