Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'tan'

English Word: tan

Key Russian Translations:

• коричневый /kɐˈrʲitɕnʲɪj/ - [Formal, Adjective]
• загар /zɐˈɡar/ - [Informal, Noun; Used in contexts related to skin color or tanning]
• загорать /zɐˈɡorətʲ/ - [Verb; Used for the action of getting a tan, e.g., sunbathing]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday language, especially in descriptions of colors or outdoor activities)

Difficulty: A2 for 'коричневый' (Beginner level, basic vocabulary); B1 for 'загар' and 'загорать' (Intermediate, involves contextual usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

коричневый: /kɐˈrʲitɕnʲɪj/ (Stress on the second syllable; the 'рʲ' is a palatalized 'r', which can be challenging for English speakers)

загар: /zɐˈɡar/ (The 'г' is a voiced velar fricative; note the emphasis on the second syllable)

Note on загар: This word has a soft 'г' sound; variations in regional accents may soften it further in southern Russian dialects.

загорать: /zɐˈɡorətʲ/ (The final 'тʲ' is palatalized; pay attention to the verb conjugation for proper pronunciation)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A light brown color (e.g., the color of tanned skin or leather)

Translation(s) & Context:

• коричневый - Used in formal and informal contexts for describing shades of brown, such as in fashion or art.
• загар - Applied in casual conversations about skin tone, often in summer or travel contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Его куртка коричневого цвета.

  His jacket is tan in color. (Shows basic adjective use in describing objects.)

• После отпуска у неё красивый загар.

  After the vacation, she has a beautiful tan. (Illustrates noun usage in personal descriptions.)

• Он предпочитает загорать на пляже по выходным.

  He prefers to tan at the beach on weekends. (Demonstrates verb usage in habitual activities.)

• Коричневый оттенок кожи делает его выглядеть здоровым.

  The tan shade of skin makes him look healthy. (Shows adjective in a descriptive sentence about appearance.)

Meaning 2: The process of tanning (e.g., as a verb for sun exposure or leather treatment)

Translation(s) & Context:

• загорать - Used in informal settings for sunbathing or getting a tan from the sun.

Usage Examples:

• Летом она любит загорать у моря.

  In summer, she likes to tan by the sea. (Verb in a seasonal context.)

• В мастерской они загорают кожу для обуви.

  In the workshop, they tan the leather for shoes. (Verb adapted to industrial context, though less common.)

• Не забывай загорать с кремом, чтобы избежать ожогов.

  Don't forget to tan with cream to avoid burns. (Emphasizes safety in verb usage.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Коричневый' is an adjective and follows standard Russian adjective declension patterns, which are regular but depend on gender, number, and case.

'Загар' is a masculine noun of the third declension and has regular inflections:

• Nominative: загар
• Genitive: загара
• Dative: загарy

'Загорать' is a verb of the first conjugation. Its infinitive is загорать, and it conjugates as follows in present tense:

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • коричневый: бурый (buroy) - Similar shade, but often used for darker browns; more common in literary contexts.
  • загар: загаренный (zagarennyy) - Emphasizes the tanned state, with a slight nuance of permanence.
  • загорать: загорать под солнцем (zagorat' pod solntsem) - More specific, implying sun exposure.
• Antonyms:
  • коричневый: белый (belyy) - White, opposite in color spectrum.
  • загар: бледность (blednost') - Paleness, contrasting with tanned skin.

Related Phrases:

• Коричневый загар - A tan shade; used in beauty or fashion contexts. (Refers to a specific type of skin tone.)
• Загорать на солнце - To tan in the sun; common in summer activities. (Emphasizes outdoor relaxation.)
• Получить загар - To get a tan; often implies intentional exposure. (Used for travel or health discussions.)

Usage Notes:

'Tan' as a color corresponds most directly to 'коричневый' in formal settings, but 'загар' is preferred for skin-related contexts to capture the nuanced, lived-in quality. Be cautious with verb forms like 'загорать', which is imperfective and implies ongoing action—use it for habitual activities rather than completed ones. In Russian, adjectives like 'коричневый' must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify, which differs from English. When choosing between translations, opt for 'загар' in informal, everyday speech and 'загорать' for action-oriented descriptions.

Common Errors:

• English learners often misuse 'коричневый' by not declining it properly, e.g., saying "коричневый дом" in genitive contexts instead of "коричневого дома". Correct: Always match the case, as in "в коричневом доме" (in the tan house).
• Confusing 'загорать' with 'загар': Learners might use the noun when a verb is needed, e.g., saying "Я загар" instead of "Я загораю". Error: "Я загар" (incorrect); Correct: "Я загораю" (I am tanning), as 'загар' is a noun, not a verb.
• Overgeneralizing inflections: Forgetting that 'загар' changes in cases, leading to phrases like "без загар" instead of "без загара". Explanation: Russian nouns require case agreement for grammatical accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'загар' (tan) is often associated with health, vacation, and outdoor activities, especially in summer. Historically, a tan was a sign of rural labor in the past, but today it's viewed positively as a symbol of leisure and vitality, influenced by Western beauty standards. This contrasts with some cultures where pale skin is preferred, highlighting Russia's emphasis on nature and seasonal changes.

Related Concepts:

• солнечный (sunny)
• пляж (beach)
• кожа (skin)
• отпуск (vacation)