Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'telling'

English Word: telling

Key Russian Translations:

• рассказывать [rɐˈskazɨvətʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Used in everyday storytelling or narratives]
• сказать [skɐˈzatʲ] - [Verb, Formal or Informal, Used for a single instance of telling, e.g., in direct speech]
• выразительный [vɨrɐˈzʲitʲilʲnɨj] - [Adjective, Formal, Used to describe something revealing or meaningful]

Frequency: Medium - The word 'telling' and its translations are commonly encountered in literature, conversation, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like 'to be'.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for 'рассказывать' and 'сказать'; A2 (Beginner) for basic contexts, but B2 for 'выразительный' due to its nuanced adjective forms.

Pronunciation (Russian):

рассказывать: [rɐˈskazɨvətʲ]

Note on рассказывать: The stress falls on the third syllable; be cautious with the soft 'тʲ' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers. Variations may occur in fast speech.

сказать: [skɐˈzatʲ]

Note on сказать: This is a perfective verb; pronunciation can vary slightly in dialects, with emphasis on the final 'тʲ'.

выразительный: [vɨrɐˈzʲitʲilʲnɨj]

Note on выразительный: The 'ы' sound is central and unrounded; it's often mispronounced by learners as a long 'i'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: As a verb, meaning to narrate or recount (e.g., telling a story)

Translation(s) & Context:

• рассказывать - Used in ongoing or imperfective contexts, such as casual conversations or extended narratives.
• сказать - Used for a completed action, like giving information quickly in formal or informal settings.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда рассказывает интересные истории на вечеринках.

  He always tells interesting stories at parties. (Shows 'рассказывать' in a social, informal context.)

• Она сказала правду, чтобы разрешить конфликт.

  She told the truth to resolve the conflict. (Illustrates 'сказать' in a decisive, formal situation.)

• Дети любят, когда родители рассказывают сказки перед сном.

  Children love it when parents tell fairy tales before bed. (Demonstrates 'рассказывать' in a familial, routine setting.)

• Он сказал, что приедет завтра, но не уточнил время.

  He told me he would arrive tomorrow, but didn't specify the time. (Highlights 'сказать' in everyday communication.)

• В этой книге автор рассказывает о своей жизни в детстве.

  In this book, the author tells about his childhood life. (Shows 'рассказывать' in a literary context.)

Meaning 2: As an adjective, meaning revealing or significant (e.g., a telling glance)

Translation(s) & Context:

• выразительный - Used to describe something that conveys deeper meaning, often in artistic or emotional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Его выразительный взгляд сказал больше, чем слова.

  His telling glance said more than words. (Emphasizes 'выразительный' in non-verbal communication.)

• Выразительная речь политика убедила аудиторию.

  The politician's telling speech convinced the audience. (Illustrates in a formal, persuasive setting.)

• В фильме выразительные сцены передают эмоции героев.

  In the film, the telling scenes convey the characters' emotions. (Shows in a cinematic context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'рассказывать' (imperfective verb), it follows standard first-conjugation patterns with variations by tense, aspect, and person. It is irregular in some forms due to its stem changes.

For 'сказать' (perfective verb), it is mostly used in past tense and does not conjugate in present; its infinitive form is unchanging.

For 'выразительный' (adjective), it declines by gender, number, and case, e.g., выра́зительный (masc.), выра́зительная (fem.), выра́зительное (neut.), выра́зительные (plur.). It follows standard hard-stem adjective patterns with no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • рассказывать: повествовать (povestvovat') - More formal, used in literary contexts.
  • сказать: сообщить (soobshchit') - Implies conveying information officially.
  • выразительный: красноречивый (krasnorechivyj) - Emphasizes eloquence; differs by focusing on verbal expressiveness.
• Antonyms:
  • рассказывать: умалчивать (umalchivat') - To keep silent or withhold information.
  • сказать: промолчать (promolchat') - To remain quiet after intending to speak.
  • выразительный: невыразительный (nevyrazitel'nyj) - Lacking expression or significance.

Related Phrases:

• Рассказать историю - To tell a story; used in narrative contexts to share personal anecdotes.
• Сказать правду - To tell the truth; a common phrase in ethical or conflictual situations.
• Выразительный жест - A telling gesture; refers to body language that conveys emotion without words.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'рассказывать' is imperfective and implies an ongoing action, making it a closer match to the continuous form of 'telling' in English (e.g., 'I am telling'). Choose 'сказать' for completed actions to align with perfective aspects. 'Выразительный' is best for adjective uses and carries a connotation of depth, often in artistic settings. Be mindful of context: formal scenarios may prefer 'сказать', while informal chats suit 'рассказывать'. Grammar note: Verbs like these require agreement with subject gender and number in past tense.

Common Errors:

• Confusing imperfective and perfective forms: Learners often use 'рассказывать' when 'сказать' is needed, e.g., incorrectly saying "Я рассказываю тебе сейчас" instead of "Я скажу тебе сейчас" for "I will tell you now." Correct usage: Use perfective for completed actions.
• Mispronouncing inflections: English speakers might say [ræs-kə-ziv-ət] for 'рассказывать' instead of [rɐˈskazɨvətʲ], leading to misunderstandings. Practice with native audio to master the soft consonants.
• Overusing in formal contexts: Saying 'рассказывать' in official reports when 'сообщить' is more appropriate, e.g., "Я рассказываю отчет" vs. correct "Я сообщаю отчет."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'рассказывать' is deeply tied to oral traditions like folktales (e.g., Russian fairy tales by authors like Pushkin), emphasizing storytelling as a way to preserve history and morals. 'Выразительный' often appears in discussions of art and literature, reflecting the value placed on emotional depth in Russian expressive arts.

Related Concepts:

• повествование (povestvovanie) - Narration
• эмоциональность (emotsional'nost') - Emotionality
• рассказ (rasskaz) - Short story