Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sacred'

English Word: sacred

Key Russian Translations:

• священный /svʲaˈɕːenʲnɨj/ - [Formal, used for religious or ceremonial contexts]
• святой /svʲaˈtoj/ - [Informal or specific to saints, used in religious or historical contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in religious, literary, and cultural discussions but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective inflections and religious vocabulary)

Pronunciation (Russian):

священный: /svʲaˈɕːenʲnɨj/

Note on священный: The stress is on the third syllable; the "щ" sound can be challenging for English speakers, as it combines "sh" and "ch" elements. Pronounce it with a soft "sh" followed by a palatalized "ch".

святой: /svʲaˈtoj/

Note on святой: Stress on the second syllable; the initial "sv" is similar to "sv" in "Svetlana," with a soft "v" sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Holy or dedicated to a religious purpose

Translation(s) & Context:

• священный - Used in formal religious contexts, such as describing holy sites or objects in literature or ceremonies.
• святой - Applied to saints or divine figures, often in spiritual or historical narratives.

Usage Examples:

• Русский храм считается священным местом для верующих. (Russkiy khram schitaetsya svyashchennym mestom dlya veruyushchikh.)

  The Russian church is considered a sacred place for believers.

• Эта реликвия является священным артефактом в православной традиции. (Eta relikviya yavlyaetsya svyashchennym artefaktom v pravoslavnoy traditsii.)

  This relic is a sacred artifact in the Orthodox tradition.

• Святой Николай почитается как покровитель детей. (Svatoj Nikolaj pokhityaetsya kak pokrovitel detej.)

  Saint Nicholas is revered as the patron saint of children.

• В этом монастыре хранятся священные тексты древней Руси. (V etom monastyre khranyatsya svyashchennye teksty drevnej Rusi.)

  In this monastery, sacred texts from ancient Rus are preserved.

• Для многих священный огонь символизирует вечную веру. (Dlya mnogikh svyashchennyj ogon simvoliziruet vechnuyu veru.)

  For many, the sacred fire symbolizes eternal faith.

Meaning 2: Something treated with great respect or reverence (non-religious)

Translation(s) & Context:

• священный - In metaphorical or poetic contexts, e.g., for traditions or values held dear.

Usage Examples:

• Семейные традиции остаются священными для этого народа. (Semeynye traditsii ostayutsya svyashchennymi dlya etogo naroda.)

  Family traditions remain sacred to this people.

• Его священная клятва верности была нерушимой. (Yego svyashchennaya klyatva vernosti byla nerushimoy.)

  His sacred oath of loyalty was unbreakable.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "священный" and "святой" are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Adjectives follow standard patterns but can have irregularities due to their roots.

Note: These adjectives do not change for verbs but must agree with nouns in gender, number, and case. "святой" is less irregular but still follows hard adjective patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • священный (similar to primary, but more poetic)
  • божественный (divine, with a connotation of heavenly origin)
  • святой (overlaps with primary, but often for people)
• Antonyms:
  • нечестивый (profane or ungodly, used in religious contrasts)
  • мирской (worldly or secular, implying lack of holiness)

Related Phrases:

• Священное писание - Refers to holy scriptures, like the Bible in a religious context.
• Святой Грааль - The Holy Grail, a legendary object in folklore and literature.
• Священный долг - A sacred duty or obligation, often in moral or patriotic settings.

Usage Notes:

"Sacred" translates most accurately to "священный" in formal or religious contexts, while "святой" is better for saints or divine figures. Be mindful of the adjective agreement with nouns in Russian sentences. For example, use the genitive case for possession, as in "священного места" (of the sacred place). In everyday speech, Russians might prefer "святой" in Orthodox contexts due to cultural prevalence, so choose based on the specific scenario to avoid sounding overly formal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "священный" without proper case agreement, e.g., saying "в священный" instead of "в священном" for prepositional case. Correct: "в священном месте" (in the sacred place). Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's case, which English speakers often overlook.

• Error: Confusing "священный" with "святой" in non-religious contexts, e.g., using "святой долг" when "священный долг" is more appropriate for a metaphorical sacred duty. Correct: Use "священный" for abstract reverence. Explanation: "Святой" implies a direct religious or saintly association, which can alter the meaning unintendedly.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, especially within the Orthodox Christian tradition, words like "священный" and "святой" carry deep historical and spiritual significance. For instance, "святой" is commonly used in reference to saints in icons and holidays, reflecting Russia's long-standing religious heritage dating back to the adoption of Christianity in 988 AD. This can evoke a sense of national identity and reverence beyond mere religious meaning.

Related Concepts:

• библия (Bible)
• церковь (church)
• икона (icon)