Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'eye'

English Word: eye

Key Russian Translations:

• глаз /ɡlaz/ - [Common, Singular, Informal/Formal]
• глаза /ɡlazə/ - [Common, Plural, Informal/Formal]

Frequency: High (The word is commonly used in everyday Russian conversation and writing.)

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner; straightforward for English learners due to its basic nature, but requires understanding of Russian noun declensions.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

глаз: /ɡlaz/ (The 'г' is a voiced velar fricative, similar to the 'g' in 'go', but softer.)

глаза: /ɡlazə/ (Note the addition of the vowel sound in plural forms, which is typical for Russian nouns.)

Note on глаз: Be cautious with the final 'з' sound, which can soften in fast speech; it's a common point of difficulty for non-native speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The organ of sight in humans and animals.

Translation(s) & Context:

• глаз - Used in singular for one eye, in everyday descriptions or medical contexts (e.g., in formal or informal settings).
• глаза - Used in plural for eyes generally, common in descriptions of appearance or emotions.

Usage Examples:

• Мой глаз устал от чтения. (Moy glaz ustal ot chteniya.)

  My eye is tired from reading. (This example shows the singular form in a personal, everyday context.)

• Её глаза были зелёными, как море. (Eyó glazá byli zelenymi, kak more.)

  Her eyes were green, like the sea. (Illustrates plural form in descriptive, poetic language.)

• Врач осмотрел его глаз. (Vrach osmotrel yego glaz.)

  The doctor examined his eye. (Demonstrates singular in a medical scenario, with genitive case usage.)

• Глаза ребёнка были полны удивления. (Glazá rebyonka byli polny udivleniya.)

  The child's eyes were full of wonder. (Shows plural in an emotional context, highlighting expressive language.)

• Он прикрыл глаз, чтобы отдохнуть. (On prikryl glaz, chtoby otdokhnutʹ.)

  He closed his eye to rest. (Uses singular in an action-oriented sentence, common in narratives.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Глаз" is a masculine noun in the first declension group, which means it undergoes regular changes based on case and number. It is invariant in some contexts but typically declines. Below is a table for its declensions:

For variants like "око" (a more archaic or poetic form), it follows similar first-declension patterns but is less common in modern usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: око (oko) - Often used in literary or formal contexts, implying a more poetic or archaic tone.
• Антонимы: слепота (slepota) - Meaning blindness, as it represents the opposite concept of sight.

Related Phrases:

• Голубые глаза (Golubye glaza) - Blue eyes; a common phrase for describing eye color in casual conversations.
• Красные глаза (Krasnye glaza) - Red eyes; often used in contexts related to tiredness or irritation, with a connotation of health issues.
• Глаз на глаз (Glaz na glaz) - Eye to eye; a fixed expression meaning face-to-face or in person, emphasizing direct interaction.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "глаз" directly corresponds to the English "eye" but must agree in case, number, and gender with other words in the sentence. For English learners, remember that Russian nouns like "глаз" are masculine and require appropriate adjectives (e.g., "большой глаз" for "big eye"). Use singular for specific instances and plural for general descriptions. When choosing between translations, opt for "глаз" in everyday speech and "око" for literary works to match the context's formality.

• Grammar tip: Always decline based on sentence role; e.g., in genitive constructions like "цвет глаз" (color of eyes).
• Contextual advice: In idiomatic expressions, "глаз" can imply surveillance (e.g., "большой брат следит" - big brother is watching), so be mindful of cultural nuances.

Common Errors:

English learners often misuse cases, such as using the nominative "глаз" in genitive contexts (e.g., incorrectly saying "цвет глаз" as "цвет глаз" when it should be correct). Error example: "Я видел глаз человека" (incorrect if meaning "I saw the man's eye" – proper is "Я видел глаз человека" with correct possessive). Correct usage: Use genitive "глаза" for possession. Another common mistake is confusing singular and plural in descriptions, like saying "Её глаз зеленый" instead of "Её глаза зелёные" for "Her eyes are green." Explanation: Russian requires plural agreement for plural subjects to maintain grammatical harmony.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, eyes are often symbolic in literature and folklore, representing the soul or truth, as in the proverb "Глаза – зеркало души" (Eyes are the mirror of the soul). This reflects a deep cultural emphasis on eye contact in communication, where avoiding it can signify dishonesty, influencing social interactions in Russian-speaking societies.

Related Concepts:

• зрение (zrenie) - Vision or sight
• лицо (lico) - Face
• тело (telo) - Body