Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'tonight'

English Word: tonight

Key Russian Translations:

• сегодня вечером [sʲɪˈdʲo.nʲə vʲɪˈt͡ɕɛ.rəm] - [Informal, Everyday usage]
• этим вечером [ˈɛ.tʲim vʲɪˈt͡ɕɛ.rəm] - [Formal, When emphasizing the current evening in more precise contexts]

Frequency: High (This phrase is commonly used in daily conversations, media, and literature in Russian-speaking contexts.)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner; straightforward for English learners due to its direct correspondence, but requires basic understanding of Russian prepositions and time expressions.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сегодня вечером: [sʲɪˈdʲo.nʲə vʲɪˈt͡ɕɛ.rəm]

этим вечером: [ˈɛ.tʲim vʲɪˈt͡ɕɛ.rəm]

Note on сегодня вечером: The stress falls on the second syllable of "сегодня" [sʲɪˈdʲo.nʲə], and "вечером" has a soft 'ch' sound [t͡ɕ]. Be mindful of the palatalization, which is common in Russian and may challenge English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The evening of the current day

Translation(s) & Context:

• сегодня вечером - Used in casual, everyday situations to refer to the evening of the present day, often in informal speech or writing.
• этим вечером - Applied in more formal contexts, such as invitations or announcements, to specify the evening precisely.

Usage Examples:

• Мы встречаемся сегодня вечером в кафе. (My s vstrechaemsya segodnya vecherom v kafe.)

  We are meeting tonight at the cafe. (This shows the phrase in a social planning context.)

• Фильм начинается сегодня вечером в 8 часов. (Film nachinaetsya segodnya vecherom v 8 chasov.)

  The movie starts tonight at 8 o'clock. (Illustrates use in scheduling events.)

• Я останусь дома сегодня вечером из-за дождя. (Ya ostanus' doma segodnya vecherom iz-za dozhdya.)

  I'll stay home tonight because of the rain. (Demonstrates the phrase in a decision-making scenario.)

• Встречаемся сегодня вечером, чтобы обсудить проект. (Vstrechaemsya segodnya vecherom, chtoby obsudit' proyekt.)

  Let's meet tonight to discuss the project. (Shows application in professional or informal work settings.)

• Этим вечером я приготовлю ужин для семьи. (Etim vecherom ya prigotovlyu uzhin dlya sem'i.)

  Tonight, I'll cook dinner for the family. (Highlights the formal variant in a domestic context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"сегодня вечером" is a phrase rather than a single word, consisting of the adverb "сегодня" (which does not inflect) and the noun "вечер" in the instrumental case. "Вечер" is a masculine noun that follows standard second-declension patterns. Below is a table for the inflections of "вечер" to show how it changes:

For "этим вечером", "вечером" inflects as above, while "этим" is the instrumental form of the pronoun "этот" and does not change further in this context. The phrase as a whole is invariant in most uses, but "вечер" can be inflected based on sentence requirements.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • в этот вечер (v etot vecher) - Similar to "этим вечером", with a slight nuance for immediacy.
  • нынешним вечером (nyнешnim vecherom) - More formal, emphasizing the current day.
• Antonyms:
  • утром (utrom) - Meaning "in the morning", contrasting with evening time.
  • днём (dnjom) - Meaning "during the day", as an opposite to evening.

Related Phrases:

• сегодняшним вечером (segodnyashnim vecherom) - Meaning "this evening" in a more emphatic way; used for special occasions.
• вечером сегодня (vecherom segodnya) - A reordered variant; implies the same as "tonight" in casual speech.
• под вечер (pod vecher) - Meaning "towards evening"; often used in narratives to indicate the late afternoon transition.

Usage Notes:

Russian translations for "tonight" like "сегодня вечером" directly correspond to the English concept but are more flexible with word order. Use "сегодня вечером" in informal settings, such as daily conversations, while "этим вечером" suits formal invitations. Be aware of Russian's case system; "вечером" is in the instrumental case when indicating time. English learners should note that Russian often omits articles, so don't translate "the" unnecessarily. When choosing between translations, opt for "сегодня вечером" for simplicity unless formality is required.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "сегодня вечер" without the instrumental case, e.g., saying "Мы встречаемся сегодня вечер" instead of "сегодня вечером". Correct: "Мы встречаемся сегодня вечером". Explanation: In Russian, time expressions like this require the instrumental case for "вечер", so always use "вечером" for accuracy.

• Error: Confusing with future evenings, e.g., using "сегодня вечером" for tomorrow's evening. Correct: Use "завтра вечером" for tomorrow. Explanation: "Сегодня" strictly means "today", so it must align with the present day to avoid temporal confusion.

• Error: Over-literal translation, e.g., saying "вечер сегодня" which sounds awkward. Correct: Stick to "сегодня вечером" for natural flow. Explanation: Russian prefers certain word orders for idiomatic expression, unlike English's flexibility.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, evenings ("вечер") often symbolize family time, relaxation, or social gatherings, influenced by traditions like the "chai s blinyami" (tea with pancakes) in the evening. This reflects a broader emphasis on communal activities after work, contrasting with more individualistic Western norms, which can add warmth and hospitality to phrases like "сегодня вечером".

Related Concepts:

• завтра (zavtra) - Tomorrow
• вчера вечером (vchera vecherom) - Last night
• ночью (nochyu) - At night