Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'coyote'

English Word: coyote

Key Russian Translations:

• койот [kɐˈjot] - [Formal, used in general contexts for the animal]

Frequency: Low - The word is not commonly used in everyday Russian conversation but appears in contexts related to wildlife, literature, or American culture.

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner) - Straightforward vocabulary for learners familiar with basic animal names, though pronunciation may require practice.

Pronunciation (Russian):

койот: [kɐˈjot]

Note on койот: The stress is on the second syllable (ˈjot). The "о" is pronounced as a mid-back rounded vowel, which can be tricky for English speakers accustomed to English vowel sounds. Practice with native speakers for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: A wild canine animal native to North America, known for its cunning and adaptability.

Translation(s) & Context:

• койот - Used in formal, educational, or wildlife contexts; often in discussions about fauna or folklore.

Usage Examples:

• В пустыне можно увидеть койота, который охотится на мелких грызунов.

  In the desert, you can see a coyote hunting small rodents.

• Койот в американской фольклоре часто изображается хитрым и умным животным.

  The coyote in American folklore is often depicted as a cunning and intelligent animal.

• Местные жители предупреждали нас о койотах, бродящих ночью у лагеря.

  Local residents warned us about coyotes roaming near the camp at night.

• Койот выл на луну, нарушая тишину прерий.

  The coyote howled at the moon, breaking the silence of the prairies.

• В зоопарке койот был самым активным животным во время вечерней прогулки.

  In the zoo, the coyote was the most active animal during the evening walk.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Койот" is a masculine noun in Russian, following the standard patterns for borrowed words. It is inflected based on grammatical case and number. Below is a table outlining its basic forms:

Note: As a borrowed word, its inflections are regular and follow the second declension pattern for masculine nouns. It does not have irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • шакал (shakal) - Often used interchangeably in informal contexts for similar wild canines, but less specific to North American species.
  • волк (volk) - Refers to wolves, with a connotation of larger size; used when emphasizing wild predators.
• Antonyms:
  • Домашняя собака (domashnyaya sobaka) - Domestic dog, contrasting with wild animals like the coyote.

Related Phrases:

• Североамериканский койот (Severoamerikansky koyot) - Refers to the North American coyote; used in scientific or geographical contexts.
• Хитрый как койот (Khitryy kak koyot) - "Clever as a coyote"; an idiomatic expression borrowed from American folklore to describe cunning behavior.
• Койот в прерии (Koyot v prerii) - "Coyote in the prairie"; common in wildlife descriptions or stories.

Usage Notes:

• The Russian translation "койот" directly corresponds to the English "coyote" as a specific animal, but it's less common in everyday Russian speech unless discussing American culture, ecology, or literature.
• Use "койот" in formal or educational contexts; for informal conversations, Russians might default to more familiar animals like "волк" if the exact species isn't crucial.
• Grammatically, ensure proper case agreement; for example, use the genitive form "койота" after prepositions like "о" (about).
• When choosing between translations, "койот" is the most precise for the North American species, while "шакал" might be used poetically but implies a different animal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Mispronouncing as [koˈyot] with English stress, instead of the correct Russian [kɐˈjot].
  Correct: Practice the Russian vowel sounds; example: Incorrect: "ko-YOT", Correct: "ka-YOT".
• Error: Using the wrong case, e.g., saying "Я видел койот" when it should be "Я видел койота" in accusative contexts.
  Correct: Always check the sentence structure; for direct objects, use accusative: "Я видел койота" (I saw the coyote).
• Error: Confusing with "волк" and using it interchangeably without context.
  Correct: Specify "койот" for accuracy in wildlife discussions; example: Incorrect: "Это волк в Америке", Correct: "Это койот в Америке".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "койот" is not as prominent as in Native American or American folklore, where it symbolizes cleverness and survival. However, it appears in translated literature or media about the American West, often highlighting themes of adaptability in harsh environments. This can help English learners appreciate cross-cultural storytelling.

Related Concepts:

• Волк (volk) - Wolf
• Лис (lis) - Fox (another cunning animal in folklore)
• Шакал (shakal) - Jackal