Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Thursday'

English Word: Thursday

Key Russian Translations:

• четверг [IPA: t͡ɕɪtʲˈvʲɛrk] - [Formal, Used for the standard day of the week]

Frequency: High (The days of the week are essential in everyday communication, appearing frequently in schedules, conversations, and media.)

Difficulty: A1 (Beginner level; basic vocabulary that is introduced early in language learning due to its fundamental role in daily life.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

четверг: [IPA: t͡ɕɪtʲˈvʲɛrk]

Note on четверг: The initial sound is a soft palatalized 'ch' (like in 'church' but softer), and the stress is on the second syllable. Be mindful of the 'r' sound, which is rolled in Russian. Variations may occur in dialects, but this is the standard Moscow pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The day of the week following Wednesday and preceding Friday.

Translation(s) & Context:

• четверг - Used in general contexts for referring to the fourth day of the week in the Gregorian calendar, applicable in formal, informal, and professional settings.

Usage Examples:

• Сегодня четверг, и у нас запланирована встреча. (Segodnya chetverg, i u nas zaplanirovana vstrecha.)

  Today is Thursday, and we have a meeting planned.

• В четверг я всегда хожу в спортзал. (V chetverg ya vsegda khozhu v sportzal.)

  On Thursdays, I always go to the gym.

• Следующий четверг будет праздничным. (Sledushchiy chetverg budet prazdnicheskim.)

  Next Thursday will be a holiday.

• В прошлом четверге погода была ужасной. (V proshlom chetverge pogoda byla uzhasnoy.)

  The weather was terrible last Thursday.

• Каждый четверг мы организуем онлайн-уроки. (Kazhdyy chetverg my organizuyem onlayn-uroki.)

  Every Thursday, we organize online lessons.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Четверг" is a masculine noun in Russian and follows the standard patterns of third-declension nouns. It is inflected based on grammatical case, number, and context. As a day of the week, it is often used in singular form but can vary with cases.

Note: This noun does not have a plural form in common usage for days of the week, as they are typically treated as singular concepts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: No direct synonyms, as "четверг" is the standard term. However, in poetic or archaic contexts, it might be referred to as "день Юпитера" (den' Yupitera - Day of Jupiter), though this is rare and formal.
• Antonyms:
  • понедельник (ponedel'nik - Monday)
  • вторник (vtornik - Tuesday)
  • среда (sreda - Wednesday)
  • пятница (pyatnitsa - Friday)
  • суббота (subbota - Saturday)
  • воскресенье (voskresen'ye - Sunday)

Related Phrases:

• В четверг вечером (V chetverg vecherom) - On Thursday evening; Used for scheduling events after work.
• По четвергам (Po chetvergam) - On Thursdays; Indicates a recurring weekly event.
• Следующий четверг (Sledushchiy chetverg) - Next Thursday; Common in planning future activities.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "четверг" directly corresponds to the English "Thursday" and is used universally without significant variations. It is neutral in tone and can be employed in both formal and informal contexts. When discussing schedules, always consider the Russian week starts on Monday, so "четверг" is the fourth day. For precise time references, pair it with prepositions like "в" (in) or "на" (on). If multiple translations exist (though rare here), choose based on context, but "четверг" is the default.

Common Errors:

• Error: Mispronouncing as "chetverk" without the soft 'ch' sound. Correct: Use the palatalized [t͡ɕ] as in [t͡ɕɪtʲˈvʲɛrk]. Explanation: English speakers often overlook Russian's soft consonants, leading to misunderstandings in spoken language.

• Error: Incorrect case usage, e.g., saying "Я иду в четверг" instead of "Я иду в четверг" (which is correct here, but errors occur in other cases like genitive). Correct: "В четверга" for genitive contexts. Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, so learners must adjust based on sentence structure.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, Thursdays do not hold specific religious or traditional significance like Fridays (associated with the Orthodox fasting period) or Sundays. However, in some regions, Thursdays might align with local customs, such as market days in rural areas. The word derives from Old Church Slavonic roots related to the number four, reflecting the week's structure.

Related Concepts:

• понедельник (Monday)
• вторник (Tuesday)
• среда (Wednesday)
• пятница (Friday)
• неделя (week)