Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'hearing'

English Word: hearing

Key Russian Translations:

• слух [sluχ] - [Formal, General context]
• слушание [sluˈʂanʲje] - [Formal, Legal or official context, e.g., Used in court proceedings]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday and professional Russian, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; Requires understanding of noun inflections for "слух" and context-specific usage for "слушание")

Pronunciation (Russian):

слух: [sluχ]

Note on слух: The final 'х' is a voiceless velar fricative, similar to the 'ch' in the Scottish "loch"; it's a common challenge for English speakers due to its guttural sound.

Audio: []

слушание: [sluˈʂanʲje]

Note on слушание: The 'ш' is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, like 'sh' in "she"; stress falls on the second syllable, which is typical for Russian nouns ending in -ие.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The sense of hearing (referring to the ability to perceive sound)

Translation(s) & Context:

• слух - Used in medical, everyday, or descriptive contexts, such as discussing health or sensory experiences.

Usage Examples:

• У меня проблемы со слухом из-за громкой музыки.

  I have problems with my hearing due to loud music.

• Слух — это один из пяти основных чувств человека.

  Hearing is one of the five basic senses in humans.

• Врач проверил мой слух на аппарате.

  The doctor checked my hearing with a device.

• Потеря слуха может быть вызвана возрастом.

  Loss of hearing can be caused by age.

Meaning 2: A formal hearing or session (e.g., in legal or official settings)

Translation(s) & Context:

• слушание - Used in legal, governmental, or procedural contexts, such as court cases or public inquiries.

Usage Examples:

• Судебное слушание было отложено на неделю.

  The court hearing was postponed for a week.

• Во время слушания свидетели давали показания.

  During the hearing, witnesses gave testimony.

• Парламентское слушание касалось экологических проблем.

  The parliamentary hearing addressed environmental issues.

• Слушание по делу завершилось вердиктом присяжных.

  The hearing in the case ended with a jury verdict.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "слух" (a masculine noun, 3rd declension):

It follows regular noun inflection patterns in Russian. Here's a table of its forms:

For "слушание" (a neuter noun, follows standard neuter patterns):

It is less inflected and remains relatively stable, but changes as follows:

Note: Both words do not have irregular inflections, making them straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • слух (for sense): осязание (osjazanie) - But less direct; used for touch, not exact synonym.
  • слушание (for session): разбирательство (razbiratel'stvo) - Often used in legal contexts as a near equivalent.
• Antonyms:
  • глухота (gluhota) - For "слух", meaning deafness or lack of hearing.
  • отказ (otkaz) - For "слушание", implying rejection or denial in procedural contexts.

Related Phrases:

• Потеря слуха - Loss of hearing; Used in medical discussions to describe hearing impairment.
• Публичное слушание - Public hearing; Common in governmental or community settings for open forums.
• Аппарат для слуха - Hearing aid; Refers to devices assisting with auditory issues.

Usage Notes:

"Слух" directly corresponds to the physical sense of hearing in English and is neutral in tone, but it's important to note its inflections for correct sentence structure in Russian. For "слушание", it aligns with formal English contexts like trials or inquiries and is typically used in official language. Choose "слух" for everyday or health-related scenarios and "слушание" for legal ones. Be mindful of Russian's case system, as it affects word endings in phrases. Additionally, "слух" can sometimes imply rumor in informal contexts (e.g., "street talk"), which differs from English "hearing," so context is key to avoid confusion.

Common Errors:

• English learners often misuse the genitive case with "слух," e.g., saying "проблемы слух" instead of "проблемы со слухом." Correct usage: "со слухом" to indicate "with hearing." This error stems from overlooking Russian prepositions that require specific cases.

• Confusing "слушание" with "слух," leading to phrases like "мое слушание плохое" (incorrect) instead of "мой слух плохой." Explanation: "Слушание" is not used for personal senses; use "слух" for that, and ensure proper adjective agreement.

• Overlooking stress in pronunciation, such as stressing the wrong syllable in "слушание," which can make it sound unnatural. Always emphasize the second syllable for clarity.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "слух" as hearing is often linked to themes in literature and folklore, such as in folk tales where characters lose their hearing as a metaphor for isolation or wisdom lost. For "слушание," it reflects Russia's bureaucratic traditions, influenced by historical legal systems under the Soviet era, where public hearings were tools for state control and public discourse.

Related Concepts:

• зрение (zrenie) - Vision or sight
• обоняние (obonjanie) - Smell or olfaction
• суд (sud) - Court, often paired with "слушание" in legal contexts