Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'mischief'

English Word: mischief

Key Russian Translations:

• озорство [ˈozɐrstvə] - [Informal, often used in playful contexts]
• проказы [prɐˈkazɨ] - [Plural, Informal, typically for repeated or multiple acts]
• шалости [ʂɐˈlɔstʲi] - [Plural, Informal, emphasizing light-hearted naughtiness]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature, children's stories, and everyday conversations about playful behavior, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun inflections and contextual nuances, suitable for learners with basic Russian grammar knowledge. For 'озорство', it's B1; for plural forms like 'проказы' and 'шалости', it may edge toward B2 due to case variations.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

озорство: [ˈozɐrstvə]

проказы: [prɐˈkazɨ]

шалости: [ʂɐˈlɔstʲi]

Note on озорство: The stress is on the first syllable; be careful with the 'р' sound, which is a rolled 'r' in Russian. Variations may occur in dialects.

Note on проказы: The final 'ы' is a soft vowel; pronounce it lightly to avoid sounding overly emphatic.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Playful or harmless misbehavior, often with a sense of fun.

Translation(s) & Context:

• озорство - Used in informal settings to describe a single instance of mischief, such as in children's play or light-hearted stories.
• проказы - Applied in contexts involving multiple playful tricks, often in narrative or descriptive language.

Usage Examples:

• Мальчик не мог удержаться от озорства и спрятал игрушки сестры. (The boy couldn't resist his mischief and hid his sister's toys.)

  English Translation: The boy couldn't resist his mischief and hid his sister's toys.

• Её проказы в школе всегда заставляли всех смеяться, но иногда приводили к неприятностям. (Her pranks at school always made everyone laugh, but sometimes led to trouble.)

  English Translation: Her pranks at school always made everyone laugh, but sometimes led to trouble.

• Шалости котёнка разрушили всю гостиную за один вечер. (The kitten's mischief destroyed the entire living room in one evening.)

  English Translation: The kitten's mischief destroyed the entire living room in one evening.

• В детстве его озорство проявлялось в harmless проделках с друзьями. (In childhood, his mischief showed in harmless tricks with friends.)

  English Translation: In childhood, his mischief showed in harmless tricks with friends.

• Проказы подростков иногда переходят в более серьёзные проблемы. (Teenagers' pranks sometimes escalate into more serious issues.)

  English Translation: Teenagers' pranks sometimes escalate into more serious issues.

Secondary Meaning: Potential for causing harm or trouble, though still light-hearted.

Translation(s) & Context:

• шалости - Used when mischief has a slightly negative connotation, like in domestic or social settings.
• озорство - In contexts where it's borderline troublesome but not malicious.

Usage Examples:

• Его шалости на работе иногда раздражали коллег, но все знали, что это без зла. (His mischief at work sometimes annoyed colleagues, but everyone knew it was harmless.)

  English Translation: His mischief at work sometimes annoyed colleagues, but everyone knew it was harmless.

• Озорство ребёнка в парке вылилось в небольшую потасовку. (The child's mischief in the park turned into a small scuffle.)

  English Translation: The child's mischief in the park turned into a small scuffle.

• Шалости друзей во время поездки сделали путешествие незабываемым. (The friends' mischief during the trip made the journey unforgettable.)

  English Translation: The friends' mischief during the trip made the journey unforgettable.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily nouns, which undergo inflection based on case, number, and gender in Russian. 'Озорство' is a neuter noun with regular declension, while 'проказы' and 'шалости' are plural forms that follow standard plural patterns.

Note: These are regular inflections; no irregular forms for these words.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • проказливость (prokazlivost') - Similar to 'mischief' but with a focus on the trait of being prankish; often used interchangeably with 'озорство' in informal contexts.
  • баловство (balovstvo) - Emphasizes spoiling or pampering leading to mischief.
  • хулиганство (khuliganstvo) - A stronger synonym, implying more disruptive behavior.
• Antonyms:
  • серьёзность (seryoznost') - Seriousness, the opposite of playful mischief.
  • спокойствие (spokoystvo) - Calmness or peacefulness.

Related Phrases:

• Полное озорство (Polnoye ozorstvo) - Complete mischief; used to describe utter chaos in a fun way. (English: Refers to total playful disorder.)
• Делать проказы (Delat' prokazy) - To play pranks; a common phrase for engaging in mischievous acts. (English: Implies active participation in tricks.)
• Шалости детства (Shalosti detstva) - Childhood mischief; often nostalgic. (English: Evokes memories of innocent youthful antics.)

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'mischief' translations like 'озорство' are typically informal and carry a positive or neutral connotation, unlike the potentially negative English usage. Choose 'проказы' for plural or repeated actions, and 'шалости' when emphasizing light-heartedness. Be mindful of context: in formal writing, opt for more neutral terms. Grammatically, these nouns require correct case agreement, e.g., in prepositional phrases like "в озорстве" (in mischief).

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'озорство' in the wrong case, e.g., saying "Я видел озорство" instead of "Я видел озорство" (correct for accusative, but learners often forget context). Correct: "Я наслаждался озорством" (I enjoyed the mischief, genitive case). Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case with their governing prepositions or verbs.
• Mistake: Confusing 'проказы' with 'проказa' (singular, meaning a specific prank), leading to misuse in plural contexts. Correct: Use 'проказы' for multiple instances. Explanation: English speakers might overlook Russian's plural-specific forms.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'озорство' and 'шалости' often appear in folklore and literature, such as in stories by Pushkin or folk tales, where mischief represents youthful energy or cleverness. This reflects a cultural appreciation for wit and playfulness, contrasting with more stern Western portrayals of mischief as purely negative.

Related Concepts:

• проказник (prokaznik) - A mischievous person.
• шутка (shutka) - Joke or prank.
• баловень (baloven') - Spoiled or pampered individual, often linked to mischievous behavior.