Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Agency'

English Word: agency

Key Russian Translations:

• агентство [aɡʲɪntˈstvo] - [Neutral, Commonly Used for Organizations]
• посредничество [pəsrʲɪdˈnʲitɕɪstvə] - [Formal, Often Used for Mediation or Intermediary Roles]

Frequency: Medium

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

Pronunciation (Russian):

агентство: [aɡʲɪntˈstvo]

Note on агентство: The stress falls on the second syllable. The 'г' is pronounced as a voiced fricative [ɡʲ].

посредничество: [pəsrʲɪdˈnʲitɕɪstvə]

Note on посредничество: The stress is on the third syllable. The 'щ' sound is a soft [ɕ], which might be challenging for non-native speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Organization Providing Services (e.g., Travel Agency, News Agency)

Translation(s) & Context:

• агентство - Primarily used for formal or business contexts, referring to organizations like travel agencies or advertising firms.

Usage Examples:

• Туристическое агентство организует поездки за границу.

  The travel agency organizes trips abroad.

• Новостное агентство сообщило о последних событиях.

  The news agency reported on the latest events.

• Рекламное агентство разработало новую кампанию.

  The advertising agency developed a new campaign.

2. Mediation or Intermediary Role (e.g., Acting on Behalf of Someone)

Translation(s) & Context:

• посредничество - Used in formal or legal contexts to describe the act of mediation or agency in negotiations.

Usage Examples:

• Его посредничество помогло заключить сделку.

  His agency (mediation) helped close the deal.

• Мы воспользовались посредничеством юриста.

  We used the agency (mediation) of a lawyer.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

агентство (Noun, Neuter): Follows the regular declension for neuter nouns ending in -о.

посредничество (Noun, Neuter): Follows a similar neuter declension pattern with no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for агентство:

• бюро
• фирма

Note: "бюро" is often used for smaller or specialized agencies, while "фирма" is more general and can refer to any company.

Synonyms for посредничество:

• переговоры
• содействие

Antonyms: No direct antonyms, as the concept of "agency" does not have a clear opposite in Russian.

Related Phrases:

• туристическое агентство - Travel agency
• новостное агентство - News agency
• посредничество в переговорах - Mediation in negotiations

Usage Notes:

• "агентство" is the most common translation when referring to an organization or company providing specific services. It is neutral in tone and widely understood.
• "посредничество" is more abstract and formal, often used in legal, diplomatic, or business contexts to describe the act of mediation or representation.
• Be cautious not to confuse "агентство" with "агент" (agent), which refers to an individual rather than an organization.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "агент" instead of "агентство" to refer to an organization.
  Incorrect: Туристический агент организует поездки.
  Correct: Туристическое агентство организует поездки.
  Explanation: "агент" refers to a person (an agent), while "агентство" refers to the organization.
• Error: Overusing "посредничество" in casual contexts.
  Incorrect: Я обратился к посредничеству для покупки билетов.
  Correct: Я обратился в агентство для покупки билетов.
  Explanation: "посредничество" is too formal for everyday situations like buying tickets; "агентство" is more appropriate.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of "agency" as an organization (агентство) is often associated with bureaucracy or formal services, especially in contexts like travel or real estate. Historically, during the Soviet era, state-controlled agencies played a significant role, which may influence the perception of the term among older generations.

Related Concepts:

• компания (company)
• организация (organization)
• служба (service)