Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fortieth'

English Word: fortieth

Key Russian Translations:

• сороковой /sɐˈrokəvəj/ - [Adjective, used for ordinal numbers, Formal]

Frequency: Medium (Common in contexts like dates, rankings, and historical references, but less frequent in everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: A2 (Basic level; suitable for elementary learners, as it follows standard patterns of Russian ordinal numbers)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сороковой: /sɐˈrokəvəj/

Note on сороковой: The stress is on the third syllable ("ko"), and the "о" in "сорок" is pronounced as a short "o" sound. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The ordinal number corresponding to forty (e.g., 40th in sequence).

Translation(s) & Context:

• сороковой - Used in formal and informal contexts for sequencing, such as dates, anniversaries, or rankings (e.g., in historical or mathematical discussions).

Usage Examples:

• Это был мой сороковой день рождения, и мы отметили его с семьёй.

  This was my fortieth birthday, and we celebrated it with the family.

• В сороковой главе книги описывается кульминация сюжета.

  In the fortieth chapter of the book, the climax of the plot is described.

• Он занял сороковое место в соревновании по бегу.

  He took the fortieth place in the running competition.

• Сороковой год его жизни стал поворотным моментом.

  His fortieth year of life became a turning point.

• В сороковой раз за день она повторила это правило.

  For the fortieth time that day, she repeated this rule (emphasizing repetition in everyday scenarios).

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"сороковой" is an ordinal adjective in Russian and inflects based on gender, number, and case, following the patterns of regular adjectives. It is derived from the cardinal number "сорок" (forty). Below is a table outlining its basic inflections for masculine, feminine, and neuter forms in the singular nominative case, with examples of other cases for reference.

Note: This follows regular adjective declension patterns, so it is predictable but requires attention to case agreements in sentences.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: нет прямых синонимов (no direct synonyms), but related ordinals like "тридцать девятый" (thirty-ninth) or "сорок первый" (forty-first) for sequential contexts. "Пятидесятый" (fiftieth) might be considered in broader numerical discussions for contrast.
• Antonyms: "первый" (first) - Used for the opposite end of a sequence.

Related Phrases:

• сороковой век - The fortieth century (used in historical contexts, e.g., referring to a specific era).
• сороковой юбилей - The fortieth anniversary (common in celebrations, implying a milestone).
• сороковой номер - The fortieth issue (e.g., of a magazine, highlighting sequential publications).

Usage Notes:

The Russian translation "сороковой" directly corresponds to "fortieth" as an ordinal number, but remember that Russian ordinals must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. For example, use "сороковой" for masculine nouns, "сороковая" for feminine, and so on. It's versatile across formal and informal settings but is more common in written or structured speech. When choosing between translations, "сороковой" is the standard form; avoid direct English-to-Russian word-for-word translation without considering grammar. In sentences, it often appears in dates (e.g., "сороковой год") or rankings.

Common Errors:

• English speakers often forget case agreement, e.g., incorrectly saying "сороковой книга" instead of "сороковая книга" (for a feminine noun like "книга"). Correct usage: Ensure the adjective matches the noun's case, as in "в сороковой книге" (in the fortieth book, prepositional case).
• Another error is confusing it with the cardinal "сорок" (forty), leading to misuse in ordinal contexts, e.g., saying "сорок день" instead of "сороковой день." Explanation: Always use the ordinal form for sequencing to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the "fortieth" milestone, such as a fortieth birthday or anniversary, is often celebrated as a significant life event, symbolizing maturity and reflection. This ties into broader Slavic traditions where round numbers like 40 are seen as pivotal, sometimes linked to historical events or personal achievements, such as in literature or folklore.

Related Concepts:

• сорок (forty - cardinal number)
• сорок первый (forty-first)
• тридцать девятый (thirty-ninth)
• пятидесятый (fiftieth)