Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'gossip'

English Word: gossip

Key Russian Translations:

• сплетни [ˈsplʲetnʲi] - [Informal, Plural]
• сплетничать [splʲɪtʲˈnʲitɕətʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used in everyday conversations]

Frequency: High (Common in daily conversations, media, and literature)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Requires understanding of basic noun and verb forms; for 'сплетничать', it may vary slightly by conjugation, making it accessible to intermediate learners.

Pronunciation (Russian):

сплетни: [ˈsplʲetnʲi]

Note on сплетни: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'splʲ' sound is a soft consonant, which can be challenging for English speakers due to the palatalization.

сплетничать: [splʲɪtʲˈnʲitɕətʲ]

Note on сплетничать: This is a verb with stress on the third syllable; the 'tɕ' sound is similar to the 'ch' in 'church', but softer. Practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. As a noun: Casual or malicious talk about other people's private affairs, often involving rumors.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сплетни - Used in informal settings like social gatherings or online discussions to refer to unfounded rumors; common in everyday Russian speech.

Usage Examples:

• В офисе всегда ходят сплетни о начальнике.

  In the office, there are always gossip about the boss.

• Эти сплетни могут разрушить чью-то репутацию.

  This gossip can ruin someone's reputation.

• Не верь сплетням; лучше проверь факты.

  Don't believe the gossip; it's better to check the facts.

• Соседи любят обсуждать сплетни за чаем.

  Neighbors love to discuss gossip over tea.

2. As a verb: To engage in the act of spreading or discussing rumors.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сплетничать - Used in informal contexts, such as casual conversations, to describe the action of gossiping; often implies a negative connotation in social settings.

Usage Examples:

• Они часто сплетничают о знаменитостях в кафе.

  They often gossip about celebrities in the cafe.

• Не сплетничай; это может обидеть людей.

  Don't gossip; it can hurt people.

• Дети начали сплетничать после школы.

  The kids started gossiping after school.

• В социальных сетях люди сплетничают, не проверяя информацию.

  On social media, people gossip without verifying information.

• Она любит сплетничать с подругами по телефону.

  She loves to gossip with her friends over the phone.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'сплетни' (a feminine plural noun): This word is typically used in its plural form and follows standard Russian noun declension for first-declension feminine nouns. It does not change in the nominative plural but varies by case.

For 'сплетничать' (a verb, imperfective): This is a first-conjugation verb with regular patterns. It conjugates based on tense, person, and number. Example in present tense:

Note: The verb is imperfective, so it doesn't have perfective forms like 'сплетничать' itself, but related perfectives might include 'сплетничать' in contexts requiring completion.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: болтовня (boltovnya) - More neutral, refers to casual chatter; пересуды (peresudy) - Similar to gossip but often implies debate or discussion.
• Antonyms: молчание (molchaniye) - Silence, the opposite of engaging in talk; правда (pravda) - Truth, contrasting with the often false nature of gossip.

Related Phrases:

• Распространять сплетни - To spread gossip; often used in contexts involving rumors in social or media settings.
• Заниматься сплетнями - To engage in gossip; implies habitual behavior in informal groups.
• Сплетни за спиной - Gossip behind one's back; highlights the secretive aspect of the word.

Usage Notes:

'Gossip' translates most accurately to 'сплетни' as a noun and 'сплетничать' as a verb, but choose based on context: use 'сплетни' for the content of rumors and 'сплетничать' for the action. In Russian, these words carry a negative connotation, often implying harm, so they are more informal and should be avoided in formal writing. Grammatically, 'сплетни' requires attention to case (e.g., genitive for possession), and 'сплетничать' conjugates regularly. English speakers might confuse it with neutral chat, but in Russian, it's linked to social judgment.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'сплетни' in singular form (e.g., *сплетня as a standalone noun). Correct: 'Сплетни' is almost always plural; say "Эти сплетни" instead of trying to singularize it. Explanation: Russian nouns like this don't have a common singular equivalent, so learners often overgeneralize from English.

• Error: Incorrect verb conjugation, e.g., *сплетнича instead of 'сплетничаешь'. Correct: Full form is 'сплетничаешь' for second person singular. Explanation: English speakers may drop endings, but Russian verbs require precise conjugation for person and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, gossip ('сплетни') is often viewed as a double-edged sword: it's a common social activity in close-knit communities, like in villages or among friends, but it can lead to social ostracism if it spreads falsehoods. Historically, during the Soviet era, gossip was a way to share unofficial news, reflecting a distrust of official narratives, which adds a layer of resilience and caution to its use today.

Related Concepts:

• Репутация (reputatsiya)
• Слухи (slukhi)
• Сплетничество (spletnichestvo)