Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'trillion'

English Word: trillion

Key Russian Translations:

• Триллион [trʲɪˈlʲijən] - [Formal, used for large numbers in scientific, financial, or everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium - Commonly used in contexts involving large-scale economics, science, and news, but not as frequent in casual conversation.

Difficulty: A2 (Elementary) - Basic for learners familiar with numbers, though understanding large-scale usage may require intermediate context.

Pronunciation (Russian):

Триллион: [trʲɪˈlʲijən]

Note on Триллион: The stress falls on the third syllable ('li'). The 'р' is rolled, and the 'й' sound is a soft palatal approximant, which can be challenging for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may slightly alter vowel length.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: A number equal to 1,000,000,000,000 (in the short scale system used in English)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Триллион - Used in formal and technical contexts for expressing extremely large quantities, such as in economics or astronomy. Common in written and spoken Russian for precise measurements.

Usage Examples:

• В мире существует триллион звёзд в нашей галактике. (In the universe, there are a trillion stars in our galaxy.)

  This example shows the word in a scientific context, describing vast astronomical quantities.

• Государственный долг страны превысил триллион долларов. (The country's national debt has exceeded a trillion dollars.)

  Here, it's used in a financial context to discuss economic scales, highlighting its role in news and policy discussions.

• Учёные прогнозируют, что через сто лет население Земли достигнет триллиона. (Scientists predict that in a hundred years, the Earth's population will reach a trillion.)

  This demonstrates future projections in demographic or environmental discussions, emphasizing hypothetical scenarios.

• Триллион баксов — это сумма, которую невозможно представить. (A trillion bucks is an amount that's impossible to imagine.)

  In informal or exaggerated speech, it conveys scale in everyday conversations, though less common.

• В компьютерных симуляциях моделируется триллион частиц для точных расчётов. (In computer simulations, a trillion particles are modeled for accurate calculations.)

  This illustrates its use in technology and computing, showing application in modern scientific tools.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Триллион is a masculine noun in Russian and follows the standard patterns of third-declension nouns. It has inflections based on case and number, which is typical for Russian numerals when used as nouns.

Note: As a numeral, it can be used in compound forms, but it remains invariant in many adjectival or quantitative phrases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: Миллиард миллиардов (billion billions) - Less common, used for emphasis in informal contexts; it essentially means the same but is more descriptive.
• Antonyms: None directly applicable, as it's a specific number. However, smaller units like Миллион (million) could be contrasted for scale.

Related Phrases:

• Триллион долларов - A trillion dollars; used in economic discussions to denote massive financial sums.
• Триллион световых лет - A trillion light-years; common in astrophysics for describing cosmic distances.
• Триллион раз - A trillion times; indicates repetition in scientific or hyperbolic contexts, e.g., for emphasizing improbability.

Usage Notes:

Be aware that the English 'trillion' corresponds directly to the Russian 'триллион' in the short scale system (1,000,000,000,000), which is standard in modern Russian. However, in some historical or formal contexts, Russian might use older systems, so confirm the scale. It's typically formal and neutral, avoiding slang equivalents. When choosing translations, stick with 'триллион' for precision in scientific or financial writing. Grammatically, it functions as a noun and must agree in case with surrounding elements, e.g., in prepositional phrases.

Common Errors:

• Confusing with 'billion': English learners might mistakenly use 'миллиард' (billion) for 'trillion'. Correct: Use 'триллион' for 1,000,000,000,000. Error example: "Я имею миллиард долларов" (meaning a trillion) vs. Correct: "Я имею триллион долларов". This stems from differences in historical numbering systems.
• Improper inflection: Forgetting case changes, e.g., saying "в триллион" instead of "в триллионе" in prepositional contexts. Error: "Я думаю о триллион" vs. Correct: "Я думаю о триллионе" (I think about a trillion).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, large numbers like 'триллион' are often used in media and literature to evoke the vastness of the universe or the scale of national achievements, such as in discussions of Russia's space program or economic policies. Historically, Russian numbering aligned more with the long scale (where 'billion' meant a trillion), but modern usage has standardized to the short scale due to global influences, reflecting Russia's integration into international finance and science.

Related Concepts:

• Миллиард (billion)
• Миллион (million)
• Квадриллион (quadrillion)