Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'slate'

English Word: slate

Key Russian Translations:

• сланец [ˈslanʲɪts] - [Formal, used in geological or material contexts]
• доска [ˈdoskə] - [Informal, when referring to a writing slate or board]

Frequency: Low (This word and its translations are not commonly used in everyday conversation but appear in specialized fields like geology or construction.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp basic vocabulary related to materials, but understanding nuances requires familiarity with Russian noun declensions.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сланец: [ˈslanʲɪts]

Note on сланец: The stress falls on the first syllable, and the 'ц' sound is a voiceless alveolar affricate, which can be challenging for English speakers. Pronounce it with a soft 'n' sound as in 'onion'.

доска: [ˈdoskə]

Note on доска: The final 'a' is reduced in casual speech, sounding like a schwa [ə], common in unstressed positions in Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A fine-grained gray, green, or bluish metamorphic rock used in construction or roofing.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сланец - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as geology or building materials.

Usage Examples:

• Этот сланец используется для покрытия крыш домов в дождливых регионах.

  This slate is used for roofing houses in rainy regions.

• Геологи обнаружили залежи сланца в горах Сибири.

  Geologists discovered deposits of slate in the Siberian mountains.

• Сланец имеет высокую прочность и устойчивость к погодным условиям.

  Slate has high durability and resistance to weather conditions.

• В музее выставлены образцы сланца из разных частей России.

  In the museum, samples of slate from different parts of Russia are displayed.

Meaning 2: A flat piece of stone or board used for writing or drawing.

Translation(s) & Context:

• доска - Used in everyday or educational contexts, such as a chalkboard or writing slate.

Usage Examples:

• Дети писали уроки на старой доске из сланца.

  The children wrote their lessons on an old slate board.

• В школе мы использовали доску для рисования геометрических фигур.

  At school, we used the slate for drawing geometric shapes.

• Эта доска из сланца идеально подходит для записей на свежем воздухе.

  This slate board is perfect for taking notes outdoors.

• Художник нарисовал пейзаж на гладкой доске.

  The artist drew a landscape on a smooth slate.

• Доска сланца стала популярной среди уличных художников в Москве.

  Slate boards have become popular among street artists in Moscow.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are nouns. Russian nouns inflect for case, number, and gender. "Сланец" is a masculine noun (мужской род), and it follows the standard second declension pattern with some irregularities. "Доска" is a feminine noun (женский род) and follows the first declension.

Note: These nouns do not change for gender inherently but affect agreement with adjectives and verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • плита (plita) - More general term for a flat stone or slab.
  • камень (kamen') - Broad synonym for any rock, but less specific.
• Antonyms:
  • песок (pesok) - Sand, as an opposite material texture.

Related Phrases:

• Сланцевый карьер (Slanetsvyy kar'yer) - Slate quarry; a site where slate is extracted for construction.
• Доска для письма (Doska dlya pis'ma) - Writing slate; commonly used in educational settings.
• Крыша из сланца (Krysha iz slantsa) - Slate roof; refers to roofing made from slate material.

Usage Notes:

"Slate" translates most accurately to "сланец" in geological contexts, but "доска" is better for everyday objects like writing boards. Be mindful of the formal/informal divide: "сланец" is preferred in technical writing, while "доска" fits casual speech. In Russian, always decline the noun based on its grammatical case to ensure agreement with other sentence elements. For English learners, note that "slate" doesn't have a direct one-to-one equivalent, so choose the translation based on context—e.g., use "сланец" for natural materials and "доска" for man-made tools.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "сланец" with "сленец" (a misspelling or non-word): Incorrect: "Я нашел сленец в горах." Correct: "Я нашел сланец в горах." Explanation: The correct spelling is "сланец"; mispronouncing or misspelling can lead to confusion with unrelated words.
• Forgetting to decline the noun: Incorrect: "Я видел сланец в музее" (should be in prepositional case). Correct: "Я видел сланец в музее" is actually nominative; proper: "Я видел сланец в музее" if context fits, but ensure case agreement, e.g., "О сланце в музее" for genitive. Explanation: Russian requires nouns to change form based on case, which English speakers often overlook.

Cultural Notes:

In Russia, slate (сланец) is not only a geological material but also symbolizes durability in folk traditions, often featured in stories about ancient buildings in regions like the Ural Mountains. It's less culturally loaded than words like "берёза" (birch), but it evokes images of Russia's vast natural resources and industrial heritage.

Related Concepts:

• гранит (granit)
• мрамор (mramor)
• камень (kamen')