Thread: Центр? Center or downtown?

My Russian to English dictionary says it's center. But while browsing through a site it said it was downtown? Or does it mean both.

Russian has no word for "downtown" (Russian cities have no donwtown is the western sense). So just "центр" ("центр города") is used.

So центр is center but if it were центр города then it means something like downtown but not? Correct?

I think the города is implied, so really you understand because it's implied. What does "downtown" really mean anyway? Is there a certain part of the town that's lower than the rest? Or is it the older, original part of the town, perhaps the "center" if the city grows outwards from it?

Downtown is where all the businesses are. Uptown is where all the rich people and classy restaurants and shit are.

Originally Posted by Leon S. Kenedy

So центр is center but if it were центр города then it means something like downtown but not? Correct?

Originally Posted by mike

Downtown is where all the businesses are. Uptown is where all the rich people and classy restaurants and @@@@ are.

Leon, russian cities have no business part of a city and they almost have no uptowns. It is better becouse, for example, a crime level is almost the same in all districts. When you talk about russian city the word "центр" means only geographical center of a city.

But this geographical center contains the biggest amount of shops. When a Russian says "Поехали в центр" it probably means that he wants to buy something (usually cloth).

I have never heard the term "downtown" used anywhere outside North America (hell, I'd always wondered what it actualy meant until I read this thread), so it's possible that its a term specific to cities from that continent, and if so it's not surprising there is no direct translation.

When you're alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go - downtown.
When you've got worries all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help
I know - downtown.
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
you can forget all your troubles
Forget all your cares
so go - downtown
Things will be great when you're - downtown
No finer place for sure - downtown
Everything's waiting for you - downtown.

Don't hang around and let your problems surround you
There are movie shows - downtown.
Maybe you know some little places to go to where they never close -
downtown.
Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova
You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over happy again.
The lights are much brighter there
you can forget all your troubles
Forget all your cares
so go - downtown
Where all the lights are bright - downtown
waiting for you tonight - downtown
you're gonna be alright now
downtown
downtown
downtown

And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you
Someone who is just like you
and needs a gentle hand to guide them along.
So maybe I'll see you there
we can forget all our troubles
Forget all our cares
so go - downtown
Things will be great when you're - downtown
don't wait a minute more - downtown
Everything is waiting for you -
downtown
downtown
downtown
downtown.

Written by Brit, Tony Hatch and a Grammy winner for British singer Petula Clark in the 1960's.

Remember her later song, I Know A Place, that was basically just a ripoff of Downtown? Man, that was just sad .

Wasn't it also written by Tony Hatch? I think all of his songs sounded the same.

Probably. Don't Sleep in the Subway wasn't so bad.