Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'gaggle'

English Word: gaggle

Key Russian Translations:

• стая [ˈsta.jə] - [Informal, for groups of animals, e.g., birds or geese]
• толпа [ˈtol.pə] - [Informal, for disorderly groups of people]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday contexts involving groups, but not as frequent as basic nouns like "group" in English equivalents)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of Russian noun declensions and contextual usage, though basic forms are accessible to learners with some vocabulary foundation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

стая: [ˈsta.jə]

Note on стая: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'я' sound is a soft 'ya' as in "yard." Be cautious with the vowel reduction in casual speech.

толпа: [ˈtol.pə]

Note on толпа: Stress on the first syllable; the 'о' is pronounced as a reduced 'a' in unstressed positions, common in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A flock or group of geese (primary literal sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• стая гусей - Used in contexts describing wild animals or birds, such as in nature or wildlife discussions (e.g., in informal or descriptive writing).

Usage Examples:

• В небе пролетела стая гусей, издавая громкий гогот.

  In the sky, a gaggle of geese flew by, making a loud honking noise.

• Осенью мы часто видим стаю гусей, migrating на юг.

  In the autumn, we often see a gaggle of geese migrating south.

• Ребёнок был очарован стаей гусей у озера, где они плавали хаотично.

  The child was fascinated by the gaggle of geese at the lake, where they were swimming chaotically.

• Стая гусей приземлилась на поле, нарушая тишину деревни.

  The gaggle of geese landed in the field, disrupting the village's quietness.

Meaning 2: A disorderly or noisy group of people (figurative or informal sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• толпа людей - Used in everyday conversations for crowds or noisy gatherings, often with a connotation of chaos, similar to English slang.

Usage Examples:

• На концерте собралась толпа подростков, похожая на гаггл туристов.

  At the concert, a gaggle of teenagers gathered, like a noisy crowd of tourists.

• В парке образовалась толпа, болтающая без остановки, как гаггл уток.

  In the park, a gaggle of people formed, chattering nonstop like a flock of ducks.

• Толпа журналистов окружила звезду, создавая хаос, словно гаггл любопытных птиц.

  The gaggle of journalists surrounded the star, creating chaos like a flock of curious birds.

• На рынке была толпа покупателей, напоминающая гаггл детей в зоопарке.

  At the market, there was a gaggle of shoppers, reminiscent of children at the zoo.

• Толпа болельщиков кричала, образуя гаггл возбуждённых фанатов.

  The gaggle of fans was shouting, forming a noisy crowd of excited supporters.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "стая" (feminine noun, 1st declension) and "толпа" (feminine noun, 1st declension), both follow regular Russian noun patterns with case and number variations. "стая" is used for animal groups and inflects as below:

For "толпа": It has similar inflections but is less variable in plural forms due to its collective nature.

Both words are invariant in gender and do not change in basic forms, but always decline based on context.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • гурьба (similar to толпа, but often implies a smaller, more playful group)
  • косяк (for fish or bird groups, as a synonym to стая)
• Antonyms:
  • одиночка (meaning "lone individual," contrasting with a group)
  • порядок (implying "order" or "structure," opposing the chaos of толпа)

Related Phrases:

• стая птиц - A flock of birds; used in wildlife or nature descriptions.
• толпа народа - A crowd of people; common in urban or event contexts, implying density and noise.
• гурьбой бежать - To run in a group; a phrase for chaotic movement, akin to a gaggle scattering.

Usage Notes:

"Gaggle" translates most accurately to "стая" for animal groups and "толпа" for human crowds, but choose based on context—use "стая" for literal flocks and "толпа" for informal, noisy human scenarios. In Russian, these words carry a neutral to negative connotation (e.g., implying disorder), unlike the playful tone in English. Always decline nouns according to case, and avoid direct word-for-word translation; for example, pair with specific nouns like "гусей" for geese. Beginners may confuse with synonyms, so focus on context for precise usage.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "стая" without proper declension, e.g., saying "в стая" instead of "в стае" (in the flock). Correct: "В стае гусей" – This mistakes the prepositional case; remember to adjust for grammatical context to avoid sounding unnatural.

• Error: Overusing "толпа" for any group, even orderly ones, e.g., "толпа друзей" when "группа друзей" is better. Correct: Use "толпа" only for chaotic crowds; otherwise, it exaggerates negativity.

• Error: Forgetting gender agreement, e.g., incorrect adjective forms with "стая" (feminine). Correct: Say "большая стая" (big flock), not "большой стая"; pay attention to adjective endings in Russian sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "стая" often evoke imagery from folklore or rural life, such as geese in traditional stories symbolizing migration or community. "Толпа" might reference historical events like crowds in Soviet-era gatherings, implying potential disorder, which can add a subtle political or social undertone in modern usage.

Related Concepts:

• рой (swarm, for insects)
• группа (group, more neutral and general)
• масса (mass, for large, amorphous crowds)