Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'planet'

English Word: planet

Key Russian Translations:

• планета /plaˈnʲe.tə/ - [Formal, Standard; Used in scientific, educational, and everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium (The word is commonly encountered in discussions about astronomy, science, and general knowledge, but not as frequent as basic everyday vocabulary.)

Difficulty: A2 (Elementary; Suitable for beginners, as it involves straightforward vocabulary with regular noun declensions, though pronunciation of the soft consonant may require practice.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

планета: /plaˈnʲe.tə/

Note on планета: The 'н' is palatalized (soft), which is common in Russian and can be challenging for English speakers. Stress falls on the second syllable. Practice with native speakers for accurate intonation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning: A large celestial body that orbits a star, such as the Earth orbiting the Sun.

Translation(s) & Context:

• планета - Used in formal scientific contexts, educational settings, or casual conversations about space; appropriate for describing astronomical objects in both written and spoken Russian.

Usage Examples:

• Планета Земля вращается вокруг Солнца и имеет уникальную атмосферу.

  Planet Earth orbits the Sun and has a unique atmosphere.

• Учёные открыли новую планету в далёкой галактике с помощью телескопа.

  Scientists discovered a new planet in a distant galaxy using a telescope.

• Марс, как планета, часто называется Красной планетой из-за её поверхности.

  Mars, as a planet, is often called the Red Planet due to its surface.

• Дети в школе изучают планеты солнечной системы, включая Юпитер и Сатурн.

  Children at school study the planets of the solar system, including Jupiter and Saturn.

• Космонавты мечтают исследовать далёкие планеты, чтобы найти признаки жизни.

  Astronauts dream of exploring distant planets to find signs of life.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Планета" is a feminine noun of the first declension in Russian, which means it follows regular patterns for most cases. It does not have irregularities but changes based on grammatical case and number. Below is a table outlining its inflections:

Note: As a regular feminine noun, it does not have special inflections, making it straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: небесное тело (nebesnoe telo) - A more general term for a celestial object, often used in poetic or less technical contexts; мировое тело (mirovoe telo) - Emphasizes cosmic scale but is less common.
• Antonyms: звезда (zvezda) - Refers to a star, the opposite in the sense of being a luminous body rather than an orbiting one; спутник (sputnik) - Means a moon or satellite, contrasting as a body orbiting a planet.

Related Phrases:

• Планета Земля - Refers to "Planet Earth," commonly used in educational or geographical contexts to denote our home world.
• Внешние планеты - Means "outer planets," as in the planets beyond the asteroid belt in the solar system; used in astronomy discussions.
• Космическая планета - Translates to "space planet," often in sci-fi or exploratory contexts to describe extraterrestrial worlds.

Usage Notes:

"Планета" directly corresponds to the English "planet" in most contexts, especially scientific ones. It is a feminine noun, so adjectives and verbs must agree in gender (e.g., "большая планета" for "big planet"). Use it in formal settings like lectures or writing, but it's also common in everyday talk. When choosing among translations, "планета" is the standard; avoid synonyms unless specifying a broader category. Be mindful of declensions based on sentence structure, as Russian requires case agreement.

• In questions: "Какая планета ближе к Солнцу?" (Which planet is closer to the Sun?)
• In possessive contexts: Requires genitive case, e.g., "атмосфера планеты" (atmosphere of the planet).

Common Errors:

English learners often mispronounce the palatalized 'н' in "планета," saying it like the English 'n' instead of a softer sound, which can make it sound like "planeta" without the proper softening. Incorrect: Pronouncing it as /pla'ne.ta/ (too hard). Correct: /plaˈnʲe.tə/ with the soft 'н'. Another error is forgetting to decline it in sentences, e.g., using "планета" in the dative case incorrectly as "планета" instead of "планете." Always check the case based on the sentence's grammar to avoid confusion.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "планета" often evokes pride in Russia's space exploration history, such as the Sputnik program and Yuri Gagarin's first human spaceflight. It symbolizes human curiosity and achievement, frequently appearing in literature and media about the cosmos, reflecting Russia's contributions to astronomy and space science.

Related Concepts:

• звезда (star)
• галактика (galaxy)
• комета (comet)
• спутник (satellite or moon)