Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'glass'

English Word: glass

Key Russian Translations:

• стекло [ˈstʲeklə] - [Noun, Neutral, Singular; Used in general contexts for the material]
• стеклянный [stʲɪˈkljanːɨj] - [Adjective; Used to describe something made of glass or having a glassy appearance]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday language, especially in contexts involving materials or objects)

Difficulty: A2 for 'стекло' (Beginner level, as it's a basic noun); B1 for 'стеклянный' (Intermediate, due to adjective inflections)

Pronunciation (Russian):

стекло: [ˈstʲeklə]

стеклянный: [stʲɪˈkljanːɨj]

Note on стекло: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'e' sound is palatalized, which is common in Russian nouns.

Note on стеклянный: Pronunciation varies slightly by case; pay attention to the soft 'l' sound.

Audio: Play audio for стекло | Play audio for стеклянный (Insert actual audio file paths here)

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A hard, brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent (as a material).

Translation(s) & Context:

• стекло - Used in scientific, everyday, or descriptive contexts for the material itself, e.g., in construction or manufacturing.

Usage Examples:

• Окно сделано из стекла.

  The window is made of glass. (Simple declarative sentence showing material composition.)

• Стекло в бутылке очень тонкое.

  The glass in the bottle is very thin. (Describes a property in a product context.)

• В лаборатории используют специальное стекло для экспериментов.

  In the laboratory, they use special glass for experiments. (Contextual usage in a professional setting.)

• Стекло может разбиться от удара.

  Glass can break from an impact. (Illustrates a common characteristic in a general statement.)

Meaning 2: A drinking container made of glass.

Translation(s) & Context:

• стекло - Informally used for the container, though 'стакан' is more precise for a glass cup.
• стеклянный стакан - Used when emphasizing the material of the container.

Usage Examples:

• Пожалуйста, налейте воду в стекло.

  Please pour water into the glass. (Informal command in a household context.)

• На столе стоит пустое стекло.

  There is an empty glass on the table. (Descriptive sentence in everyday scenarios.)

• В ресторане подают напитки в стеклянных стаканах.

  In the restaurant, they serve drinks in glass glasses. (Emphasizes material in a service industry context.)

• Дети любят пить молоко из цветного стекла.

  Children like to drink milk from colored glass. (Shows preference in a familial setting.)

• Стекло на вечеринке было заполнено шампанским.

  The glass at the party was filled with champagne. (Social event context with implied celebration.)

Meaning 3: Adjective form, meaning smooth or reflective like glass.

Translation(s) & Context:

• стеклянный - Used to describe surfaces or appearances, e.g., in nature or art.

Usage Examples:

• Его глаза были стеклянными от удивления.

  His eyes were glassy from surprise. (Metaphorical use in emotional descriptions.)

• Озеро выглядело стеклянным на рассвете.

  The lake looked glassy at dawn. (Descriptive of natural phenomena.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'стекло' (neuter noun, 2nd declension):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	стекло	стекла
Genitive	стекла	стекол
Dative	стеклу	стеклам
Accusative	стекло	стекла
Instrumental	стеклом	стеклами
Prepositional	стекле	стеклах

For 'стеклянный' (adjective, follows standard adjective declension):

Case	Masculine Singular	Feminine Singular	Neuter Singular	Plural
Nominative	стеклянный	стеклянная	стеклянное	стеклянные

Note: These are regular inflections; no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • хрусталь (khrustal) - For high-quality or crystal glass; implies luxury.
  • прозрачное вещество (prozrachnoe veshchestvo) - Literal, less common synonym for the material.
• Antonyms:
  • металл (metall) - Opposite in material properties.
  • пластик (plastik) - Modern alternative material.

Related Phrases:

• Разбить стекло - To break glass; used in contexts of accidents or destruction.
• Стеклянный дом - Glass house; implies fragility or transparency in idioms.
• Окно из стекла - Window made of glass; common in construction descriptions.

Usage Notes:

'Стекло' directly corresponds to the English 'glass' as a material, but in Russian, it's important to consider context for precision. For example, when referring to a drinking vessel, 'стакан' is often preferred over 'стекло' to avoid ambiguity. 'Стеклянный' is used adjectivally and must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies. In formal writing, specify the type of glass (e.g., 'оконное стекло' for window glass). Choose between translations based on whether you're describing a substance or an attribute.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'стекло' interchangeably with 'стакан' for a drinking glass. Correct: Say 'стакан' for the container to avoid confusion. Example of error: *Я пью из стекла* (incorrectly implying the material). Correct: Я пью из стакана.

• Error: Forgetting to inflect 'стеклянный' properly. Correct: Ensure it matches the noun's case, e.g., don't say *стеклянный окно* (wrong); say *стеклянное окно* for neuter noun.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, glass (стекло) symbolizes fragility and transparency, often seen in literature and art. For instance, in folk tales, breaking glass might represent bad luck, similar to Western superstitions. Historically, Russian artisans have produced famous glassware, like those from the Gus Crystal Factory, linking the word to national heritage.

Related Concepts:

• кристалл (kristall)
• прозрачность (prozrachnost')
• хрупкость (khrupkost')