Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'revelry'

English Word: revelry

Key Russian Translations:

• веселье [vʲɪˈsʲelʲjə] - [Informal, often used in everyday contexts for lively celebrations]
• гулянка [ɡʊˈlʲankə] - [Informal, Colloquial, implies a more rowdy or unrestrained form of merry-making]
• праздничное веселье [ˈprazdnʲɪt͡ɕnəje vʲɪˈsʲelʲjə] - [Formal, used in structured events like holidays]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, media, and casual conversation, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of noun inflections and contextual usage; for 'гулянка', it might be B2 due to its colloquial nature)

Pronunciation (Russian):

веселье: [vʲɪˈsʲelʲjə]

гулянка: [ɡʊˈlʲankə]

праздничное веселье: [ˈprazdnʲɪt͡ɕnəje vʲɪˈsʲelʲjə]

Note on веселье: The stress is on the second syllable; be cautious with the palatalized 's' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers as it's softer than in English.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Loud and noisy merry-making, often involving festivities or celebrations

Translation(s) & Context:

• веселье - Used in informal social gatherings, such as parties, where joy and excitement are key.
• гулянка - Applied in more boisterous, unplanned contexts, like street festivals or late-night outings.
• праздничное веселье - Employed in formal or organized events, such as national holidays, emphasizing structured fun.

Usage Examples:

• Они наслаждались весельем на уличном фестивале, танцуя до поздней ночи.

  They enjoyed the revelry at the street festival, dancing until late at night.

• После экзаменов студенты устроили гулянку в парке, полную смеха и песен.

  After the exams, the students had a revelry in the park, full of laughter and songs.

• Праздничное веселье в Кремле включало фейерверки и народные танцы.

  The revelry at the Kremlin included fireworks and folk dances.

• Веселье переросло в гулянку, когда гости начали импровизировать песни у костра.

  The revelry escalated into a wild party when the guests started improvising songs by the fire.

• Дети были в восторге от праздничного веселья на новогодней ёлке.

  The children were thrilled by the revelry at the New Year's tree celebration.

Meaning 2: Excessive or unrestrained enjoyment, sometimes with negative connotations

Translation(s) & Context:

• гулянка - Often used when the revelry borders on chaos, in informal or negative contexts.
• веселье - Can be adapted with modifiers, but less common for negative shades.

Usage Examples:

• Его гулянка после победы закончилась поздним возвращением домой.

  His revelry after the victory ended with a late return home.

• Веселье на свадьбе перешло в неконтролируемую гулянку из-за алкоголя.

  The revelry at the wedding turned into an uncontrolled party due to alcohol.

• Местные жители жаловались на ночную гулянку соседей.

  The locals complained about the nighttime revelry of their neighbors.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Most key translations like 'веселье' and 'гулянка' are nouns. 'Веселье' is a neuter noun of the second declension, while 'гулянка' is feminine. They follow standard Russian inflection patterns with some irregularities in plural forms.

Note: These words do not change in gender but inflect based on case and number as shown. 'Праздничное веселье' includes an adjective that agrees with the noun.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • радость [rɐˈdosʲtʲ] (joy, but more emotional; often used interchangeably in positive contexts)
  • забава [zɐˈbavə] (amusement, lighter and less intense than revelry)
  • праздник [ˈprazdnʲɪk] (holiday, formal and structured)
• Antonyms:
  • грусть [ɡrusʲtʲ] (sadness, direct opposite in emotional tone)
  • скука [ˈskukə] (boredom, implying lack of excitement)

Related Phrases:

• бурное веселье - A stormy or intense revelry; used for highly energetic celebrations.
• народная гулянка - Folk-style revelry; often refers to traditional Russian festivities with cultural elements.
• веселье в полную силу - Revelry in full swing; implies maximum enjoyment in social settings.

Usage Notes:

Revelry in English often connotes lively, sometimes excessive fun, which aligns closely with 'веселье' in Russian for positive contexts or 'гулянка' for more chaotic ones. Choose 'веселье' for everyday or neutral descriptions, but opt for 'гулянка' when emphasizing informality or potential disorder. Be mindful of grammatical agreement: as nouns, these words must inflect based on case (e.g., in genitive for possession). In formal writing, pair with adjectives like 'праздничное' to add specificity. English learners should note that Russian culture values communal revelry during holidays, so these words frequently appear in seasonal contexts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'веселье' in a negative context without modifiers, e.g., saying "веселье" for a disruptive party when 'гулянка' is more appropriate. Correct: Replace with 'гулянка' to convey unruliness. Explanation: 'Веселье' typically implies positive joy, so it can mislead in negative scenarios.

• Error: Incorrect inflection, e.g., using nominative 'веселье' in a genitive phrase like "радость от веселье" instead of "радость от веселья". Correct: "радость от веселья". Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, which English speakers often overlook.

• Error: Confusing with similar words like 'весна' (spring), leading to mispronunciation. Correct: Focus on the correct IPA and practice inflections. Explanation: Phonetic similarities can cause mix-ups, but context helps clarify.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, revelry like 'веселье' is deeply tied to traditions such as Maslenitsa (Pancake Week) or New Year's celebrations, where communal feasting and games foster social bonds. Words like 'гулянка' may evoke historical contexts, such as village festivals in folklore, reflecting a heritage of resilience and joy amidst hardships.

Related Concepts:

• праздник
• развлечения
• народные традиции