Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'half'

English Word: half

Key Russian Translations:

• половина (/pələvʲɪnə/) - [Common noun, used in everyday contexts; can be formal or informal]
• наполовину (/nəpələvʲɪnʊ/) - [Adverbial form, used for partial actions; Informal, often in spoken language]

Frequency: High (The word is commonly used in daily conversations, literature, and media in Russian.)

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner level; straightforward vocabulary with basic grammar rules, suitable for new learners of Russian.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

половина: /pələvʲɪnə/ (The stress is on the second syllable; the 'в' is pronounced as a voiced labiodental fricative.)

Note on половина: Pay attention to the palatalized 'вʲ' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers; it softens the preceding consonant.

наполовину: /nəpələvʲɪnʊ/ (Stress on the third syllable; similar palatalization as in 'половина'.)

Note on наполовину: This word often flows quickly in speech, so practice it in phrases to master the rhythm.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: One of two equal parts of something (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• половина - Used in contexts involving division, quantities, or fractions; common in formal descriptions or everyday measurements.
• наполовину - Used adverbially to indicate something is done to half the extent; informal in casual conversations.

Usage Examples:

• Я съел половину яблока. (Ya syel polovinu yabloka.)

  I ate half of the apple. (This example shows the noun in a simple declarative sentence, illustrating basic object usage.)

• Эта задача выполнена наполовину. (Eta zadacha vypolnena napolovinu.)

  This task is half done. (Here, the adverb form demonstrates progress in an action, common in work or project contexts.)

• В бутылке осталось только половина молока. (V butylke ostalos' tolko polovinu moloka.)

  Only half of the milk is left in the bottle. (This highlights the noun in a possessive or remaining quantity scenario.)

• Он был наполовину прав. (On byl napolovinu prav.)

  He was half right. (An adverbial use in opinions or judgments, showing partial agreement.)

• Половину времени я провёл в Москве. (Polovinu vremeni ya provyol v Moskve.)

  I spent half the time in Moscow. (This example varies the context to time durations, emphasizing measurement.)

Meaning 2: Partial or incomplete (Adverbial or idiomatic sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• наполовину - Applied in situations describing incompleteness or moderation; informal and conversational.

Usage Examples:

• Дверь была открыта наполовину. (Dver' byla otkryta napolovinu.)

  The door was half open. (Illustrates partial states in physical descriptions.)

• Его идея была наполовину хорошей. (Yego ideya byla napolovinu khoroshey.)

  His idea was half good. (Used for qualified opinions, showing mixed evaluations.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'половина', a feminine noun, it follows the standard first declension pattern with changes based on case and number. It is invariable in plural forms for abstract senses but can vary in specific contexts.

For 'наполовину', an adverb, it is invariable and does not change form across cases or numbers.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • половинка (/pələvʲɪnkə/) - A diminutive form, often used for smaller halves or in affectionate contexts.
  • наполовину эквивалент - Sometimes interchangeable with 'частично' (/tʃastʲɪnə/) in informal settings, but less precise.
• Antonyms:
  • целый (/t͡sɨlɨj/) - Meaning 'whole' or 'entire'.
  • полностью (/pəlnəstʲjʊ/) - Meaning 'fully' or 'completely'.

Related Phrases:

• половина стакана (/pələvʲɪnə stəkənə/) - Half a glass; used in recipes or measurements.
• наполовину готовый (/nəpələvʲɪnʊ ɡɔtɔvɨj/) - Half ready; implies something is partially prepared, common in cooking or projects.
• взять половину пирога (/vzjɑtʲ pələvʲɪnə pʲɪrəɡə/) - To take half of the pie; a fixed phrase for sharing or dividing food.

Usage Notes:

The Russian translations for 'half' like 'половина' directly correspond to the English noun form and are versatile in both formal and informal settings. Use 'наполовину' for adverbial expressions to convey partiality, similar to 'halfway' in English. Be mindful of Russian's grammatical gender—'половина' is feminine, affecting adjective agreements (e.g., 'большая половина' for 'big half'). In conversational Russian, these words are neutral across dialects, but in formal writing, opt for 'половина' over 'наполовину' for precision.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'половина' without proper case agreement, e.g., saying "у меня половина яблоко" instead of "у меня половина яблока".
  Correct: The genitive case is required after 'половина' in possessive contexts; explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case, so always check the governing preposition or verb.
• Mistake: Confusing 'наполовину' with 'половина' in adverbial uses, e.g., "Я сделал половина" instead of "Я сделал наполовину".
  Correct: Use 'наполовину' for actions; explanation: This avoids ambiguity and follows Russian adverb placement rules.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts like 'половина' often appear in folklore and proverbs, such as "Ломать не строить, половину не всю" (It's easier to break than to build, half is not the whole), emphasizing the value of completeness over partial efforts. This reflects a cultural appreciation for wholeness in relationships and endeavors.

Related Concepts:

• треть (/trʲetʲ/) - Meaning 'third'.
• четверть (/t͡ɕetʲvʲertʲ/) - Meaning 'quarter'.
• дробь (/drɔpʲ/) - Meaning 'fraction'.