Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'mail'

English Word: mail

Key Russian Translations:

• почта [ˈpoʧtə] - [Formal, for postal service or general mail]
• электронная почта [ɪlʲɛkˈtronənə ˈpoʧtə] - [Informal, for email or digital correspondence]
• кольчуга [kɐlʲʧʊˈɡa] - [Specific, for armor like chain mail; less common in everyday use]

Frequency: High for 'почта' and 'электронная почта' in everyday communication; Medium for 'кольчуга' as it's more niche or historical.

Difficulty: A2 for 'почта' (basic vocabulary for beginners); B1 for 'электронная почта' (intermediate due to compound structure); B2 for 'кольчуга' (intermediate to advanced, as it involves less common historical contexts).

Pronunciation (Russian):

почта: [ˈpoʧtə] - The 'ч' is a voiceless palatal fricative, similar to 'ch' in 'loch'.

электронная почта: [ɪlʲɛkˈtronənə ˈpoʧtə] - Stress on the second syllable of 'электронная'; note the soft 'лʲ' sound, which is palatalized.

кольчуга: [kɐlʲʧʊˈɡa] - The 'ч' is soft; stress on the last syllable; common in historical or fantasy contexts.

Note on почта: In fast speech, the final 'a' may reduce to a schwa sound; be mindful of regional variations in Russia.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Postal mail (physical letters, packages, or the postal system)

Translation(s) & Context:

• почта - Used in formal and everyday contexts for the postal service or sending/receiving mail; common in official or daily communication.

Usage Examples:

• Я отправил письмо по почте вчера. (Ya otpravil pismo po pochty vchera.)

  I sent a letter by mail yesterday. (This example shows 'почта' in the context of postal service, with a prepositional phrase.)

• Почта работает допоздна в праздники. (Pochta rabotayet dopozdna v prazdniki.)

  The mail office works late during holidays. (Illustrates 'почта' as a noun referring to the postal system in a descriptive sentence.)

• Моя посылка пришла по почте из Москвы. (Moya posylka prishla po pochty iz Moskvy.)

  My package arrived by mail from Moscow. (Demonstrates usage in logistics or receiving contexts, with location specification.)

• Он работает на почте и сортирует письма. (On rabotaet na pochty i sortiruet pis'ma.)

  He works at the mail office and sorts letters. (Shows 'почта' in a professional or workplace setting.)

Meaning 2: Email (digital correspondence)

Translation(s) & Context:

• электронная почта - Used in informal, modern contexts for email; prevalent in digital communication like business or personal messaging.

Usage Examples:

• Проверьте свою электронную почту для подтверждения. (Proverte svoyu elektronnuyu pochty dlya podtverzhdeniya.)

  Check your email for confirmation. (This highlights 'электронная почта' in a verification or account-related context.)

• Я получил важное сообщение на электронную почту. (Ya poluchil vazhnoye soobshcheniye na elektronnuyu pochty.)

  I received an important message via email. (Illustrates usage in receiving digital mail, emphasizing urgency.)

• Она предпочитает электронную почту для деловой переписки. (Ona predpochtayet elektronnuyu pochty dlya delovoy perepiski.)

  She prefers email for business correspondence. (Shows preference in professional settings, with a comparative structure.)

• У меня проблемы с электронной почтой; она не загружается. (U menya problemy s elektronnoy pochtoy; ona ne zagruzyaetsya.)

  I'm having issues with my email; it's not loading. (Demonstrates troubleshooting contexts, with technical vocabulary.)

Meaning 3: Armor (e.g., chain mail)

Translation(s) & Context:

• кольчуга - Used in historical, literary, or fantasy contexts for protective armor; rare in modern everyday language.

Usage Examples:

• В средневековых фильмах рыцари носят кольчуги. (V srednevekovykh fil'makh rytsari nosyat kol'chugi.)

  In medieval films, knights wear chain mail. (This example places 'кольчуга' in a historical or cinematic context.)

• Кольчуга была частью доспехов древних воинов. (Kol'chuga byla chastyu dospekhov drevnikh voyinov.)

  Chain mail was part of ancient warriors' armor. (Illustrates usage in historical descriptions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Почта' is a feminine noun in Russian, which follows standard declension patterns. It inflects based on case and number. 'Электронная почта' is a phrase where 'почта' inflects, but 'электронная' (an adjective) agrees with it. 'Кольчуга' is also feminine and inflects similarly.

Note: 'Электронная почта' inflects as a whole phrase, e.g., Genitive: электронной почты. These are regular inflections with no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for почта: корреспонденция (korrespondentsiya) - more formal, for correspondence; slightly more literary, used in official documents.
• Synonyms for электронная почта: e-mail (as borrowed term) or интернет-почта (internet-pochta) - informal digital equivalent.
• Synonyms for кольчуга: доспехи (dospekhi) - broader term for armor; used in historical contexts interchangeably.
• Antonyms: For почта: телеграмма (teleggramma) - as an outdated fast alternative; for кольчуга: без защиты (bez zashchity) - meaning unprotected, not a direct synonym but conceptual opposite.

Related Phrases:

• По почте - By mail; used for describing delivery methods.
• Электронная почта - Email address; common in online forms.
• Кольчуга рыцаря - Knight's chain mail; phrase in historical narratives.
• Отправить по почте - To send by mail; a fixed expression for postal actions.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'mail' translates differently based on context: use 'почта' for physical mail to match formal English equivalents, and 'электронная почта' for digital, which directly corresponds to 'email'. Be cautious with register—'почта' is neutral to formal, while 'электронная почта' fits modern tech scenarios. Grammatically, always ensure adjectives like 'электронная' agree in gender, number, and case with the noun. When choosing between translations, opt for 'почта' in everyday postal contexts and 'кольчуга' only for historical or fantasy themes to avoid confusion.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse 'почта' with 'email' and use it interchangeably, e.g., incorrectly saying "Я проверил почту" to mean checking email. Correct usage: Use 'электронная почта' for email. Error example: "Я проверил почту" (meaning postal mail) vs. Correct: "Я проверил электронную почту". Explanation: 'Почта' alone rarely means email; this can lead to misunderstandings in digital contexts.
• Another error is improper inflection, e.g., using 'почта' in the wrong case like "отправить в почта" instead of "отправить в почту". Correct: Always decline based on sentence structure. Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, unlike English, so learners must practice declensions.

Cultural Notes:

'Почта' has deep roots in Russian culture, linked to the historical Russian postal system established by Peter the Great, symbolizing communication and connectivity across vast distances. In modern times, it evokes nostalgia for traditional letters, contrasting with the rapid digital shift to 'электронная почта'. 'Кольчуга', meanwhile, carries medieval connotations, often appearing in Russian folklore and literature like in tales of knights and warriors, reflecting themes of protection and heritage.

Related Concepts:

• письмо (pismo) - letter
• посылка (posylka) - package
• доспехи (dospekhi) - armor
• интернет (internet) - internet