Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'difference'

English Word: difference

Key Russian Translations:

• разница [ˈraznʲɪtsə] - [Neutral, Commonly Used]
• отличие [ɐtˈlʲitʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Often Used for Distinction]

Frequency: High (Both translations are commonly used in everyday and formal contexts)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for both translations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

разница: [ˈraznʲɪtsə]

Note on разница: Stress is on the first syllable. The 'ц' sound is a soft 'ts'.

отличие: [ɐtˈlʲitʲɪjə]

Note on отличие: Stress is on the second syllable. The 'л' is palatalized (soft).

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Difference as a Variation or Discrepancy

Translation(s) & Context:

• разница - Used to describe a general difference, often in numerical or qualitative terms (e.g., age difference, price difference).

Usage Examples:

• Между нами разница в пять лет.

  There is a five-year difference between us.

• Разница в цене незначительна.

  The difference in price is negligible.

• Ты чувствуешь разницу во вкусе?

  Do you feel the difference in taste?

2. Difference as a Distinction or Unique Feature

Translation(s) & Context:

• отличие - Used to emphasize a distinguishing feature or characteristic between things or people.

Usage Examples:

• В чем отличие между этими моделями?

  What is the difference between these models?

• Его главное отличие — чувство юмора.

  His main difference is his sense of humor.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

разница (Noun, Feminine, 1st Declension):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	разница	разницы
Genitive	разницы	разниц
Dative	разнице	разницам
Accusative	разницу	разницы
Instrumental	разницей	разницами
Prepositional	разнице	разницах

отличие (Noun, Neuter, 2nd Declension):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	отличие	отличия
Genitive	отличия	отличий
Dative	отличию	отличиям
Accusative	отличие	отличия
Instrumental	отличием	отличиями
Prepositional	отличии	отличиях

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for разница:

• несоответствие
• различие

Note: "различие" is often more formal and used in written language.

Synonyms for отличие:

• особенность
• различие

Antonyms for both:

• сходство
• подобие

Related Phrases:

• разница во времени - Time difference
• разница в подходе - Difference in approach
• отличие в деталях - Difference in details

Usage Notes:

• Choosing between разница and отличие: Use "разница" for measurable or general differences (e.g., price, age). Use "отличие" when emphasizing a distinguishing characteristic or feature.
• Register: Both terms are neutral and can be used in formal and informal contexts, though "отличие" might sound slightly more formal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "разница" when "отличие" is more appropriate for describing unique features. Example of incorrect usage: *Разница этой машины в дизайне* (Incorrect). Correct: Отличие этой машины в дизайне (The difference of this car lies in its design).
• Error: Misusing grammatical cases with "разница." Example of incorrect usage: *Разница между нами в возраст* (Incorrect). Correct: Разница между нами в возрасте (The difference between us is in age - Prepositional case required).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, pointing out differences (разница or отличие) can sometimes be perceived as critical, depending on the context. It is often polite to soften such statements with phrases like "небольшая разница" (a small difference) to avoid sounding overly direct or negative.

Related Concepts:

• сравнение (comparison)
• контраст (contrast)
• сходство (similarity)