Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fad'

English Word: fad

Key Russian Translations:

• мода [ˈmodə] - [Informal, used for temporary trends in everyday contexts]
• причуда [prʲɪˈt͡ɕudə] - [Formal, often implying a whimsical or eccentric trend]

Frequency: Medium (Common in casual discussions about trends, but not as frequent as core vocabulary in Russian media or daily speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of nouns and their inflections, with 'мода' being easier for beginners and 'причуда' slightly more challenging due to its nuanced connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мода: [ˈmodə]

Note on мода: The stress is on the first syllable; be careful with the soft 'd' sound, which can vary slightly in fast speech.

причуда: [prʲɪˈt͡ɕudə]

Note on причуда: Pronounce the 'ч' as a soft, palatalized 'ch' sound; this word often has a rolling 'r' in some regional accents. Audio playback may help with these subtleties.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: A temporary or short-lived trend, enthusiasm, or fashion.

Translation(s) & Context:

• мода - Used in informal contexts for popular but fleeting trends, such as fashion or hobbies.
• причуда - Applied in more formal or literary contexts to describe eccentric or whimsical fads.

Usage Examples:

• Эта мода на здоровое питание продержится недолго.

  This fad for healthy eating won't last long.

• Причуда молодежи — носить необычную одежду — быстро прошла.

  The youth's fad of wearing unusual clothes faded quickly.

• В 90-е годы мода на западные гаджеты была настоящим бумом.

  In the 90s, the fad for Western gadgets was a real boom.

• Его причуда собирать редкие монеты оказалась всего лишь временным увлечением.

  His fad of collecting rare coins turned out to be just a temporary interest.

• Мода на социальные сети изменила, как люди общаются, но она может устареть.

  The fad for social media has changed how people communicate, but it might become outdated.

Secondary Meaning: An eccentric or peculiar habit (less common, but related).

Translation(s) & Context:

• причуда - Used when the fad involves personal quirks or odd behaviors.

Usage Examples:

• Его ежедневная причуда — пить чай в определенное время — раздражала всех.

  His daily fad of drinking tea at a specific time annoyed everyone.

• Причуда ребенка — рисовать на стенах — была милой, но проблемной.

  The child's fad of drawing on walls was cute but troublesome.

• Эта причуда в моде на ретро-стиль вернулась из прошлого.

  This fad in retro style has come back from the past.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'мода' and 'причуда' are feminine nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard feminine declension patterns. 'Мода' is a first-declension noun and inflects regularly, while 'причуда' also inflects but may have slight irregularities in some forms due to its structure.

Note: These nouns do not change in gender or have verbal inflections, as they are not verbs. They are invariant in terms of root changes.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • увлечение (uvlechenie) - More neutral, for any interest; differs from 'мода' by lacking the temporary connotation.
  • тренд (trend) - Borrowed word, used in modern contexts for social media fads.
  • модное веяние (modnoye veyaniye) - Poetic or formal synonym for 'мода'.
• Antonyms:
  • традиция (traditsiya) - Represents enduring customs, opposite of a fleeting fad.
  • постоянство (postoyannstvo) - Implies permanence or stability.

Related Phrases:

• Модная волна - A wave of trends; used for sudden popularity surges (e.g., in fashion or technology).
• Причуда судьбы - A whim of fate; a fixed expression implying an unpredictable life event.
• Временная мода - Temporary fashion; directly relates to the concept of a fad passing quickly.

Usage Notes:

'Fad' translates most directly to 'мода' in informal settings, but 'причуда' is better for contexts involving eccentricity or personal quirks. Be mindful of the formal/informal divide: 'мода' is versatile in everyday Russian, while 'причуда' suits literary or professional discussions. Grammatically, both nouns require agreement in gender, number, and case with accompanying adjectives or verbs. When choosing between translations, opt for 'мода' if the context is about social trends, and 'причуда' for individual behaviors. In Russian culture, these words often appear in discussions of consumerism or youth culture.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'мода' interchangeably with 'причуда' without considering context. For example, learners might say "Это причуда общества" when "Это мода общества" is more appropriate for a societal trend.

  Correct: "Это мода общества" (This is a societal fad). Explanation: 'Причуда' implies something more personal or odd, so it can lead to misunderstandings in group contexts.

• Error: Incorrect inflection, such as using the nominative form in all cases (e.g., "Я видел мода" instead of "Я видел моду").

  Correct: "Я видел моду" (I saw the fad). Explanation: Russian nouns must inflect based on case; always check the grammatical role in the sentence.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, fads like 'мода' often reflect broader social changes, such as the rapid adoption of Western trends post-Soviet era. 'Причуда' can carry a humorous or critical tone, evoking literary traditions from authors like Gogol, who depicted eccentric behaviors as part of human folly. Understanding these nuances helps English speakers grasp how Russians view impermanence in daily life and traditions.

Related Concepts:

• тренд
• увлечение
• модернизм