Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'matter'

English Word: matter

Key Russian Translations:

• дело [ˈdʲelə] - [Informal, used in everyday contexts]
• вещество [vʲɪˈʂʲestvə] - [Formal, scientific or technical usage]
• вопрос [ˈvoprəs] - [Neutral, when referring to a topic or issue]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in daily conversation and written Russian)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic noun declensions and contexts)

Pronunciation (Russian):

дело: [ˈdʲelə]

вещество: [vʲɪˈʂʲestvə]

вопрос: [ˈvoprəs]

Note on дело: The stress is on the first syllable; be careful with the soft 'd' sound, which is common in Russian.

Note on вещество: The 'щ' sound is a voiceless palatal fricative, similar to 'sh' but more sibilant.

Audio: Play audio for дело | Play audio for вещество

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Matter as a physical substance or material

Translation(s) & Context:

• вещество - Used in scientific, educational, or formal contexts, such as discussing chemistry or physics.

Usage Examples:

• Это вещество очень опасное и требует осторожного обращения.

  This matter is very dangerous and requires careful handling.

• В лаборатории мы изучаем разные вещества, чтобы понять их свойства.

  In the lab, we study different matters to understand their properties.

• Органическое вещество в почве способствует росту растений.

  Organic matter in the soil promotes plant growth.

• Ученые анализируют вещество под микроскопом.

  Scientists analyze the matter under a microscope.

Meaning 2: Matter as a subject, issue, or affair

Translation(s) & Context:

• дело - Informal contexts, like personal or business matters.
• вопрос - Neutral or formal, especially in discussions or debates.

Usage Examples:

• Это не мое дело, но я думаю, тебе стоит поговорить с ним.

  It's not my matter, but I think you should talk to him.

• Вопрос о бюджете будет обсуждаться на следующей встрече.

  The matter of the budget will be discussed at the next meeting.

• Дело в том, что у нас нет времени на дополнительные изменения.

  The matter is that we don't have time for additional changes.

• Если это важный вопрос, давай решим его прямо сейчас.

  If it's an important matter, let's resolve it right now.

• Его дело касается финансовых проблем компании.

  His matter involves the company's financial issues.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For nouns like 'дело' (neuter noun), it follows standard Russian declension patterns. It is a third-declension noun and changes based on case and number.

For 'вещество' (neuter noun), it has similar patterns but is less irregular.

'Вопрос' (masculine noun) is straightforward and does not have major irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for дело: проблема [prɨˈblʲemə] (problem; often used interchangeably in casual speech), ситуация [sʲɪˈtuatsɨjə] (situation; implies context)
• Synonyms for вещество: материя [mɐˈtʲerʲɪjə] (matter in a philosophical sense)
• Synonyms for вопрос: тема [ˈtemə] (topic; more neutral)
• Antonyms: ничто [ˈnʲiʂtə] (nothing, for вещество), решение [rʲɪˈʂenʲɪje] (solution, for вопрос or дело)

Related Phrases:

• Дело в шляпе - A colloquial phrase meaning "It's in the bag" or "It's a done deal," used to indicate something is certain.
• Вещество в чистом виде - Refers to "Pure matter" in scientific contexts, emphasizing unadulterated substances.
• Открытый вопрос - Means "Open matter" or "Unresolved issue," common in discussions or debates.

Usage Notes:

The English word "matter" can correspond to different Russian words based on context: use "вещество" for physical or scientific meanings, "дело" for informal personal affairs, and "вопрос" for formal topics. Be mindful of the noun's gender and case in sentences; for example, "дело" is neuter and requires appropriate adjectives. In formal writing, prefer "вопрос" over "дело" to avoid sounding too casual.

• Grammar tip: Always decline nouns correctly; e.g., "эта дело" is incorrect – use "это дело" for neuter nouns.
• Context guidance: In business emails, "вопрос" is safer than "дело" for professionalism.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse "дело" with "делать" (to do), leading to sentences like "Я дело завтра" instead of the correct "Я сделаю это завтра" (I will do it tomorrow). Error: Using "дело" as a verb; Correct: "Дело" is a noun, so pair it properly, e.g., "Это не мое дело" means "It's not my matter," not an action.

Another common mistake is incorrect declension: Error: "Я думаю о дел" (wrong genitive plural); Correct: "Я думаю о делах" – always check the case endings based on the sentence structure.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "Дело в шляпе" reflect a optimistic, pragmatic attitude towards problem-solving, often rooted in Soviet-era expressions. "Вещество" in scientific contexts highlights Russia's strong tradition in chemistry and physics, influenced by figures like Mendeleev.

Related Concepts:

• проблема
• тема
• материя