Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'realist'

English Word: realist

Key Russian Translations:

• реалист (/rʲɪˈalʲɪst/) - [Formal, Used in philosophical or artistic contexts]
• реалистичный (/rʲɪaˈlʲistʲɪtɕnɨj/) - [Informal, Adjectival form, Used to describe realistic attitudes or works]

Frequency: Medium (Common in intellectual discussions, literature, and everyday conversations about practicality, but not everyday slang).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate for 'реалист'; C1 for 'реалистичный' due to nuanced usage in complex sentences).

Pronunciation (Russian):

реалист: /rʲɪˈalʲɪst/

Note on реалист: The stress is on the second syllable; the 'р' is palatalized, which can be tricky for English speakers—practice as "ryih-AH-lyist". Variations in fast speech may soften the 'т' sound.

реалистичный: /rʲɪaˈlʲistʲɪtɕnɨj/

Note on реалистичный: The ending '-ичный' often has a soft 'ч' sound; pronounce as "ryih-ah-LIS-tich-nyy". Regional accents in Russia may vary the vowel length.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A person who accepts situations as they are, without idealism (Noun form).

Translation(s) & Context:

• реалист - Used in formal discussions, philosophy, or self-description to denote a pragmatic individual in everyday or professional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда был реалистом в своих ожиданиях. (He was always a realist in his expectations.)

  English: He was always a realist in his expectations.

• Как реалист, она не верит в сказки. (As a realist, she doesn't believe in fairy tales.)

  English: As a realist, she doesn't believe in fairy tales.

• В политике реалисты часто побеждают идеалистов. (In politics, realists often triumph over idealists.)

  English: In politics, realists often triumph over idealists.

• Реалист понимает, что жизнь не всегда справедлива. (A realist understands that life isn't always fair.)

  English: A realist understands that life isn't always fair.

Meaning 2: Related to realism in art, literature, or attitudes (Adjective form).

Translation(s) & Context:

• реалистичный - Applied in creative or descriptive contexts, such as describing art or plans that are practical and grounded.

Usage Examples:

• Его картины всегда реалистичные и полны деталей. (His paintings are always realistic and full of details.)

  English: His paintings are always realistic and full of details.

• Реалистичный подход к проблеме помог решить её быстро. (A realistic approach to the problem helped solve it quickly.)

  English: A realistic approach to the problem helped solve it quickly.

• В этом фильме реалистичные персонажи, как в реальной жизни. (In this film, the characters are realistic, just like in real life.)

  English: In this film, the characters are realistic, just like in real life.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Реалист' is a masculine noun (second declension), which follows standard Russian noun inflections. It changes based on case and number. 'Реалистичный' is an adjective and inflects according to gender, number, and case.

Note: These are regular inflections; no irregularities for these words.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • прагматик (pragmatik) - More focused on practical action.
  • земной (zemnoj) - Emphasizes being down-to-earth, often in contrast to idealistic.
• Antonyms:
  • идеалист (idealist)
  • романтик (romantik) - Implies dreamy or unrealistic views.

Related Phrases:

• Быть реалистом в жизни (Byt' realistiom v zhizni) - To be a realist in life; meaning adopting a practical outlook on daily challenges.
• Реалистичный взгляд на вещи (Realisticheskij vzgljad na veshchi) - A realistic view of things; used for objective perspectives in decision-making.
• Реалист по натуре (Realist po nature) - A realist by nature; implies an inherent personality trait.

Usage Notes:

The English word 'realist' directly corresponds to 'реалист' in Russian, especially in philosophical or artistic contexts, but 'реалистичный' is preferred for adjectival uses. Use 'реалист' in formal writing or discussions to avoid confusion with idealism. Be mindful of context: in Russian, these words often carry a neutral or positive connotation, emphasizing practicality over negativity. When choosing between translations, opt for 'реалист' for people and 'реалистичный' for descriptions. Grammar note: Always inflect adjectives like 'реалистичный' to match the noun's gender, number, and case for natural flow.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'реалист' as an adjective (e.g., "реалист подход" instead of "реалистичный подход").
  Correct: "Реалистичный подход" (A realistic approach).
  Explanation: 'Реалист' is a noun; learners often confuse it with the adjective form, leading to grammatical errors.
• Mistake: Overusing in informal speech, saying 'реалист' when 'прагматик' might be more appropriate.
  Correct: Contextually choose based on nuance; e.g., use 'реалист' for broader realism.
  Explanation: This can make speech sound overly formal or mismatched.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, being a 'реалист' is often valued in literature and history, as seen in the works of 19th-century authors like Chekhov, who portrayed realistic depictions of society. It contrasts with the romantic idealism of earlier periods, reflecting Russia's pragmatic approach to historical challenges like socialism and modernization.

Related Concepts:

• идеализм (idealism)
• прагматизм (pragmatism)
• эмпиризм (empiricism)