Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'quarter'

English Word: quarter

Key Russian Translations:

• четверть [ˈt͡ɕetvʲɪrtʲ] - [Informal, for fractions or measurements]
• квартал [kvarˈtaɫ] - [Formal, for time periods, districts, or quarters in a year]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday contexts like time, measurements, and geography, but not as frequent as basic nouns).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic noun declensions and contextual usage, with some variations based on translation—e.g., 'четверть' is simpler for beginners, while 'квартал' may need intermediate grasp of formal contexts).

Pronunciation (Russian):

четверть: [ˈt͡ɕetvʲɪrtʲ]

квартал: [kvarˈtaɫ]

Note on четверть: The initial 'ч' sound is a palatalized affricate, which can be challenging for English speakers; it's similar to 'ch' in 'church' but softer. Pronounce with emphasis on the first syllable.

Note on квартал: The 'р' is rolled, and the stress is on the second syllable; avoid softening the 'т' as in some dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. One-fourth of a whole (e.g., fraction, measurement)

Translation(s) & Context:

• четверть - Used in informal or everyday contexts for fractions, such as time (e.g., a quarter of an hour) or quantities.

Usage Examples:

• У меня есть четверть часа на подготовку. (U menya yest' chetvert' chasa na podgotovku.)

  I have a quarter of an hour to prepare. (This shows the word in a time context, emphasizing urgency in daily conversation.)

• Эта pizza разделена на четыре четверти. (Eta pizza razdelena na chetyre chetverti.)

  This pizza is divided into four quarters. (Illustrates fractional division in a casual, food-related setting.)

• В рецепте указано добавить четверть стакана сахара. (V retsefte ukazano dobavit' chetvert' stakana sakhará.)

  The recipe calls for adding a quarter cup of sugar. (Demonstrates measurement in cooking, a common practical use.)

• Он потратил четверть своего времени на отдых. (On potratil chetvert' svoyego vremeni na otdykh.)

  He spent a quarter of his time resting. (Shows proportional usage in personal narratives.)

2. A period of three months (e.g., in business or academic contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• квартал - Used in formal or professional settings for fiscal or academic quarters.

Usage Examples:

• Первый квартал года был очень успешным. (Pervyy kvartal goda byl ochen' uspeshnym.)

  The first quarter of the year was very successful. (This highlights business reporting in a corporate environment.)

• Университет разделен на четыре квартала. (Universitet razdelen na chetyre kvartala.)

  The university is divided into four quarters. (Illustrates academic scheduling, common in educational contexts.)

• В этом квартале мы ожидаем рост продаж. (V etom kvartale my ozhidaem rost prodazh.)

  We expect sales growth in this quarter. (Shows predictive use in financial discussions.)

• Квартал закончился, и мы подводим итоги. (Kvartal zakonchilsya, i my podvodim itogi.)

  The quarter has ended, and we're summarizing the results. (Demonstrates closure in periodic reviews.)

3. A district or section of a city

Translation(s) & Context:

• квартал - Used for urban or geographical divisions, often in formal descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Этот квартал известен своими историческими зданиями. (Etot kvartal izvesten svoyimi istoricheskimi zdaniyami.)

  This quarter is known for its historical buildings. (Contextualizes urban geography in travel or history talks.)

• Мы живем в тихом квартале. (My zhivem v tikhom kvartale.)

  We live in a quiet quarter. (Simple residential usage in everyday conversation.)

• Квартал был отремонтирован после пожара. (Kvartal byl otremontirovan posle pozhara.)

  The quarter was renovated after the fire. (Shows post-event description in news or reports.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'четверть' and 'квартал' are feminine nouns in Russian, which undergo declension based on case, number, and gender. 'Четверть' is irregular in some forms due to its root, while 'квартал' follows standard patterns.

Note: These words do not change in plural forms as frequently in modern usage, but 'кварталы' is the standard plural for 'квартал'. 'Четверть' remains largely unchanged in plural contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Для 'четверть': доля (dolya) - [less precise, for shares or portions]
  • Для 'квартал': период (period) - [more general for time periods]
• Antonyms:
  • целиком (tselikom) - [wholly, as opposed to a fraction]
  • половина (polovina) - [half, contrasting with quarter in measurements]

Related Phrases:

• четверть часа (chetvert' chasa) - A quarter of an hour; used for time intervals in scheduling.
• финансовый квартал (finansovyy kvartal) - Financial quarter; common in business contexts for reporting.
• квартал города (kvartal goroda) - City quarter; refers to a neighborhood or district in urban planning.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'quarter' translates differently based on context: use 'четверть' for fractional amounts to match informal English usage, while 'квартал' aligns with formal or institutional contexts like business. Be mindful of gender agreement—both are feminine nouns, so adjectives and verbs must agree accordingly (e.g., 'большая четверть' for 'big quarter'). In spoken language, 'четверть' is more versatile for everyday math, whereas 'квартал' is preferred in official documents to avoid ambiguity.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'четверть' with 'квартал' in time contexts: English learners might say 'четверть года' instead of 'квартал года', which is incorrect as it implies a fraction rather than a three-month period. Correct: Use 'квартал' for annual divisions. Example of error: "Я работаю в четверти" (wrong); Correct: "Я работаю в квартале" (for a business quarter).
• Improper declension: Forgetting to change cases, e.g., using nominative 'четверть' in genitive contexts like "половина четверть" instead of "половина четверти". This can make sentences grammatically incorrect. Explanation: Always decline based on sentence structure to maintain Russian case harmony.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'квартал' often evokes images of urban districts in cities like Moscow, where historical quarters (e.g., the Arbat district) hold cultural significance, reflecting community and history. This contrasts with the more utilitarian 'quarter' in English, highlighting Russia's emphasis on place-based identity in literature and daily life.

Related Concepts:

• месяц (mesyats) - Month
• год (god) - Year
• доля (dolya) - Share or portion