Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fair'

English Word: fair

Key Russian Translations:

• справедливый [sprɐfˈjedlʲɪvɨj] - [Formal, used in ethical or legal contexts]
• красивый [krɐˈsʲivɨj] - [Informal, used for beauty or appearance]
• ярмарка [ˈjarmɐrkə] - [Neutral, used as a noun for an event or market]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversations, literature, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of adjective inflections and context; for 'справедливый', it's B1; for 'красивый', it's A2; for 'ярмарка', it's A1)

Pronunciation (Russian):

справедливый: [sprɐfˈjedlʲɪvɨj]

красивый: [krɐˈsʲivɨj] (Note on красивый: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the palatalized 's' sound, which is softer than in English.)

ярмарка: [ˈjarmɐrkə] (Note on ярмарка: The initial 'я' sound is similar to 'ya' in "yard," and it's a feminine noun with a soft ending.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Just and impartial (as an adjective)

Translation(s) & Context:

• справедливый - Used in formal discussions about justice, ethics, or fairness in decisions.

Usage Examples:

• Судья принял справедливое решение в этом деле.

  The judge made a fair decision in this case.

• В демократическом обществе справедливость является основным принципом.

  In a democratic society, fairness is a fundamental principle.

• Родители стараются быть справедливыми к своим детям.

  Parents try to be fair to their children.

• Эта политика не кажется справедливой для всех работников.

  This policy doesn't seem fair to all employees.

Beautiful or attractive (as an adjective)

Translation(s) & Context:

• красивый - Used in informal or descriptive contexts for physical appearance, often in everyday speech or literature.

Usage Examples:

• Она имеет красивые глаза и улыбку.

  She has fair (beautiful) eyes and a smile.

• Этот парк красивый в осенние цвета.

  This park is fair (beautiful) in autumn colors.

• Красивый дом всегда притягивает внимание.

  A fair (beautiful) house always attracts attention.

• Его стиль одежды очень красивый и современный.

  His clothing style is very fair (beautiful) and modern.

A market or event (as a noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ярмарка - Used for events like fairs, markets, or exhibitions, often in cultural or commercial contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Каждый год в городе проходит большая ярмарка.

  Every year, a big fair is held in the city.

• На ярмарке можно купить свежие продукты и сувениры.

  At the fair, you can buy fresh produce and souvenirs.

• Ярмарка привлекла тысячи посетителей из разных стран.

  The fair attracted thousands of visitors from different countries.

• Дети любят ярмарку за аттракционы и сладости.

  Children love the fair for the rides and sweets.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'справедливый' (adjective): This is a first-declension adjective with regular inflections based on gender, number, and case. It agrees with the noun it modifies.

Case/Number	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	справедливый	справедливая	справедливое	справедливые
Genitive	справедливого	справедливой	справедливого	справедливых
Dative	справедливому	справедливой	справедливому	справедливым

For 'красивый' (adjective): Similar to 'справедливый', it follows regular adjective inflections.

Case/Number	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	красивый	красивая	красивое	красивые

For 'ярмарка' (noun, feminine): This is a first-declension noun with regular inflections. It does not have irregular forms.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ярмарка	ярмарки
Genitive	ярмарки	ярмарок

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: честный [chestnyy] (more about honesty than impartiality), равный [ravnyy] (equal, in contexts of fairness)
• Antonyms: несправедливый [nespravedlivyy] (unfair), уродливый [urodlivyy] (for 'красивый', meaning ugly)

Related Phrases:

• справедливость общества - Justice in society (refers to the concept of fairness in social structures)
• красивый вид - A beautiful view (used for scenic or aesthetic descriptions)
• народная ярмарка - Folk fair (a traditional event with cultural elements)

Usage Notes:

'Справедливый' directly corresponds to the ethical sense of 'fair' in English, but it's often used in more formal or philosophical contexts in Russian, such as law or morality. Choose this over 'красивый' if the meaning is about impartiality. 'Красивый' is for physical beauty and is more versatile in informal speech. 'Ярмарка' is a precise match for 'fair' as an event, with no major restrictions. Always consider gender agreement for adjectives, and use the appropriate case based on sentence structure to avoid grammatical errors.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'справедливый' interchangeably with 'честный' without context. Correct: 'Справедливый' implies impartiality (e.g., "справедливый суд" - fair trial), while 'честный' means honest. Example of error: Saying "Он честный человек" when meaning fair, which might work but loses nuance.
• Mistake: Forgetting adjective inflections, e.g., using 'красивый' with a feminine noun without changing to 'красивая'. Correct: "Красивая женщина" instead of "Красивый женщина".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'справедливость' (fairness) is deeply tied to historical contexts like the Soviet era's emphasis on social justice, often appearing in literature and speeches. For 'ярмарка', it evokes traditional Russian festivals, symbolizing community and commerce, as seen in folklore and modern events like the Moscow Fair.

Related Concepts:

• равенство
• этика
• торговля