Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'accident'

English Word: accident

Key Russian Translations:

• несчастный случай [nʲɪsˈtʃasːnɨj ˈslutʃaj] - [Formal, Often used for personal injuries or mishaps]
• авария [ɐˈvarʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Commonly used for vehicular or technical accidents]
• происшествие [prɐɪsˈʃɛstvʲɪjə] - [Formal, Broad term for any incident or event]

Frequency: High (All translations are commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate, depending on context and grammatical usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

несчастный случай: [nʲɪsˈtʃasːnɨj ˈslutʃaj]

Note on несчастный случай: Stress falls on the second syllable of "несчастный" and the first syllable of "случай".

авария: [ɐˈvarʲɪjə]

Note on авария: Stress on the second syllable; the 'р' sound is rolled.

происшествие: [prɐɪsˈʃɛstvʲɪjə]

Note on происшествие: Stress on the third syllable; ensure clear pronunciation of the soft 'щ' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Unintentional Mishap or Injury (Personal Accident)

Translation(s) & Context:

• несчастный случай - Used for personal injuries or unintended mishaps, often in formal or serious contexts.

Usage Examples:

• На стройке произошёл несчастный случай.

  An accident happened at the construction site.

• Он пострадал в несчастном случае на работе.

  He was injured in a workplace accident.

• Это был просто несчастный случай, никто не виноват.

  It was just an accident; no one is to blame.

2. Vehicular or Technical Mishap (Crash or Failure)

Translation(s) & Context:

• авария - Refers to car crashes, power outages, or technical failures.

Usage Examples:

• На дороге произошла серьёзная авария.

  A serious accident occurred on the road.

• Из-за аварии на электростанции нет света.

  There’s no electricity due to an accident at the power plant.

• Водитель скрылся с места аварии.

  The driver fled the scene of the accident.

3. General Incident or Event (Broader Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• происшествие - A neutral or formal term for any event or incident, not necessarily negative.

Usage Examples:

• Полиция расследует вчерашнее происшествие.

  The police are investigating yesterday’s incident.

• Это происшествие изменило его жизнь.

  This incident changed his life.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

несчастный случай (Masculine Noun Phrase):

Case	Singular
Nominative	несчастный случай
Genitive	несчастного случая
Dative	несчастному случаю
Accusative	несчастный случай
Instrumental	несчастным случаем
Prepositional	о несчастном случае

авария (Feminine Noun):

Case	Singular
Nominative	авария
Genitive	аварии
Dative	аварии
Accusative	аварию
Instrumental	аварией
Prepositional	об аварии

происшествие (Neuter Noun):

Case	Singular
Nominative	происшествие
Genitive	происшествия
Dative	происшествию
Accusative	происшествие
Instrumental	происшествием
Prepositional	о происшествии

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for несчастный случай:

• трагедия (tragedy, more emotional)
• беда (misfortune, broader term)

Synonyms for авария:

• катастрофа (catastrophe, more severe)
• поломка (breakdown, for technical issues)

Antonyms: None directly applicable as "accident" inherently implies an unintended event.

Related Phrases:

• попасть в аварию - to get into an accident (vehicular context)
• избежать несчастного случая - to avoid an accident (personal mishap)
• место происшествия - scene of the incident (formal, legal context)

Usage Notes:

• Choosing the Right Translation: Use "несчастный случай" for personal or workplace accidents, "авария" for crashes or technical failures, and "происшествие" for general or formal incidents.
• Register: "происшествие" is more formal and often used in official reports or news, while "авария" is neutral and widely understood.
• Grammar: Pay attention to case usage, especially with "несчастный случай", as both words in the phrase decline.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "авария" for personal injuries. Incorrect: "У него была авария на работе" (He had an accident at work). Correct: "У него был несчастный случай на работе". Explanation: "авария" is typically reserved for vehicular or technical mishaps.
• Error: Misusing cases with "несчастный случай". Incorrect: "Я слышал о несчастный случай". Correct: "Я слышал о несчастном случае". Explanation: The prepositional case requires "несчастном случае".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, discussing accidents, especially "несчастный случай", often carries a tone of sympathy or concern. When reporting an "авария" (e.g., car accident), it is common to focus on factual details in formal or news contexts. Additionally, "происшествие" might be used in bureaucratic or legal language, reflecting a neutral tone.

Related Concepts:

• катастрофа (catastrophe)
• трагедия (tragedy)
• инцидент (incident)