Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'letter'

English Word: letter

Key Russian Translations:

• письмо [ˈpʲisʲmə] - [Formal, Noun]
• буква [ˈbukvə] - [Noun]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday communication and education)

Difficulty: B1 for 'письмо' (intermediate, as it involves basic noun declensions); A2 for 'буква' (elementary, straightforward noun usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

письмо: [ˈpʲisʲmə]

Note on письмо: The 'п' is pronounced with a soft 'ь' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers; stress is on the first syllable.

Audio: []

буква: [ˈbukvə]

Note on буква: The 'у' is pronounced as a short 'oo' sound; stress is on the first syllable, and it's relatively straightforward for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A written or printed communication addressed to a person or organization.

Translation(s) & Context:

• письмо - Used in formal and informal contexts for correspondence, such as emails or physical mail.

Usage Examples:

• Я написал письмо другу. (Ya napísal pis'mó drúgu.)

  I wrote a letter to my friend. (This example shows the noun in nominative case in a simple declarative sentence.)

• Письмо от бабушки пришло вчера. (Pis'mó ot babúshki príshlo vcherá.)

  The letter from grandma arrived yesterday. (Illustrates the noun with prepositional phrases and past tense.)

• Она всегда отвечает на письма быстро. (Ona vsegdá otvéchayet na pis'má bístro.)

  She always replies to letters quickly. (Demonstrates plural form and adverbial modification.)

• В письме были важные новости. (V pis'mé búli vázhnyé nóvosti.)

  There were important news in the letter. (Shows the noun in prepositional case within a descriptive context.)

• Я получил письмо из России. (Ya poluchíl pis'mó iz Rossíi.)

  I received a letter from Russia. (Highlights the noun in a geographical or origin-based context.)

A character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech (e.g., in the alphabet).

Translation(s) & Context:

• буква - Used in educational or linguistic contexts, such as teaching the alphabet.

Usage Examples:

• Какая это буква? (Kakáya étota búkva?)

  What letter is this? (This is a simple interrogative sentence for identification.)

• Дети учат буквы в школе. (Detí uchát búkvy v shkolé.)

  Children learn letters in school. (Shows plural form in an educational setting.)

• Эта буква произносится как 'A'. (Éta búkva proiznósitsya kak 'A'.)

  This letter is pronounced like 'A'. (Illustrates phonetic explanation.)

• В алфавите 33 буквы. (V alfavíte 33 búkvy.)

  There are 33 letters in the alphabet. (Used in a factual, descriptive context.)

• Напиши букву 'М'. (Napíshi búkvu 'M'.)

  Write the letter 'M'. (Demonstrates imperative form for instruction.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'письмо' and 'буква' are feminine nouns in Russian, which means they follow the standard feminine declension patterns. 'Письмо' is a neuter noun in some contexts but typically feminine; 'буква' is consistently feminine.

For 'письмо' (neuter/feminine noun):

For 'буква' (feminine noun):

These nouns do not have irregular inflections but follow standard patterns, making them relatively easy to learn with practice.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for письмо: послание (poslánije) - More formal, often for official documents; весточка (vestóchka) - Informal, affectionate term.
• Synonyms for буква: знак (znak) - General term for a symbol; литера (literá) - Used in linguistic contexts.
• Antonyms for буква: (N/A, as 'буква' is a neutral term; no direct antonyms.)

Related Phrases:

• Написать письмо (napísat' pis'mó) - To write a letter; used for composing correspondence.
• Получить письмо (poluchít' pis'mó) - To receive a letter; common in communication contexts.
• Русская буква (rússkaya búkva) - Russian letter; refers to alphabet characters in a cultural context.
• Изучить буквы (izuchít' búkvy) - To study letters; typical in educational phrases.

Usage Notes:

'Письмо' directly corresponds to 'letter' as a message and is versatile but more formal in written contexts, while 'буква' aligns with 'letter' as an alphabet character and is straightforward in educational settings. Choose 'письмо' for communication-related uses and 'буква' for linguistic ones. Be mindful of Russian case systems when using these nouns in sentences, as they change based on grammatical role. In informal speech, 'письмо' might be shortened in phrases, but always decline correctly.

Common Errors:

• English learners often forget to decline 'письмо' properly, e.g., using nominative 'письмо' in all cases. Correct: In genitive, it should be 'письма'. Error example: "Я иду к письмо" (wrong); Correct: "Я иду к письму".
• Mixing up 'письмо' and 'буква' in context, e.g., saying 'письмо' when meaning an alphabet character. Error: "Это письмо алфавита" (meaning a letter of the alphabet); Correct: "Это буква алфавита". This confusion arises from the English word's dual meaning.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'письмо' (letter) has historical significance, as letter-writing was a primary means of communication during the Soviet era, often featured in literature like in works by Tolstoy. It symbolizes personal connection and nostalgia. 'Буква' relates to the Cyrillic alphabet, which embodies Russian identity and can evoke pride in linguistic heritage.

Related Concepts:

• почта (póchta) - Mail or post office
• алфавит (alfavít) - Alphabet
• грамматика (grammátika) - Grammar