Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'schoolgirl'

English Word: schoolgirl

Key Russian Translations:

• школьница [ʂkolʲ'nʲit͡sə] - [Informal, Refers to a female student in a school setting]

Frequency: Medium (Commonly used in everyday conversations about education and youth, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary like 'child').

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate; Involves basic feminine noun declensions, which are straightforward for learners at this level).

Pronunciation (Russian):

школьница: [ʂkolʲ'nʲit͡sə]

Note on школьница: The initial 'ш' is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, similar to the 'sh' in 'shoe'. Stress falls on the second syllable, and the ending '-ница' often softens in casual speech. Be mindful of the palatalized 'л' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A girl who attends school, typically implying a young female student.

Translation(s) & Context:

• школьница - Used in informal or neutral contexts to describe a female pupil in primary or secondary education; common in family discussions or educational settings.

Usage Examples:

• Моя дочь — школьница, она учится в пятом классе.

  My daughter is a schoolgirl; she studies in the fifth grade.

• Школьница забыла свой рюкзак в автобусе.

  The schoolgirl forgot her backpack on the bus.

• В этом фильме главная героиня — молодая школьница из Москвы.

  In this film, the main character is a young schoolgirl from Moscow.

• Школьница активно участвует в школьных мероприятиях и клубах.

  The schoolgirl actively participates in school events and clubs.

• Каждое утро школьница спешит на уроки с улыбкой.

  Every morning, the schoolgirl hurries to classes with a smile.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Школьница is a feminine noun of the first declension in Russian. It follows standard patterns for feminine nouns ending in -а/-я, with changes in cases and numbers. It is not irregular but requires attention to soft consonants.

Note: The word does not change in gender or have verbal inflections, as it is a noun.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: ученица (uchennitsa) - More general term for a female student, often used in educational contexts; it can imply any level of schooling but is slightly more formal than школьница.
• Antonyms: школьник (shkol'nik) - Refers to a male school student, highlighting the gender contrast.

Related Phrases:

• школьная форма - School uniform; commonly used in discussions about dress codes in Russian schools.
• молодая школьница - Young schoolgirl; emphasizes age in narratives or descriptions.
• школьница с рюкзаком - Schoolgirl with a backpack; a phrase often seen in everyday observations or stories.

Usage Notes:

Школьница directly corresponds to 'schoolgirl' in English, emphasizing the feminine aspect, which is crucial in Russian as nouns have grammatical gender. It is typically used in informal or neutral contexts, such as family conversations or literature, and is not common in formal writing. When choosing between synonyms like ученица, opt for школьница if the context specifically involves primary or secondary school settings. Be aware of case changes in sentences, e.g., use the genitive form (школьницы) after prepositions like 'of'.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using the masculine form 'школьник' for a female subject. Incorrect: "Школьник забыла книгу" (grammatically wrong as it mixes genders).

  Correct: "Школьница забыла книгу". Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in gender; always use the feminine form for female referents to avoid confusion.

• Error: Forgetting to decline the noun in sentences, e.g., saying "Я видел школьница" instead of the correct accusative form.

  Correct: "Я видел школьницу". Explanation: In Russian, nouns change based on case; here, the accusative is needed after verbs like 'see'.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the term школьница often evokes images of the Soviet-era education system, where school uniforms and structured schooling were emphasized. It can carry a nostalgic connotation in modern contexts, reflecting themes of youth, discipline, and national education reforms. For instance, in literature like that of Anton Chekhov, schoolgirls are portrayed as symbols of innocence and societal expectations.

Related Concepts:

• школьник
• ученик
• студентка