Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'wish'

English Word: wish

Key Russian Translations:

• Желать (/ʐɨˈlatʲ/) - [Formal, Verb; Used to express desires or wishes in everyday or literary contexts]
• Желание (/ʐɨˈlanʲɪje/) - [Neutral, Noun; Used for general wishes or desires, often in singular or plural forms]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations, literature, and formal writing, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like "to be").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; The verb form requires understanding of conjugation, while the noun form is straightforward for learners at this level. For 'желать', it's B1 due to irregular aspects; for 'желание', it's A2).

Pronunciation (Russian):

Желать: /ʐɨˈlatʲ/ (The 'ж' is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'. Stress on the second syllable.)

Note on Желать: Be cautious with the soft 'тʲ' sound, which is palatalized; non-native speakers often confuse it with a hard 't'. In fast speech, it may soften further.

Желание: /ʐɨˈlanʲɪje/ (Stress on the second syllable; the ending 'ие' is pronounced lightly, like 'ee-yeh'.)

Note on Желание: This noun has a common diminutive form 'желаньице' in informal speech, pronounced /ʐɨˈlanʲɪt͡sə/.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: As a verb (to desire or wish for something)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Желать - Used in formal or emotional contexts, such as expressing hopes or long-term desires (e.g., in personal letters or speeches).
• Other variants like 'хотеть' (for more immediate wants) - Contextually less formal than 'желать' for deeper wishes.

Usage Examples:

• Я желаю тебе счастья в новом году. (Ya zhelayu tebe schast'ya v novom godu.)

  I wish you happiness in the new year. (This example shows 'желать' in a seasonal greeting, with the verb conjugated for first person singular.)

• Дети желают новых игрушек на Рождество. (Deti zhelayut novykh igrushek na Rozhdestvo.)

  Children wish for new toys at Christmas. (Here, 'желать' is used in plural subject form, highlighting desires in a festive context.)

• Она желает изменить свою жизнь. (Ona zhelayet izmenit' svoyu zhizn'.)

  She wishes to change her life. (Demonstrates 'желать' with an infinitive verb, in a personal development context.)

• Мы желаем мира во всем мире. (My zhelayem mira vo vsem mire.)

  We wish for peace throughout the world. (Plural first person, often used in formal or activist speeches.)

Meaning 2: As a noun (a desire or wish)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Желание - Common for abstract or concrete wishes, in both casual and formal settings (e.g., in psychology or daily life).
• Variants like 'желание сердца' for heartfelt wishes.

Usage Examples:

• Его желание путешествовать никогда не угасает. (Yego zhelaniye puteshestvovat' nikogda ne ugasaet.)

  His wish to travel never fades. (Illustrates 'желание' as a noun with a possessive pronoun, in a motivational context.)

• В канун Нового года люди делятся своими желаниями. (V kanun Novogo goda lyudi delayutsya svoyimi zhelaniyami.)

  On New Year's Eve, people share their wishes. (Shows plural form in a cultural holiday setting.)

• Это желание кажется неосуществимым. (Eto zhelaniye kazhletsya neosushchestvimym.)

  This wish seems unattainable. (Used with adjectives to describe intensity, in reflective contexts.)

• Ее тайное желание — это стать писателем. (Yeyo taynoye zhelaniye — eto stat' pisatelem.)

  Her secret wish is to become a writer. (Demonstrates 'желание' in a secretive or personal narrative.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'желать' (verb, imperfective aspect), it follows first conjugation patterns with some irregularities. It is conjugated based on person, number, tense, and aspect.

For 'желание' (noun, neuter, second declension), it inflects by case and number:

Note: These forms are regular, but pay attention to soft endings in certain cases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Хотеть (khotet' ) - More immediate desire, often interchangeable in informal contexts but less formal than 'желать'.
  • Стремиться (stremit'sya) - Implies striving or aspiring, with a connotation of effort.
• Antonyms:
  • Не желать (ne zhelat') - To not wish or desire.
  • Отвергать (otvergat') - To reject or deny a wish.

Related Phrases:

• С Новым годом! Желания сбудутся! (S Novym godom! Zhelaniya sbudutsya!) - Happy New Year! Wishes will come true! (A festive phrase for holiday greetings.)
• Исполнить желание (Ispolnit' zhelaniye) - To fulfill a wish (Common in fairy tales or personal aspirations, implying achievement.)
• Тайное желание (Taynoye zhelaniye) - Secret wish (Used in psychological or romantic contexts to denote hidden desires.)

Usage Notes:

'Желать' corresponds closely to the English 'wish' as a verb but is more formal and often implies a deeper, emotional desire rather than casual wanting. Use 'желание' for the noun form, which aligns with 'wish' in contexts like making wishes on birthdays. Be mindful of grammatical gender and case in Russian sentences; for example, 'желание' is neuter and requires appropriate adjective agreements. When choosing between translations, opt for 'желать' in literary or polite speech, and 'хотеть' for everyday wants to avoid sounding overly formal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'желать' interchangeably with 'хотеть' in casual contexts. For example, a learner might say "Я хочу поесть" as "Я желаю поесть," which sounds unnaturally formal. Correct: Stick to 'хотеть' for immediate needs like hunger.

  Explanation: 'Желать' implies long-term desires, so it can make simple statements seem exaggerated. Always consider the context's formality.

• Error: Incorrect inflection, e.g., saying "Желаниям" in nominative case instead of genitive. Correct: Use "Желание" for nominative singular.

  Explanation: Russian nouns require precise case endings; mixing them up can alter the sentence's meaning or make it grammatically incorrect.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, wishes (желания) play a significant role in traditions like New Year's or birthdays, where people express them aloud or write them down, believing they might come true. This reflects a broader Slavic heritage of folklore where desires are linked to fate, as seen in fairy tales by authors like Pushkin.

Related Concepts:

• Мечта (mechta) - Dream
• Стремление (stremeleniye) - Aspiration
• Надежда (nadezhda) - Hope