Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'feast'

English Word: feast

Key Russian Translations:

• Пир [pir] - [Formal, often used for a lavish meal or banquet]
• Праздник [ˈprazdʲnʲik] - [Informal to Formal, commonly for festivals or celebrations]

Frequency: Medium (The word is encountered in everyday contexts like holidays and social events, but not as common as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of noun declensions and contextual usage. For 'Пир', it may be slightly easier at A2; for 'Праздник', B1 due to its frequent inflections.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Пир: [pir] (The 'p' is aspirated, and the vowel is short; stress on the first syllable.)

Note on Пир: Be cautious with the soft 'r' sound, which can vary regionally in Russian dialects.

Праздник: [ˈprazdʲnʲik] (Stress on the first syllable; the 'dʲ' is a soft 'd' followed by a palatalized 'n'.)

Note on Праздник: The palatalization in 'dʲnʲ' can be tricky for English speakers; it sounds like a quick glide.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A large, elaborate meal, often associated with celebrations.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Пир - Used in formal or literary contexts for a feast as a meal, such as at weddings or holidays.

Usage Examples:

• Мы устроили пир на Рождество, где подали традиционные блюда. (We held a feast on Christmas, serving traditional dishes.)

  English Translation: We held a feast on Christmas, serving traditional dishes.

• После свадьбы гости наслаждались пиром с музыкой и танцами. (After the wedding, the guests enjoyed a feast with music and dancing.)

  English Translation: After the wedding, the guests enjoyed a feast with music and dancing.

• В деревне пир всегда сопровождался народными песнями. (In the village, the feast was always accompanied by folk songs.)

  English Translation: In the village, the feast was always accompanied by folk songs.

• Этот пир был самым роскошным, который я когда-либо видел. (This feast was the most luxurious one I've ever seen.)

  English Translation: This feast was the most luxurious one I've ever seen.

Meaning 2: A festival or holiday, often with cultural or religious significance.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Праздник - Used broadly for any festive occasion, such as national holidays or religious events, in both casual and formal speech.

Usage Examples:

• Новый год — это большой праздник с фейерверками и подарками. (New Year is a big feast with fireworks and gifts.)

  English Translation: New Year is a big feast with fireworks and gifts.

• Во время праздника люди собираются семьями и делятся историями. (During the feast, people gather with families and share stories.)

  English Translation: During the feast, people gather with families and share stories.

• Пасхальный праздник включает в себя пир и обряды. (The Easter feast includes a meal and rituals.)

  English Translation: The Easter feast includes a meal and rituals.

• Этот праздник отмечается по всей стране с фольклорными традициями. (This feast is celebrated across the country with folklore traditions.)

  English Translation: This feast is celebrated across the country with folklore traditions.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'Пир' and 'Праздник' are masculine nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard masculine declension patterns. 'Пир' is less commonly inflected in modern usage, while 'Праздник' has more regular changes.

Note: 'Пир' is invariant in plural forms in some contexts, but generally uses 'Пиры' for nominative plural. 'Праздник' pluralizes as 'Праздники' with full declension.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for Пир: Банкет (banquet, more formal), Угощение (treat, less elaborate) - Банкет implies a more structured event.
• Synonyms for Праздник: Фестиваль (festival, for larger events), Торжество (celebration, with a sense of grandeur).
• Antonyms: Голод (golod - hunger), for Пир; Рабочий день (rabochiy den' - workday), for Праздник, as it contrasts with festive occasions.

Related Phrases:

• Пир горой (Pir goroy) - Meaning: An abundant feast or celebration, often used idiomatically to describe lavish hospitality.
• На празднике (Na prazdnike) - Meaning: At the feast or during the festival, commonly in contexts of social gatherings.
• Праздничный стол (Prazdnichnyy stol) - Meaning: Festive table, referring to a spread of food at a feast.

Usage Notes:

'Feast' in English often corresponds to 'Пир' when emphasizing a meal, but 'Праздник' is better for broader cultural events. Use 'Пир' in formal or literary contexts to avoid sounding archaic in everyday speech. Be mindful of the genitive case in phrases like 'во время пира' (during the feast). When choosing between translations, opt for 'Праздник' for religious or national events to capture the cultural nuance.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'Пир' interchangeably with 'Праздник' without context. Incorrect: "Это пир для Нового года" (if meaning a festival). Correct: "Это праздник для Нового года." Explanation: 'Пир' focuses on the meal, while 'Праздник' encompasses the event; confusing them can alter the intended meaning.
• Error: Forgetting declensions, e.g., saying "на Пир" instead of "на Пире". Incorrect: "Я иду на Пир." Correct: "Я иду на Пире." Explanation: Prepositional case requires the ending change for proper grammatical agreement.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, a 'feast' like 'Праздник' often ties to traditions such as Orthodox holidays (e.g., Easter), where communal meals symbolize unity and abundance. 'Пир' evokes historical feasts in literature, like those in Russian folktales, reflecting hospitality and excess, which contrasts with the more restrained modern lifestyles.

Related Concepts:

• Торжество
• Банкет
• Фестиваль