Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Cycle'

English Word: cycle

Key Russian Translations:

• цикл [ˈtsikl] - [Formal, General Usage]
• велосипед [vʲɪlɐˈsʲipʲɪt] - [Informal, Refers to Bicycle]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for both translations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

цикл: [ˈtsikl]

Note on цикл: The stress is on the first syllable. The 'ц' sound is a sharp, unvoiced consonant, similar to 'ts' in 'cats'.

велосипед: [vʲɪlɐˈsʲipʲɪt]

Note on велосипед: The stress is on the third syllable ('си'). The 'в' is soft, and 'пед' is pronounced quickly.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Cycle as a Series or Repeated Process

Translation(s) & Context:

• цикл - Used in formal or technical contexts to describe a series of events or processes (e.g., life cycle, economic cycle).

Usage Examples:

• Жизненный цикл продукта очень важен для маркетинга.

  The life cycle of a product is very important for marketing.

• Цикл лекций завершится в следующем месяце.

  The cycle of lectures will conclude next month.

• Экономический цикл влияет на рынок труда.

  The economic cycle affects the labor market.

2. Cycle as a Bicycle

Translation(s) & Context:

• велосипед - Commonly used to refer to a bicycle in everyday language.

Usage Examples:

• Я купил новый велосипед для поездок по городу.

  I bought a new bicycle for city rides.

• На выходных мы катаемся на велосипедах в парке.

  On weekends, we ride bicycles in the park.

• Велосипед сломался, нужно его починить.

  The bicycle broke down; I need to fix it.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

цикл (Masculine Noun):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	цикл	циклы
Genitive	цикла	циклов
Dative	циклу	циклам
Accusative	цикл	циклы
Instrumental	циклом	циклами
Prepositional	о цикле	о циклах

велосипед (Masculine Noun):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	велосипед	велосипеды
Genitive	велосипеда	велосипедов
Dative	велосипеду	велосипедам
Accusative	велосипед	велосипеды
Instrumental	велосипедом	велосипедами
Prepositional	о велосипеде	о велосипедах

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for цикл:

• период
• этап

Note: 'период' often implies a time period, while 'этап' refers to a stage in a process.

Antonyms for цикл:

• разрыв (break)

Synonyms for велосипед:

• велик (informal, colloquial)

Antonyms for велосипед:

• None commonly used

Related Phrases:

• жизненный цикл - Life cycle (used in biology or product development)
• цикл развития - Development cycle (common in scientific contexts)
• кататься на велосипеде - To ride a bicycle (common expression for leisure activity)

Usage Notes:

• цикл is primarily used in formal or technical contexts. It does not refer to physical cycling or bicycles.
• велосипед is the standard term for a bicycle and should not be confused with other types of cycles.
• When choosing between translations, consider the context: use 'цикл' for abstract or repetitive processes and 'велосипед' for the physical object.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'цикл' to mean 'bicycle'. Incorrect: "Я езжу на цикле." Correct: "Я езжу на велосипеде." (I ride a bicycle.)
• Error: Mispronouncing 'велосипед' by stressing the wrong syllable. Stress should be on 'си', not 'ве' or 'пед'.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, bicycles ('велосипед') are associated with leisure and sport, especially in rural areas or during summer. The word 'цикл' is often used in academic or professional settings, such as discussing economic or biological cycles, and does not carry the casual connotations of 'cycle' in English.

Related Concepts:

• период (period)
• этап (stage)
• транспорт (transportation)