Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'arrears'

English Word: arrears

Key Russian Translations:

• задолженность [zədɐˈʐɛnnəsʲtʲ] - [Formal, Singular]
• долги [dɐlˈɡʲi] - [Informal, Plural]

Frequency: Medium (often used in financial and legal contexts)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

задолженность: [zədɐˈʐɛnnəsʲtʲ]

Note on задолженность: Stress falls on the third syllable. The "zh" sound ([ʐ]) is a retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

долги: [dɐlˈɡʲi]

Note on долги: Stress on the second syllable. The soft "g" sound ([ɡʲ]) requires palatalization.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Money owed that should have been paid earlier

Translation(s) & Context:

• задолженность - Used in formal contexts, such as legal or financial documents.
• долги - More colloquial, often used in everyday speech to refer to personal debts.

Usage Examples:

• У компании большая задолженность по налогам.

  The company has a large tax arrears.

• Он накопил долги за коммунальные услуги.

  He accumulated arrears for utility bills.

• Задолженность по кредиту должна быть погашена до конца года.

  The loan arrears must be paid off by the end of the year.

• Её долги растут с каждым месяцем.

  Her arrears are increasing every month.

• Мы обсудили задолженность на собрании.

  We discussed the arrears at the meeting.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

задолженность (noun, feminine):

Case	Singular
Nominative	задолженность
Genitive	задолженности
Dative	задолженности
Accusative	задолженность
Instrumental	задолженностью
Prepositional	задолженности

Note: This noun is typically used in the singular form as it often refers to an abstract concept of debt.

долги (noun, masculine, plural):

Case	Plural
Nominative	долги
Genitive	долгов
Dative	долгам
Accusative	долги
Instrumental	долгами
Prepositional	долгах

Note: "Долги" is the plural form of "долг" (debt). It is commonly used in this form to refer to multiple debts or arrears.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for задолженность/долги:

• обязательства (obligations, more formal)
• неуплата (non-payment, specific to unpaid amounts)

Note: "обязательства" often implies broader financial responsibilities, while "неуплата" focuses on failure to pay.

Antonyms for задолженность/долги:

• оплата (payment)
• погашение (repayment)

Related Phrases:

• задолженность по зарплате - Arrears in salary (unpaid wages).
• погасить долги - To pay off debts/arrears.
• накопить долги - To accumulate arrears.

Usage Notes:

• "задолженность" is the preferred term in formal, written, or legal contexts, especially when discussing institutional or corporate debts.
• "долги" is more conversational and often used for personal or informal debts. It may carry a slightly negative connotation, implying financial struggle.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations, as "долги" might sound too casual in a business setting.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "долги" in formal documents.

Incorrect: У нас есть долги по налогам. (Informal in a formal context)

Correct: У нас есть задолженность по налогам.

Explanation: "долги" is too colloquial for official or legal discussions. Use "задолженность" instead.

Error 2: Incorrect case usage with "задолженность".

Incorrect: Я оплатил задолженностью. (Wrong case)

Correct: Я оплатил задолженность.

Explanation: After "оплатил" (paid), the noun should be in the accusative case, not instrumental.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, discussing personal "долги" (debts or arrears) can be sensitive, as it may imply financial irresponsibility or hardship. It is often considered polite to avoid direct references to someone's personal debts unless they bring it up themselves. In contrast, "задолженность" is a more neutral term used in professional settings without personal connotations.

Related Concepts:

• кредит (credit)
• заём (loan)
• банкротство (bankruptcy)