Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'praise'

English Word: praise

Key Russian Translations:

• хвалить [xvaˈlʲitʲ] - [Verb, Informal/Neutral]
• похвала [pɐˈxvaɫə] - [Noun, Formal/Neutral]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversations, literature, and media)

Difficulty: хвалить - B1 (Intermediate, as it involves verb conjugations); похвала - A2 (Beginner, basic noun forms)

Pronunciation (Russian):

хвалить: [xvaˈlʲitʲ]

Note on хвалить: The initial 'х' is a voiceless velar fricative, similar to the 'ch' in Scottish 'loch'. Stress falls on the second syllable.

похвала: [pɐˈxvaɫə]

Note on похвала: Pronounce the 'л' as a soft 'l' sound; stress is on the second syllable. Common in formal contexts.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To express approval or admiration for someone or something (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хвалить - Used in everyday conversations, informal writing, or speeches to commend actions or qualities.

Usage Examples:

• Они всегда хвалят его за усердие в работе.

  They always praise him for his diligence at work.

• Родители хвалят детей, чтобы мотивировать их.

  Parents praise children to motivate them.

• В школе учителя хвалят учеников за хорошие оценки.

  At school, teachers praise students for good grades.

• Он хвалит своих коллег на встречах, чтобы создать позитивную атмосферу.

  He praises his colleagues at meetings to create a positive atmosphere.

Meaning 2: The expression of approval or admiration (Noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• похвала - Often used in formal contexts, literature, or reviews to denote commendation or positive feedback.

Usage Examples:

• Его похвала мотивировала команду на новые достижения.

  His praise motivated the team to new achievements.

• Похвала от критиков сделала книгу бестселлером.

  Praise from critics turned the book into a bestseller.

• В обществе похвала часто используется для поощрения талантов.

  In society, praise is often used to encourage talents.

• Её похвала была искренней и трогательной.

  Her praise was sincere and touching.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For хвалить (verb, imperfective): It is a first-conjugation verb with regular patterns. Below is a table of its key inflections:

Note: It has an imperfective aspect; the perfective form is 'похвалить' for completed actions.

For похвала (noun, feminine, 1st declension): It follows standard feminine noun patterns with no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for хвалить: восхищаться (to admire, often with more emotional intensity), одобрять (to approve, more formal)
• Synonyms for похвала: комплимент (compliment, lighter and social), одобрение (approval, broader context)
• Antonyms: критиковать (to criticize), осуждать (to condemn)

Related Phrases:

• Хвалить за что-то - To praise for something; used to specify the reason for commendation.
• Заслуженная похвала - Well-deserved praise; implies the praise is earned through merit.
• Публичная похвала - Public praise; common in professional or ceremonial settings.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'хвалить' is typically used for verbal actions of praising, similar to the English verb, but it can imply ongoing or habitual praise due to its imperfective aspect. 'Похвала' corresponds more to the noun form and is often used in formal or written contexts. Choose 'хвалить' for dynamic situations and 'похвала' for static expressions. Be mindful of gender agreement in inflections, and avoid overusing in casual speech to prevent sounding insincere.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'хвалить' in the wrong tense, e.g., saying "Я хвалил вчера" when meaning a completed action. Correct: Use the perfective 'похвалил' for finished events, as in "Я похвалил его вчера" (I praised him yesterday). Explanation: Russian verbs have aspects, and mixing them can alter the meaning.
• Error: Forgetting case agreement with 'похвала', e.g., "Я рад похвала" instead of "Я рад похвале". Correct: "Я рад похвале" (I am glad about the praise). Explanation: Nouns must agree in case with prepositions or governing words.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, praise like 'похвала' is often given sparingly in professional settings to maintain modesty, reflecting values of humility. Excessive praise might be seen as flattery, whereas in Western contexts, it's more openly expressed. Historically, Soviet-era literature used praise to highlight collective achievements, influencing modern usage.

Related Concepts:

• восхищение (admiration)
• одобрение (approval)
• критика (criticism)