Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'once'

English Word: once

Key Russian Translations:

• раз (/raz/) - [Informal, used for "one time"]
• однажды (/ɐd.nɐʐ.dɨ/) - [Formal, used for "at some time in the past or in storytelling"]
• как только (/kak ˈtolʲkə/) - [Formal, used as a conjunction for "as soon as"]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversation and literature, but not as ubiquitous as basic words).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic adverbial and conjunctive structures, but straightforward for learners familiar with time expressions).

Pronunciation (Russian):

раз: /raz/ - The 'r' is a voiced alveolar trill, and the word is pronounced with a soft, quick ending.

Note on раз: Be careful with the final 'z' sound, which can soften in fast speech.

однажды: /ɐd.nɐʐ.dɨ/ - Stress on the second syllable; the 'zh' sound (/ʐ/) is a voiced retroflex fricative.

Note on однажды: This word often has a literary tone, and the pronunciation may vary slightly in poetic contexts.

как только: /kak ˈtolʲkə/ - Stress on 'tol'; the 'k' is unaspirated.

Note on как только: In connected speech, it may blend with surrounding words.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: As an adverb meaning "one time" or "a single occasion"

Translation(s) & Context:

• раз - Used in informal contexts for simple counting or singular events.

Usage Examples:

• Я был в Москве раз. (Ya byl v Moskve raz.)

  I was in Moscow once.

• Он звонил мне раз в неделю. (On zvonil mne raz v nedelyu.)

  He called me once a week.

• Прочитай это раз, и ты всё запомнишь. (Prochitay eto raz, i ty vsyo zapomnish'.)

  Read this once, and you'll remember everything.

• Раз в год мы едем в деревню. (Raz v god my yedem v derevnyu.)

  Once a year, we go to the countryside.

• Я видел его раз на улице. (Ya videl yego raz na ulitse.)

  I saw him once on the street.

Meaning 2: As an adverb meaning "at some time in the past" or "formerly"

Translation(s) & Context:

• однажды - Often used in narratives or to indicate a past event, more formal or literary.

Usage Examples:

• Однажды я путешествовал по Европе. (Odnazhdy ya puteshestvoval po Evrope.)

  Once, I traveled through Europe.

• Однажды в детстве я потерялся. (Odnazhdy v detstve ya poteryalsya.)

  Once, in my childhood, I got lost.

• Однажды это место было полем. (Odnazhdy eto mesto bylo polem.)

  Once, this place was a field.

• Однажды мы встретили знаменитость. (Odnazhdy my vstretili znamenitost'.)

  Once, we met a celebrity.

• Однажды в старые времена... (Odnazhdy v starые vremena...)

  Once upon a time in the old days...

Meaning 3: As a conjunction meaning "as soon as" or "when"

Translation(s) & Context:

• как только - Used in conditional or temporal clauses, indicating immediacy.

Usage Examples:

• Как только я приеду, я позвоню тебе. (Kak tol'ko ya priezzhu, ya pozvonyu tebe.)

  As soon as I arrive, I'll call you.

• Как только дождь кончится, мы пойдём гулять. (Kak tol'ko dozhd' kontchitsya, my poydyom gulyat'.)

  Once the rain stops, we'll go for a walk.

• Как только он увидел меня, он улыбнулся. (Kak tol'ko on uvidel menya, on ulybnulsya.)

  As soon as he saw me, he smiled.

• Как только солнце встанет, птицы запоют. (Kak tol'ko solntse vstanet, ptitsy zapoyut.)

  Once the sun rises, the birds will sing.

• Как только урок закончится, дети побегут домой. (Kak tol'ko urook zakonchitsya, deti pobegut domoy.)

  As soon as the lesson ends, the children will run home.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Most translations like "раз" and "однажды" are adverbs and do not inflect for case, number, or gender. However, "раз" can also function as a noun meaning "time" (as in an instance), which inflects as a masculine noun in the first declension.

For "раз" as a noun:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	раз	разы
Genitive	раза	разов
Dative	разу	разам
Accusative	раз	разы
Instrumental	разом	разами
Prepositional	разе	разах

"Как только" is a fixed phrase and does not inflect as a whole.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • раз - единожды (yedinzhdy; once, but more emphatic)
  • однажды - некогда (nekogda; formerly, with a sense of the past)
  • как только - стоило... как (stoilo... kak; as soon as, in literary contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • раз - много раз (mnogo raz; many times)
  • однажды - никогда (nikogda; never)
  • как только - никогда (nikogda; never, in conditional contexts)

Related Phrases:

• Раз в год (Raz v god) - Once a year; used for annual events.
• Однажды да, однажды нет (Odnazhdy da, odnazhdy net) - Once yes, once no; meaning inconsistently.
• Как только возможно (Kak tol'ko vozmozhno) - As soon as possible; for urgent actions.

Usage Notes:

"Once" in English can translate to different Russian words based on context: "раз" for simple, countable instances; "однажды" for narrative or past events; and "как только" for immediate actions. English speakers should note that Russian adverbs like these don't always directly align with English grammar— for example, "раз" as a noun requires case agreement. In formal writing, prefer "однажды" over "раз" for storytelling. When choosing between translations, consider the sentence's tense and formality.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "раз" incorrectly as an adverb when it should be a noun, e.g., saying "Я пошёл раз" instead of "Я пошёл один раз". Correct: "Я пошёл раз" is informal but acceptable; however, learners often forget to add counters like "один".

• Error: Confusing "однажды" with "раз" in formal contexts, e.g., "Однажды я ел" when "раз" might suffice. Explanation: "Однажды" implies a specific, story-like past event, while "раз" is more neutral. Correct usage: Use "раз" for everyday recounting.

• Error: Overusing "как только" in non-conditional sentences, e.g., "Как только я ем" for "Once I eat". Correct: Reserve it for immediacy; use "после того как" if needed for "after".

Cultural Notes:

"Однажды" is often used in Russian fairy tales and folklore, evoking a sense of timelessness, similar to "once upon a time" in English stories. This reflects Russia's rich oral tradition, where such phrases set the stage for narratives, emphasizing the magical or historical aspects of the culture.

Related Concepts:

• время (vremya; time)
• мгновение (mgnovenie; moment)
• никогда (nikogda; never)