Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'abyss'

English Word: abyss

Key Russian Translations:

• бездна [ˈbʲezdnə] - [Formal, Often Metaphorical]
• пропасть [ˈpropəsʲtʲ] - [Neutral, Literal or Figurative]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

бездна: [ˈbʲezdnə]

Note on бездна: Stress falls on the first syllable. The 'з' is pronounced with a soft buzzing sound due to the following soft vowel 'е'.

пропасть: [ˈpropəsʲtʲ]

Note on пропасть: Stress on the first syllable. The final 'ть' indicates a soft 't' sound, common in Russian infinitives and nouns.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Literal Deep Hole or Chasm

Translation(s) & Context:

• пропасть - Often used for a physical chasm or deep hole, such as in nature or geography.

Usage Examples:

• Перед нами открылась огромная пропасть.

  A huge chasm opened up before us.

• Он чуть не упал в пропасть, гуляя по горам.

  He almost fell into an abyss while hiking in the mountains.

• Пропасть была так глубока, что дна не было видно.

  The abyss was so deep that the bottom couldn’t be seen.

2. Metaphorical Depth (Despair, Mystery, or Vastness)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бездна - Commonly used in a figurative sense to describe profound depth, despair, or mystery.
• пропасть - Can also be used metaphorically, often for a divide or irreparable gap (e.g., between people).

Usage Examples:

• Его душа была бездной отчаяния.

  His soul was an abyss of despair.

• Между нами выросла пропасть после ссоры.

  An abyss grew between us after the argument.

• Бездна знаний, которую он накопил, поражала всех.

  The abyss of knowledge he had accumulated amazed everyone.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

бездна (feminine noun):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	бездна	бездны
Genitive	бездны	бездн
Dative	бездне	безднам
Accusative	бездну	бездны
Instrumental	бездной	безднами
Prepositional	о бездне	о безднах

пропасть (feminine noun):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	пропасть	пропасти
Genitive	пропасти	пропастей
Dative	пропасти	пропастям
Accusative	пропасть	пропасти
Instrumental	пропастью	пропастями
Prepositional	о пропасти	о пропастях

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for бездна:

• глубина (depth)
• пучіна (abyss, poetic)

Note: 'глубина' is more neutral and often literal, while 'пучіна' is rare and highly poetic.

Synonyms for пропасть:

• обрыв (cliff, precipice)
• ущелье (gorge)

Antonyms:

• вершина (peak, summit)
• высота (height)

Related Phrases:

• бездна отчаяния - Abyss of despair (used to describe deep emotional suffering).
• пропасть без вести - To disappear without a trace (literal or figurative loss).
• бездна возможностей - Abyss of opportunities (a vast array of possibilities).

Usage Notes:

• While both 'бездна' and 'пропасть' can translate to 'abyss,' 'бездна' is more often used in abstract or metaphorical contexts (e.g., emotions, knowledge), whereas 'пропасть' is frequently used for physical chasms or gaps.
• 'пропасть' can also function as a verb meaning 'to disappear' or 'to be lost,' which might confuse learners if not contextualized properly.
• Use 'бездна' in formal or literary contexts, especially when emphasizing depth or mystery.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'бездна' for a physical chasm in casual speech. Incorrect: "Я видел бездну в горах." Correct: "Я видел пропасть в горах." (I saw an abyss in the mountains.) Explanation: 'бездна' is rarely used for literal chasms in everyday language.
• Error: Confusing 'пропасть' (noun) with 'пропасть' (verb). Incorrect: Interpreting "Он пропасть" as "He is an abyss." Correct: It means "He disappeared." Explanation: Pay attention to context and grammatical structure.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian literature and philosophy, 'бездна' often carries a profound existential or spiritual connotation, famously used by thinkers like Nietzsche (in translation) in the phrase "Если долго смотреть в бездну, бездна начинает смотреть на тебя" ("If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you"). Understanding this cultural weight can enrich the use of the word in metaphorical contexts.

Related Concepts:

• глубина (depth)
• тьма (darkness)
• отчаяние (despair)