Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'herd'

English Word: herd

Key Russian Translations:

• стадо [ˈsta.də] - [Noun, Formal, Singular/Plural]
• пасти [ˈpasʲ.tʲi] - [Verb, Informal, Used in contexts of animal husbandry]
• гнать [ˈɡnatʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Often used for driving animals]

Frequency: Medium (Commonly encountered in agricultural, wildlife, or literary contexts, but not everyday casual speech).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires basic understanding of Russian noun declensions and verb conjugations, with 'стадо' being straightforward and verbs like 'пасти' adding moderate complexity).

Pronunciation (Russian):

стадо: [ˈsta.də] (The stress is on the first syllable; the 'о' is pronounced as a schwa sound in unstressed positions).

пасти: [ˈpasʲ.tʲi] (Note the palatalized 'с' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers; it's softer than a standard 's').

гнать: [ˈɡnatʲ] (The final 'ть' is palatalized, making it sound like a soft 't'; common in imperative forms).

Note on стадо: In some dialects, the vowel in the second syllable may reduce further, but standard pronunciation maintains [ˈsta.də].

Note on пасти: This verb has aspectual pairs; the imperfective form is key here, but learners should note its perfective counterpart 'попасти' for completed actions.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A group of animals kept or living together (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• стадо - Used in formal or descriptive contexts, such as describing farm animals or wildlife groups.
• гурт - A synonym in some regional contexts, particularly for herds of sheep or cattle in rural settings.

Usage Examples:

• Русское предложение: В поле пасётся большое стадо коров.

  English Translation: In the field, a large herd of cows is grazing.

• Русское предложение: Фермер собрал стадо овец перед дождём.

  English Translation: The farmer gathered the herd of sheep before the rain.

• Русское предложение: В заповеднике можно увидеть дикое стадо оленей.

  English Translation: In the nature reserve, you can see a wild herd of deer.

• Русское предложение: Стадо лошадей бежит по степи.

  English Translation: The herd of horses is running across the steppe.

• Русское предложение: Лесники охраняют стадо зубров от браконьеров.

  English Translation: The forest rangers are protecting the herd of bison from poachers.

Meaning 2: To tend, drive, or gather animals (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пасти - Used in everyday or rural contexts for ongoing herding activities.
• гнать - Applied in more dynamic or forceful scenarios, like driving animals away.

Usage Examples:

• Русское предложение: Пастух парит стадо на пастбище каждый день.

  English Translation: The shepherd herds the flock on the pasture every day.

• Русское предложение: Ему приходится гнать коров в укрытие во время бури.

  English Translation: He has to drive the cows to shelter during the storm.

• Русское предложение: В деревне дети учатся пасти скот с малых лет.

  English Translation: In the village, children learn to herd livestock from a young age.

• Русское предложение: Собаки помогают гнать стадо через реку.

  English Translation: The dogs help drive the herd across the river.

• Русское предложение: Старый фермер продолжает пасти свои животные, несмотря на возраст.

  English Translation: The old farmer continues to herd his animals despite his age.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'стадо' (neuter noun, 2nd declension), it follows standard Russian noun patterns with regular inflections based on case and number:

For verbs like 'пасти' (imperfective), it conjugates irregularly in some forms:

'Гнать' is a regular verb but has aspectual variations; it remains mostly unchanged in infinitive form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: гурт (used for specific animal groups, often in Ukrainian-influenced Russian); отара (for sheep specifically)
• гурт - More common in southern regions, implying a looser group than стадо.
• Antonyms: одиночество (solitude, implying isolation rather than a group)

Related Phrases:

• пасти стадо - To herd a flock; commonly used in rural or agricultural contexts to describe daily routines.
• гнать скот - To drive livestock; implies urgency, often in adverse weather or for relocation.
• стадо животных - A herd of animals; a general phrase for wildlife documentaries or descriptions.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'стадо' directly corresponds to the English 'herd' as a noun and is neutral in tone, but it's more commonly used in formal or written language. For verbs, choose 'пасти' for ongoing actions and 'гнать' for forceful ones, similar to English distinctions between 'herd' and 'drive'. Be mindful of context: in urban settings, these words are rare, so they're best for rural or metaphorical uses. When multiple translations exist, select based on aspect—imperfective for habits and perfective for completed events.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'стадо' without proper declension, e.g., saying "в стадо" instead of "в стаде" for "in the herd". Correct: Always adjust for case, as in "в стаде коров" (in the herd of cows). Explanation: Russian nouns must agree with prepositions and verbs, unlike English.
• Error: Confusing 'пасти' with 'гнать' in non-forceful contexts, e.g., using 'гнать' for gentle herding. Correct: Use 'пасти' for routine care. Explanation: Aspect mismatch can alter the meaning, making the action sound aggressive.
• Error: Omitting gender agreement, e.g., incorrect verb forms with 'стадо'. Correct: Ensure verbs match the neuter gender. Explanation: English speakers often overlook Russian's grammatical gender, leading to ungrammatical sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'стадо' evoke images of traditional rural life, as seen in classic literature by authors like Tolstoy, where herding symbolizes simplicity and connection to nature. Historically, herding was central to nomadic lifestyles in regions like Siberia, and it carries connotations of community and survival in harsh environments.

Related Concepts:

• ферма (farm)
• пастух (shepherd)
• скот (livestock)