Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'revolution'

English Word: revolution

Key Russian Translations:

• революция [rʲɪvɐˈlʲutsɨjə] - [Formal, often used in historical, political, or academic contexts]
• переворот [pʲɪrʲɪˈvɔrət] - [Informal or Neutral, typically for sudden coups or overthrows]

Frequency: Medium (Common in historical, political, and educational discussions but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian noun declensions and historical contexts; for 'переворот', also B2 due to potential nuances in usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

революция: [rʲɪvɐˈlʲutsɨjə]

Note on революция: The stress falls on the third syllable ('lu'), which is a common challenge for English speakers; slight variations may occur in fast speech.

Audio: []

переворот: [pʲɪrʲɪˈvɔrət]

Note on переворот: The initial 'pʲ' sound is palatalized, which might be difficult for beginners; it's softer than in English.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Political or Social Uprising

Translation(s) & Context:

• революция - Used in formal contexts for large-scale political changes, such as the French Revolution.
• переворот - Applied in contexts of sudden, often violent power shifts, like a military coup.

Usage Examples:

• Русская революция 1917 года изменила ход истории. (Russkaya revolyutsiya 1917 goda izmenila khod istorii.)

  The Russian Revolution of 1917 changed the course of history.

• Этот переворот в правительстве привел к хаосу. (Etot perevorot v pravitelstve privel k khosu.)

  This coup in the government led to chaos.

• Молодежь часто мечтает о новой революции в обществе. (Molodezh' chasto mechtaet o novoy revolyutsii v obshchestve.)

  Youth often dream of a new revolution in society.

• После переворота страна столкнулась с экономическими проблемами. (Posle perevorota strana stolknulas' s ekonomicheskimi problemami.)

  After the coup, the country faced economic problems.

• Революция в технологиях преобразила повседневную жизнь. (Revolyutsiya v tekhnologiyakh preobrazila povsednevnuyu zhizn'.)

  The revolution in technology transformed everyday life.

Orbital or Scientific Revolution

Translation(s) & Context:

• революция - In scientific contexts, referring to planetary orbits or cycles.

Usage Examples:

• Земля совершает революцию вокруг Солнца за 365 дней. (Zemlya sovershaet revolyutsiyu vokrug Solntsa za 365 dney.)

  The Earth completes a revolution around the Sun in 365 days.

• Научная революция эпохи Возрождения изменила взгляды на мир. (Nauchnaya revolyutsiya epokhi Vozrozhdeniya izmenila vzglady na mir.)

  The scientific revolution of the Renaissance changed views on the world.

• Эта революция в астрономии подтвердила теорию Коперника. (Eta revolyutsiya v astronomii podtverdila teoriyu Kopernika.)

  This revolution in astronomy confirmed Copernicus's theory.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Революция' is a feminine noun (1st declension). It follows standard Russian noun inflection patterns:

'Переворот' is a masculine noun with no irregularities:

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • восстание (vosstanie) - Uprising, often with a more rebellious connotation.
  • мятеж (myatezh) - Rebellion, typically for smaller-scale events.
• Antonyms:
  • стабильность (stabil'nost') - Stability, implying no change.
  • консерватизм (konservatizm) - Conservatism, resistance to revolution.

Related Phrases:

• Французская революция (Frantsuzskaya revolyutsiya) - Refers to the French Revolution; used in historical discussions.
• Революция в науке (Revolyutsiya v nauke) - Scientific revolution; common in educational contexts.
• Военный переворот (Voyennyy perevorot) - Military coup; denotes a specific type of power seizure.

Usage Notes:

'Революция' directly corresponds to 'revolution' in its broader, historical sense and is preferred in formal writing or speeches. 'Переворот' is more neutral or informal and should be used for sudden changes rather than gradual ones. Be mindful of context: in Russian, these words often carry political weight, so avoid them in casual conversation unless discussing history. For English learners, choose 'революция' for abstract concepts and 'переворот' for concrete events; always consider the gender and case for proper sentence integration.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'революция' interchangeably with 'переворот' without context. For example, saying "Это был переворот в науке" when meaning a gradual scientific revolution.
  Correct: "Это была революция в науке." Explanation: 'Переворот' implies abruptness, so it's unsuitable for evolutionary changes.
• Mistake: Incorrect declension, e.g., using nominative in all cases like "о революция" instead of "о революции".
  Correct: "О революции" (prepositional case). Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case with prepositions and verbs.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'революция' is deeply tied to the 1917 Russian Revolution, which led to the establishment of the Soviet Union. This event symbolizes both progress and turmoil, often evoking national pride or criticism in discussions. Words like this can carry emotional connotations, so sensitivity to historical context is key for English speakers engaging in Russian conversations.

Related Concepts:

• демократия (demokratiya)
• свобода (svoboda)
• реформы (reformy)