Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'day'

English Word: day

Key Russian Translations:

• день [dʲenʲ] - [Neutral, Most Common]
• сутки [ˈsutkʲɪ] - [Plural, Refers to a 24-hour period]

Frequency: High (especially "день")

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner) for "день"; B1 (Intermediate) for "сутки"

Pronunciation (Russian):

день: [dʲenʲ]

Note on день: The soft 'д' sound (palatalized) is a common feature in Russian. Ensure the tongue touches the palate lightly.

сутки: [ˈsutkʲɪ]

Note on сутки: Stress falls on the first syllable. This word is always plural in form.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A calendar day or daytime:

Translation(s) & Context:

• день - Used for a single day or daytime in general contexts (e.g., "a sunny day").

Usage Examples:

• Сегодня хороший день для прогулки.

  Today is a good day for a walk.

• День был очень длинным.

  The day was very long.

• В тот день я был занят.

  On that day, I was busy.

2. A 24-hour period:

Translation(s) & Context:

• сутки - Used to denote a full 24-hour cycle, often in formal or technical contexts (e.g., schedules, military).

Usage Examples:

• Поездка займёт трое суток.

  The trip will take three days (24-hour periods).

• Он работал двое суток без перерыва.

  He worked for two days straight without a break.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

день (noun, masculine): Regular noun with declension in all cases. See table below for forms:

сутки (noun, plural only): This word does not have a singular form and is used exclusively in plural. Declension follows a special pattern for plural-only nouns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for день:

• денёк (informal, diminutive)

Note: "денёк" is used affectionately or informally for a pleasant day.

Antonyms for день:

• ночь (night)

Related Phrases:

• добрый день - "Good day" (common greeting, formal or neutral)
• день за днём - "Day by day" (indicating gradual progression)
• в течение суток - "Within 24 hours" (formal, often used in schedules)

Usage Notes:

• "день" is the most common and versatile translation for "day," suitable for most everyday contexts. It can refer to a calendar day or the concept of daytime.
• "сутки" specifically means a 24-hour period and is always plural. It is less common in casual speech and more frequent in formal, technical, or military contexts.
• Be mindful of grammatical gender: "день" is masculine, affecting adjective and verb agreement.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "сутки" in singular form (e.g., *сутка). Correction: Always use "сутки" in plural, e.g., "одни сутки" (one day, 24 hours).
• Error: Confusing "день" and "сутки" in context. Explanation: Use "день" for general references to a day (e.g., "a busy day"), and "сутки" for precise 24-hour periods (e.g., "stay for two days").

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "добрый день" (good day) is a standard formal greeting, often used in professional or polite settings, similar to "good afternoon" in English. Additionally, specific days like "День Победы" (Victory Day, May 9th) hold significant cultural importance, reflecting historical events.

Related Concepts:

• неделя (week)
• месяц (month)
• время (time)