Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'premonition'

English Word: premonition

Key Russian Translations:

• предчувствие [prʲɪdˈt͡ɕʊfstvʲɪje] - [Informal, Common in everyday speech]
• предвидение [prʲɪdˈvʲɪdʲɪnʲje] - [Formal, Used in more philosophical or literary contexts]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are encountered in literature, conversations about intuition, but not in daily casual talk.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of abstract nouns and emotional vocabulary. For 'предчувствие', it's B2; for 'предвидение', it may lean towards C1 due to its formal connotations.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

предчувствие: [prʲɪdˈt͡ɕʊfstvʲɪje]

предвидение: [prʲɪdˈvʲɪdʲɪnʲje]

Note on предчувствие: The 'ч' sound is a soft palatal fricative, similar to 'ch' in 'church', but ensure the stress is on the third syllable for natural pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A feeling that something, especially something unpleasant, is going to happen.

Translation(s) & Context:

• предчувствие - Often used in informal contexts to describe a sudden, intuitive sense of impending events, such as in personal stories or emotional discussions.
• предвидение - Applied in formal or predictive contexts, like in literature or discussions about foresight, implying a more deliberate or prophetic insight.

Usage Examples:

• У меня было предчувствие, что поезд опоздает, и я решил уйти пораньше.

  I had a premonition that the train would be late, so I decided to leave earlier.

• Её предчувствие беды заставило её отменить поездку.

  Her premonition of trouble made her cancel the trip.

• В романе писатель описывает предвидение героя как ключевой момент сюжета.

  In the novel, the author's depiction of the hero's premonition is a key plot point.

• Иногда предчувствие может быть ошибочным, но оно всё равно влияет на наши решения.

  Sometimes a premonition can be wrong, but it still affects our decisions.

• Его предвидение будущего событий сделало его известным провидцем.

  His premonition of future events made him a renowned seer.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'предчувствие' and 'предвидение' are neuter nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard neuter declension patterns. They are invariable in gender but change based on case and number. 'Предчувствие' is more commonly used and has regular inflections, while 'предвидение' follows similar rules.

Note: These nouns do not have irregular forms, making them straightforward for learners at B2 level.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • интуиция (intuition) - More general, often used interchangeably but focuses on gut feelings without the ominous connotation.
  • предчувствие (as above, but can overlap); presentiment - Similar to предчувствие but with a slight nuance of being less intense.
• Antonyms:
  • неведение (ignorance) - Lacks any foresight or intuition.
  • сомнение (doubt) - Contrasts by introducing uncertainty rather than certainty of an event.

Related Phrases:

• сильное предчувствие - A strong premonition; Used to emphasize intensity in emotional narratives.
• предчувствие беды - Premonition of trouble; Common in stories involving danger or misfortune.
• предвидение будущего - Foresight of the future; Often in philosophical or predictive contexts.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'предчувствие' is the most direct equivalent to 'premonition' in informal settings, capturing the emotional and intuitive aspect, while 'предвидение' is better for formal or intellectual discussions. Choose based on context: use 'предчувствие' for personal anecdotes and 'предвидение' for literary or prophetic themes. Be mindful of case changes in sentences, as Russian requires agreement with other elements. For example, in a sentence like "I have a premonition," it translates to "У меня предчувствие," but adjust for possession or other grammatical needs.

• Grammar tip: These nouns are often used with verbs like 'иметь' (to have) or 'чувствовать' (to feel) to express the experience.
• Context tip: In Russian culture, such words are prevalent in literature, so they're useful for discussing works by authors like Dostoevsky.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'предчувствие' with 'предсказание' (prediction), thinking they mean the same thing. For example, an incorrect usage might be: "Я имел предсказание о катастрофе" (I had a prediction of the disaster), when it should be "Я имел предчувствие о катастрофе" for a vague feeling. The correct form emphasizes intuition over concrete prophecy. Another error is forgetting case endings, e.g., saying "в предчувствие" instead of "в предчувствии" in prepositional case, which changes the meaning subtly.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, premonitions like 'предчувствие' are often tied to literary traditions, appearing in works by writers such as Fyodor Dostoevsky or Leo Tolstoy, where they symbolize deep psychological insight or fate. This reflects a broader Slavic cultural emphasis on intuition and the mystical, making these words more than just vocabulary—they evoke a sense of destiny and human emotion in everyday life.

Related Concepts:

• интуиция
• предсказание
• судьба (fate)