Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Arson'

English Word: Arson

Key Russian Translations:

• поджог [pɐdˈʐok] - [Formal, Common]
• умышленный поджог [ʊˈmɨʂlʲɪnnɨj pɐdˈʐok] - [Formal, Legal Context]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "поджог"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "умышленный поджог"

Pronunciation (Russian):

поджог: [pɐdˈʐok]

Note on поджог: The stress falls on the second syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

умышленный поджог: [ʊˈmɨʂlʲɪnnɨj pɐdˈʐok]

Note on умышленный поджог: Stress is on the first syllable of "умышленный" and the second syllable of "поджог". Pay attention to the soft "лʲ" sound in "умышленный".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Deliberate Act of Setting Fire to Property

Translation(s) & Context:

• поджог - General term for arson, used in everyday and formal contexts.
• умышленный поджог - Specifically emphasizes the intentional nature of the act, often used in legal or official contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Поджог дома был совершён ночью.

  The arson of the house was committed at night.

• Полиция расследует случай поджога на складе.

  The police are investigating a case of arson at the warehouse.

• Умышленный поджог считается тяжким преступлением.

  Deliberate arson is considered a serious crime.

• Его обвинили в умышленном поджоге соседнего здания.

  He was accused of deliberate arson of the neighboring building.

• Поджог леса привёл к экологической катастрофе.

  The arson of the forest led to an environmental disaster.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

поджог (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate):

умышленный поджог: The adjective "умышленный" (deliberate) agrees with "поджог" in case, number, and gender. It follows standard adjective declension rules for masculine nouns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for поджог:

• возгорание (less intentional connotation)
• огонь (general term for fire, context-dependent)

Note: "возгорание" often implies accidental ignition, while "поджог" is explicitly intentional.

Antonyms:

• тушение (extinguishing)

Related Phrases:

• совершить поджог - To commit arson.
• обвинить в поджоге - To accuse of arson.
• расследование поджога - Investigation of arson.

Usage Notes:

• "поджог" is the most common and general term for arson in Russian and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
• "умышленный поджог" is more specific and often appears in legal or official discussions to emphasize intent. Use this phrase when intent needs to be explicitly stated.
• Unlike English, where "arson" is strictly a legal term, "поджог" can be used more broadly to describe any intentional fire-setting act.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "возгорание" instead of "поджог" to describe intentional arson. Example of Error: "Он совершил возгорание дома" (incorrect). Correct Usage: "Он совершил поджог дома". Explanation: "возгорание" typically implies an accidental fire, not intentional arson.
• Error: Incorrect case usage with "поджог". Example of Error: "Я слышал о поджог" (incorrect). Correct Usage: "Я слышал о поджоге". Explanation: The prepositional case requires the ending "-е" for "поджог".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, arson ("поджог") has historically been associated with severe criminal acts, often linked to revenge or property disputes, especially in rural areas. It carries a strong negative connotation and is often discussed in the context of legal consequences.

Related Concepts:

• преступление (crime)
• наказание (punishment)
• огонь (fire)