Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pet'

English Word: pet

Key Russian Translations:

• питомец /pɪˈtoʊ.mɛts/ - [Informal, Singular]
• домашнее животное /dəʊmˈæʃnʲə jɪvɐˈtnoʲə/ - [Formal, General]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations about animals, but less frequent in formal writing)

Difficulty: A2 (Elementary; straightforward for beginners, but requires basic understanding of noun genders and cases)

Pronunciation (Russian):

питомец: /pɪˈtoʊ.mɛts/

домашнее животное: /dəʊmˈæʃnʲə jɪvɐˈtnoʲə/

Note on питомец: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the 'ts' sound, which is a voiceless alveolar affricate. Variations may occur in dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A domesticated animal kept as a companion.

Translation(s) & Context:

• питомец - Used in informal, everyday contexts when referring to a personal pet, such as a dog or cat.
• домашнее животное - Applied in more formal or general discussions, like veterinary contexts or educational settings.

Usage Examples:

• У меня есть питомец, который любит играть в парке.

  I have a pet that loves to play in the park.

• Мой питомец — это кошка, и она очень ласковая.

  My pet is a cat, and she is very affectionate.

• В семье мы держим домашнее животное для компании.

  In our family, we keep a pet for companionship.

• Питомец требует ежедневного ухода, чтобы оставаться здоровым.

  A pet requires daily care to stay healthy.

• Домашнее животное, такое как хомяк, может жить в маленькой клетке.

  A pet like a hamster can live in a small cage.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "питомец" and "домашнее животное" are nouns. "Питомец" is a masculine noun with standard Russian declensions. It follows the first declension pattern for masculine nouns ending in a consonant. "Домашнее животное" is a neuter noun phrase, where "животное" (neuter) inflects regularly.

For "домашнее животное", it remains relatively stable as a phrase, but "животное" inflects as a neuter noun: e.g., Genitive: домашнего животного.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • любимец (lyubimets) - Often implies a favored or beloved pet, with a connotation of affection.
  • домашний любимец (domashniy lyubimets) - Used for a more affectionate, informal synonym.
• Antonyms:
  • дикое животное (dikoye zhivotnoye) - Refers to a wild animal, contrasting with domesticated ones.
  • уличное животное (ulichnoye zhivotnoye) - Implies a stray or street animal, not kept as a pet.

Related Phrases:

• забота о питомце (zabotá o pitómtsye) - Care for a pet; used in contexts discussing pet maintenance or veterinary care.
• домашний питомец (domashniy pitómtse) - Household pet; a common phrase for describing pets in family settings.
• питомец на выставке (pitómtse na vystávke) - Pet at an exhibition; refers to pet shows or competitions.

Usage Notes:

"Питомец" is the most direct and idiomatic translation for "pet" in informal English contexts, while "домашнее животное" is better for formal or scientific discussions. Choose based on the situation: use "питомец" for emotional or personal references, as it conveys companionship. Be aware of Russian noun genders— "питомец" is masculine, affecting adjective agreements (e.g., "мой хороший питомец" for "my good pet"). It's commonly used in singular form but can pluralize for multiple pets.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "питомец" as a feminine noun (e.g., saying "питомеца" for a female pet). Correct: Russian nouns have fixed genders, so always treat "питомец" as masculine, regardless of the pet's sex. Example of error: "Моя питомеца" (wrong). Correct: "Мой питомец" or "Моя питомица" if specifying a female variant in some contexts.

• Error: Confusing with "любимец", which implies favoritism beyond just being a pet. Correct: Use "питомец" for general pets; explain if it's a favorite separately. Example: Incorrectly saying "Мой любимец — это рыба" for a basic pet fish; better as "Мой питомец — это рыба".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, pets like dogs and cats are increasingly popular in urban areas, reflecting global trends, but there's a strong tradition of keeping animals for practical reasons in rural settings. The word "питомец" often carries a sense of family bonding, as seen in Russian literature and media, where pets symbolize loyalty and companionship, influenced by historical stories like those in folklore.

Related Concepts:

• собака (dog)
• кот (cat)
• хомяк (hamster)