Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'holiday'

English Word: holiday

Key Russian Translations:

• праздник [ˈprazd.nʲik] - [Formal, commonly used for festive or public holidays]
• отпуск [ɐtˈpusk] - [Informal, specifically for vacation or leave from work]
• выходной [vɨˈxod.nəj] - [Informal, for a day off or weekend]

Frequency: High (especially for 'праздник' and 'выходной', as they appear frequently in everyday conversation and media; 'отпуск' is medium in professional contexts)

Difficulty: A2 for 'праздник' and 'выходной' (beginner level, straightforward vocabulary); B1 for 'отпуск' (intermediate, due to contexts involving work or travel)

Pronunciation (Russian):

праздник: [ˈprazd.nʲik]

отпуск: [ɐtˈpusk]

выходной: [vɨˈxod.nəj]

Note on праздник: The stress is on the first syllable; be careful with the soft 'нʲ' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers.

Note on отпуск: Pronounce the 'т' as a soft 't' sound; it can vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A day of festivity or religious significance

Translation(s) & Context:

• праздник - Used in formal and cultural contexts, such as national or religious holidays, e.g., in conversations about traditions or events.

Usage Examples:

• Мы всегда отмечаем Новый год как большой праздник.

  We always celebrate New Year's as a big holiday.

• Праздник Рождества в России полон традиций и семейных собраний.

  The Christmas holiday in Russia is full of traditions and family gatherings.

• Этот праздник проходит с фейерверками и концертами.

  This holiday features fireworks and concerts.

• В нашей стране многие праздники связаны с историческими событиями.

  In our country, many holidays are connected to historical events.

2. A period of rest or vacation from work or school

Translation(s) & Context:

• отпуск - Common in professional or personal contexts for extended breaks, such as summer vacations.
• выходной - Informal for short breaks, like weekends, in everyday life.

Usage Examples:

• Я взял отпуск на две недели, чтобы поехать в путешествие.

  I took a holiday for two weeks to go on a trip.

• В выходной я предпочитаю отдыхать дома с семьей.

  On my holiday (day off), I prefer to relax at home with family.

• После напряженного года мне нужен полноценный отпуск.

  After a stressful year, I need a full holiday (vacation).

• Выходные — это мой любимый праздник от рутины.

  Weekends are my favorite holiday from the routine.

• Компания предоставляет оплачиваемый отпуск сотрудникам ежегодно.

  The company provides paid holiday to employees annually.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These words are primarily nouns and follow standard Russian inflection patterns. 'Праздник' is a masculine noun, 'отпуск' is masculine, and 'выходной' is masculine/adjective-like.

Note: These follow regular declension patterns for masculine nouns. 'Выходной' can also function as an adjective and inflect accordingly in phrases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • праздник: торжество (torzhestvo) - More formal, for grand celebrations.
  • отпуск: каникулы (kanikuly) - Often used for school holidays; slightly more casual.
  • выходной: выходной день (vykhodnoy den') - Exact synonym, but more descriptive.
• Antonyms:
  • праздник: рабочий день (rabochiy den') - Workday.
  • отпуск: работа (rabota) - Work.
  • выходной: будний день (budniy den') - Weekday.

Related Phrases:

• Праздничный стол - A festive holiday table (refers to a traditional meal setup during holidays).
• Взять отпуск - To take a holiday (used for requesting time off work).
• Выходной вечер - Holiday evening (informal for a relaxing evening on a day off).
• Национальный праздник - National holiday (phrase for official state celebrations).

Usage Notes:

'Праздник' directly corresponds to 'holiday' in the sense of a festive day, but it's more culturally tied to Russian traditions like New Year's or Orthodox holidays. Use 'отпуск' for vacation contexts to match English 'holiday' as time off, and avoid it in festive scenarios. 'Выходной' is ideal for weekends or short breaks. Be mindful of grammatical gender and case in sentences; for example, always decline nouns based on their role. When choosing between translations, consider the formality: 'праздник' is versatile, while 'отпуск' is specific to professional settings.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'праздник' for a work vacation, e.g., saying "Я иду в праздник" instead of "Я иду в отпуск".
  Correct: "Я иду в отпуск" (I am going on holiday/vacation). Explanation: 'Праздник' implies festivity, not rest, leading to confusion in context.
• Mistake: Forgetting to decline the noun, e.g., saying "На праздник" when it should be "На празднике" in prepositional case.
  Correct: Use the proper case, like "На празднике" (At the holiday). Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, which English speakers often overlook.
• Mistake: Confusing 'выходной' with 'праздник', e.g., treating a weekend as a major holiday.
  Correct: Specify as "выходной" for everyday days off. Explanation: This can make sentences sound overly dramatic or incorrect in casual speech.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'праздник' often carries deep emotional and historical significance, such as Victory Day (9 May) or Orthodox Christmas, which involve family gatherings, traditional foods, and public events. 'Отпуск' is commonly associated with summer escapes to dachas (country houses), reflecting Russia's emphasis on nature and rest amid its vast landscapes.

Related Concepts:

• торжество
• каникулы
• праздничный
• будни