Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'maroon'

English Word: maroon

Key Russian Translations:

• бордовый /bɐrˈdovɨj/ - [Formal, used for describing the color]
• темно-красный /ˈtʲemnə krɐˈsnɨj/ - [Informal, literal description, used in everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in discussions about colors, fashion, and design, but not as ubiquitous as basic colors like red or blue)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners should understand basic adjectives and color vocabulary, though mastering inflections may require practice)

Pronunciation (Russian):

бордовый: /bɐrˈdovɨj/

темно-красный: /ˈtʲemnə krɐˈsnɨj/

Note on бордовый: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the rolled 'r' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may soften the vowels.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: A dark reddish-brown color

Translation(s) & Context:

• бордовый - Used in formal or artistic contexts, such as describing clothing or art; common in written Russian.
• темно-красный - Informal alternative, often in casual speech or when a more descriptive term is needed, like in everyday conversations about objects.

Usage Examples:

• Этот свитер бордовый, он идеально подходит для осенней погоды.

  This sweater is maroon; it fits perfectly for autumn weather.

• В интерьере комнаты преобладает темно-красный цвет, что создаёт уютную атмосферу.

  In the room's interior, the maroon color predominates, creating a cozy atmosphere.

• Она надела бордовое платье на вечеринку, чтобы выделиться в толпе.

  She wore a maroon dress to the party to stand out in the crowd.

• Темно-красный оттенок вина делает его особенно привлекательным для гурманов.

  The maroon shade of the wine makes it especially appealing to connoisseurs.

• Художник смешал краски, чтобы получить бордовый тон для фона картины.

  The artist mixed paints to get a maroon tone for the painting's background.

Secondary Meaning: To maroon someone (e.g., strand or isolate)

Translation(s) & Context:

• оставить в изоляции - Used in narrative or literary contexts, implying abandonment.
• застрять - Informal, for situations like being stranded in travel scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Во время шторма корабль разбился, и экипаж был оставлен в изоляции на острове.

  During the storm, the ship wrecked, and the crew was marooned on the island.

• Из-за поломки машины мы застряли в горах на несколько дней.

  Due to the car breakdown, we were marooned in the mountains for several days.

• Герои романа были оставлены в изоляции, чтобы выжить в дикой природе.

  The novel's heroes were marooned to survive in the wilderness.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For adjectives like бордовый and темно-красный, Russian adjectives follow standard adjectival declensions based on gender, number, and case. These are regular adjectives, so they inflect according to the noun they modify.

Note: These forms are regular and follow the standard pattern for first-declension adjectives. For phrases like оставить в изоляции, no inflection is needed as it's a fixed expression.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • красно-коричневый (reddish-brown; more descriptive and often used interchangeably in casual speech)
  • вишнёвый (cherry-colored; subtle difference, implying a fruit-like shade)
• Antonyms:
  • белый (white; represents the opposite light shade)
  • чёрный (black; for a completely contrasting dark color)

Related Phrases:

• Бордовый цвет - A common phrase meaning "maroon color"; used in design and fashion contexts.
• Темно-красный оттенок - Refers to "maroon shade"; often in artistic or descriptive language.
• Оставить в бордовом одиночестве - Idiomatic for "to maroon someone in isolation"; implies emotional or physical abandonment, with a poetic connotation.

Usage Notes:

бордовый is the most precise translation for the color "maroon" in formal Russian, while темно-красный is better for informal settings where a literal description is preferred. English speakers should note that Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify, which is a key grammatical difference. For the verb sense (e.g., to maroon), use phrases like оставить в изоляции in narrative contexts, but avoid direct translations in everyday speech. Choose between translations based on context: opt for бордовый in visual arts and темно-красный in casual descriptions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using бордовый without proper inflection, e.g., saying "бордовый дом" when the noun requires feminine form.
  Correct: If the noun is feminine (e.g., "дом" is masculine, so it's correct, but for "комната" - say "бордовая комната").
  Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender; this mistake often stems from English's lack of gender agreement.

• Error: Confusing бордовый with красный (red), leading to inaccurate color descriptions.
  Correct: Use бордовый for the specific dark shade; e.g., avoid saying "красный свитер" for a maroon sweater.
  Explanation: This can make descriptions vague; learners should practice color vocabulary to distinguish shades.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, colors like бордовый often evoke warmth and tradition, appearing in folk art and historical contexts, such as in Orthodox church iconography where deep reds symbolize passion or sacrifice. It's less commonly associated with the historical "maroon" meaning of escaped slaves, but in modern literature, it can metaphorically represent isolation or resilience.

Related Concepts:

• Красный (red)
• Коричневый (brown)
• Оттенки (shades)