Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'flirt'

English Word: flirt

Key Russian Translations:

• флирт (/flirt/) - [Informal, Noun; Used in casual conversations about romantic teasing]
• заигрывать (/zəɪˈɡrɨvətʲ/) - [Informal, Verb; Used to describe the act of flirting playfully]

Frequency: Medium (Common in modern Russian media and everyday speech, especially among younger speakers, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of borrowed words and basic verb conjugations. For 'флирт', it's easier for beginners due to its direct borrowing; for 'заигрывать', it may be more challenging due to irregular verb aspects).

Pronunciation (Russian):

флирт: /flirt/ (Pronounced similarly to the English word, with a soft 'r' sound in Russian contexts).

заигрывать: /zəɪˈɡrɨvətʲ/ (The stress is on the second syllable; note the palatalized 'tʲ' at the end, which can be tricky for non-native speakers).

Note on заигрывать: This verb often involves a soft 'г' sound, and the infinitive form may vary slightly in rapid speech; be cautious with the imperfective aspect in sentences.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: As a noun, referring to light-hearted romantic teasing or playful behavior.

Translation(s) & Context:

• флирт - Used in informal settings like dating or social interactions, often implying harmless fun without serious intent.

Usage Examples:

• Вечеринка была полна флирта и смеха. (The party was full of flirting and laughter.)

  Translation: The party was full of flirting and laughter.

• Её флирт с коллегой вызвал слухи в офисе. (Her flirt with her colleague sparked rumors in the office.)

  Translation: Her flirt with her colleague sparked rumors in the office.

• Флирт может быть забавным, но иногда он переходит в серьёзные отношения. (Flirting can be fun, but sometimes it turns into serious relationships.)

  Translation: Flirting can be fun, but sometimes it turns into serious relationships.

• На пляже много флирта между туристами. (There's a lot of flirting among tourists at the beach.)

  Translation: There's a lot of flirting among tourists at the beach.

Meaning 2: As a verb, referring to the action of engaging in playful, romantic behavior.

Translation(s) & Context:

• заигрывать - Used in dynamic contexts, often imperfective, to describe ongoing flirtatious actions, especially in social or romantic scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда заигрывает с официантками в кафе. (He always flirts with the waitresses in the cafe.)

  Translation: He always flirts with the waitresses in the cafe.

• Не заигрывай с ней, если не серьёзно настроен. (Don't flirt with her if you're not serious.)

  Translation: Don't flirt with her if you're not serious.

• Девушка заигрывала с ним весь вечер, но он не заметил. (The girl was flirting with him all evening, but he didn't notice.)

  Translation: The girl was flirting with him all evening, but he didn't notice.

• Заигрывать в интернете стало нормой для молодёжи. (Flirting online has become the norm for young people.)

  Translation: Flirting online has become the norm for young people.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'флирт' (a masculine noun, borrowed from English):

It follows standard Russian noun declension patterns for masculine nouns ending in a consonant. Note that as a loanword, it may not always inflect in informal speech.

For 'заигрывать' (an imperfective verb, first conjugation):

It is a regular verb but follows imperfective aspect rules. Conjugations vary by tense, person, and number.

Note: The perfective counterpart is 'заиграть', which changes the meaning slightly to a completed action.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • кокетничать (similar to flirting but with a more feminine connotation, often used for women)
  • флиртовать (a less common variant, emphasizing the borrowed nature)
• Antonyms:
  • серьёзно относиться (to take seriously, implying no playfulness)
  • избегать (to avoid, especially romantic advances)

Related Phrases:

• Вести флирт - (To engage in flirting; Used in contexts of starting a playful interaction.)
• Заигрывать с огнём - (To flirt with danger; A metaphorical expression for taking risks.)
• Легкий флирт - (Light flirting; Refers to casual, non-committal behavior in social settings.)

Usage Notes:

'Флирт' is a direct borrowing from English and is commonly used in urban, youthful Russian speech, making it a good match for informal contexts. However, 'заигрывать' is more native and versatile for verbs, often paired with prepositions like 'с' (with). English speakers should note that Russian flirting vocabulary can carry cultural nuances—it's less direct than in English-speaking cultures. When choosing between translations, use 'флирт' for nouns and 'заигрывать' for actions; avoid overusing in formal writing where more neutral terms like 'общение' (communication) might be preferred.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'флирт' as a verb, e.g., "Я флирт с ней" (incorrect).
  Correct: "Я заигрываю с ней" (I am flirting with her).
  Explanation: 'Флирт' is a noun, so it can't be conjugated; learners often forget to switch to a verbal form like 'заигрывать'.
• Mistake: Mispronouncing 'заигрывать' with English phonetics, e.g., saying /zey-grai-vayt/ instead of /zəɪˈɡrɨvətʲ/.
  Correct: Practice the palatalized ending for accuracy.
  Explanation: This leads to misunderstandings in spoken Russian, as the soft consonants are key to native pronunciation.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, flirting ('флирт' or 'заигрывать') is often seen as a light-hearted social activity, especially in urban settings, but it can be influenced by traditional gender roles. For instance, it's more acceptable for women to 'кокетничать' in certain contexts, reflecting historical norms from literature like Chekhov's works, where playful interactions are common but rarely lead to serious commitments without further depth.

Related Concepts:

• кокетство (coquetry)
• романтика (romance)
• свидание (date)