Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'stair'

English Word: stair

Key Russian Translations:

• Ступень [ˈstupʲɪnʲ] - [Formal, used for a single step in a staircase]
• Лестница [lʲɪˈstnʲɪtsə] - [Common, used for the entire staircase structure]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in everyday descriptions of buildings and navigation)

Difficulty: A2 (Elementary level; straightforward for beginners but requires basic familiarity with Russian nouns)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Ступень: [ˈstupʲɪnʲ]

Лестница: [lʲɪˈstnʲɪtsə]

Note on Ступень: The soft sign (ʲ) indicates palatalization, which can be tricky for English speakers; practice the 't' sound as softer, almost like 'ty'.

Note on Лестница: Stress on the second syllable; the 'lʲ' is a palatalized 'l', similar to the 'l' in 'million' in English.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A single step in a staircase

Translation(s) & Context:

• Ступень - Used in formal or descriptive contexts, such as architecture or safety instructions.

Usage Examples:

• Я поскользнулся на мокрой ступени в подъезде. (Ya poskolznulsya na mokroy stupeni v podyezde.)

  I slipped on the wet stair in the entrance.

• Каждый ребенок должен держаться за перила на ступени. (Kazhdyy rebenok dolzhen derzhat'sya za perila na stupeni.)

  Every child should hold onto the railing on the stair.

• Ступень в этом старом доме скрипит под ногами. (Stupen' v etom starom dome skripit pod nogami.)

  The stair in this old house creaks underfoot.

• Архитектор спроектировал широкие ступени для удобства. (Arkhitektor sproektiroval shirokiye stupeni dlya udobstva.)

  The architect designed wide stairs for convenience.

A staircase or series of steps

Translation(s) & Context:

• Лестница - Used for the entire structure, common in directions or building descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Поднимитесь по лестнице на второй этаж. (Podnimitsya po lestnitse na vtoroy etazh.)

  Go up the stairs to the second floor.

• В музее есть старая деревянная лестница с резными перилами. (V muzeye est' staraya derevyannaya lestnitsa s reznymi perilami.)

  In the museum, there's an old wooden staircase with carved railings.

• Лестница в нашем доме слишком крутая для пожилых людей. (Lestnitsa v nashem dome slishkom krutaya dlya pozhilykh lyudey.)

  The staircase in our house is too steep for elderly people.

• Во время ремонта мы заменили старую лестницу на новую. (Vo vremya remonta my zamenili staruyu lestnitsu na novuyu.)

  During the renovation, we replaced the old staircase with a new one.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Ступень" and "Лестница" are feminine nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard feminine declension patterns. "Ступень" is less commonly used in everyday speech and has regular inflections, while "Лестница" is more frequent and also regular.

Plural forms follow standard patterns: e.g., Ступени (nominative plural for Ступень), Лестницы (nominative plural for Лестница). These nouns do not have irregular inflections, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Ступенька (diminutive of Ступень, often used for a smaller or more affectionate reference to a step)
  • Марш (for a flight of stairs, implying a section of a larger staircase)
• Antonyms:
  • Лифт (elevator, as an alternative to stairs)

Related Phrases:

• Подняться по лестнице (Podnit'sya po lestnitse) - To go up the stairs; used for directions or physical movement.
• Спускаться по ступеням (Spuskat'sya po stupenyam) - To descend the steps; implies caution or gradual movement.
• Лестничный пролет (Lestnichennyy proyet) - Staircase flight; a common phrase in architectural contexts.

Usage Notes:

Use "Ступень" for precise references to individual steps, especially in formal or technical settings, as it directly corresponds to the English "stair" in singular form. "Лестница" is better for the overall structure, akin to "staircase" in English. Be mindful of context: in casual speech, Russians might prefer diminutives like "ступенька" for endearment. Grammatically, both nouns require agreement in gender, number, and case with adjectives and verbs.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "Ступень" with "Ступенька": Beginners often use the diminutive "Ступенька" in formal contexts where "Ступень" is more appropriate. Error: "Я увидел ступеньку в офисе" (incorrect for a professional setting). Correct: "Я увидел ступень в офисе." Explanation: "Ступенька" sounds informal or childlike.
• Misdeclining the noun: Forgetting case endings, e.g., saying "на ступень" instead of "на ступени" in genitive contexts. Error: "Книга на ступень" (wrong). Correct: "Книга на ступени." Explanation: Russian requires correct case for prepositional phrases.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, stairs and staircases often appear in literature and folklore as symbols of social mobility or challenges, such as in stories where characters must "climb the stairs" to success. For instance, in Soviet-era architecture, grand staircases in public buildings like metro stations reflect communal pride and historical grandeur.

Related Concepts:

• Этаж (floor of a building)
• Перила (railing or banister)
• Подъезд (entrance hall with stairs in an apartment building)