Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'hose'

English Word: hose

Key Russian Translations:

• шланг [ʃlanɡ] - [Common, Informal]
• чулок [ˈtʃu.lək] - [Formal, for clothing; Plural: чулки [ˈtʃu.lʲkʲi]]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday contexts like gardening or fashion)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires basic understanding of Russian nouns and cases for accurate usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

шланг: [ʃlanɡ] (The 'ш' sound is like the 'sh' in 'sheep'; stress on the first syllable)

Note on шланг: Be careful with the soft 'л' sound, which can vary slightly in rapid speech.

чулок: [ˈtʃu.lək] (Stress on the first syllable; the 'ч' is like 'ch' in 'church')

Note on чулок: In plural forms, the ending changes to -и, affecting pronunciation slightly.

Audio: Listen to шланг | Listen to чулок

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A flexible tube for conveying fluids, such as water (e.g., garden hose)

Translation(s) & Context:

• шланг - Used in practical, everyday contexts like gardening, firefighting, or industrial settings; informal and neutral.

Usage Examples:

• Я поливаю сад шлангом каждое утро.

  I water the garden with a hose every morning. (Shows basic usage in a daily routine.)

• Пожарные используют шланг для тушения огня.

  Firefighters use a hose to extinguish the fire. (Demonstrates usage in an emergency context.)

• В гараже лежит старый шланг для мойки машины.

  There's an old hose in the garage for washing the car. (Illustrates possessive and locative contexts.)

• Дети играют с шлангом во дворе, распыляя воду.

  The children are playing with the hose in the yard, spraying water. (Shows playful, informal usage.)

Meaning 2: A woman's stocking or hosiery (e.g., nylon hose)

Translation(s) & Context:

• чулок - Used in fashion, clothing descriptions, or retail contexts; can be formal and is often in plural for pairs.

Usage Examples:

• Она надела чулки к вечернему платью.

  She put on stockings with her evening dress. (Demonstrates usage in a formal outfit context.)

• В магазине продаются чулки различных цветов.

  The store sells stockings in various colors. (Shows commercial or descriptive usage.)

• Чулки из шелка стоят дороже, чем из нейлона.

  Silk stockings cost more than nylon ones. (Illustrates comparative structures.)

• Моя бабушка шила чулки вручную в молодости.

  My grandmother used to sew stockings by hand when she was young. (Shows historical or personal context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are Russian nouns and follow standard inflection patterns. Шланг is a masculine noun (3rd declension), while чулок is also masculine but can vary in plural forms.

Note: These are regular inflections; шланг does not have irregular forms, making it straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for шланг: трубка (small tube; more general) - Often used for shorter tubes; шланговый (adjectival form for related items)
• Synonyms for чулок: колготки (tights; for full-leg coverage) - Applies in modern fashion contexts
• Antonyms: For шланг: ведро (bucket; as an alternative container) - Implies a different method of fluid handling; For чулок: брюки (pants; contrasting clothing item)

Related Phrases:

• Садовый шланг - Garden hose; Used for outdoor watering tasks.
• Пожарный шланг - Fire hose; Common in emergency services.
• Шелковые чулки - Silk stockings; Refers to luxurious fashion items.
• Нейлоновые чулки - Nylon stockings; Indicates synthetic materials in clothing.

Usage Notes:

The English word "hose" has two distinct meanings, which map to different Russian words: шланг for fluid-conveying tubes and чулок for clothing. Choose шланг in practical or technical contexts, as it is more neutral and widely used. Чулок is gender-specific and often appears in plural forms in fashion discussions. Be mindful of Russian case endings, as they change based on sentence structure (e.g., use genitive for possession). For beginners, start with simple sentences to avoid confusion with inflections.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using шланг in clothing contexts, e.g., saying "Я ношу шланг" instead of "Я ношу чулки". Correct: "Я ношу чулки". Explanation: Шланг refers only to tubes, not garments; confusing the two can lead to misunderstandings due to semantic mismatch.

• Error: Forgetting case inflections, e.g., saying "с шланг" instead of "с шлангом" in instrumental case. Correct: "с шлангом". Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case, so always adjust endings based on the preposition or verb.

• Error: Using singular чулок when plural is needed, e.g., "Купи чулок" for a pair. Correct: "Купи чулки". Explanation: In clothing contexts, чулок is often implied to be worn in pairs, so plural forms are standard.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, шланг might evoke practical, everyday life scenes like dacha (country house) gardening, a common pastime. Чулок, on the other hand, can carry subtle historical connotations from Soviet-era fashion, where synthetic hosiery symbolized modernity, though it's now a standard wardrobe item without strong cultural baggage.

Related Concepts:

• труба (pipe)
• колготки (tights)
• водопровод (plumbing)
• одежда (clothing)