Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Builder'

English Word: builder

Key Russian Translations:

• строитель [ˈstroɪtʲɪlʲ] - [General, Formal/Informal]
• строительница [strɐˈitʲɪlʲnʲɪtsə] - [Feminine form, Less common]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in construction contexts)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for "строитель"; B1 for "строительница")

Pronunciation (Russian):

строитель: [ˈstroɪtʲɪlʲ]

Note on строитель: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "л" sound is soft, indicated by the "ʲ".

строительница: [strɐˈitʲɪlʲnʲɪtsə]

Note on строительница: Stress on the second syllable. The suffix "-ница" indicates the feminine form.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A person who builds structures (literal):

Translation(s) & Context:

• строитель - Refers to a professional or worker engaged in construction (e.g., buildings, roads).
• строительница - Feminine form, used when specifically referring to a female builder (less common).

Usage Examples:

• Строитель работает на стройке уже десять лет.

  The builder has been working at the construction site for ten years.

• Этот строитель построил мой дом.

  This builder built my house.

• Строительница руководила проектом моста.

  The female builder supervised the bridge project.

• Строители закончили работу раньше срока.

  The builders finished the work ahead of schedule.

• Мой отец был строителем в молодости.

  My father was a builder in his youth.

2. A creator or developer (figurative):

Translation(s) & Context:

• строитель - Used metaphorically to describe someone who creates or develops something (e.g., ideas, organizations).

Usage Examples:

• Он был строителем новой идеологии.

  He was a builder of a new ideology.

• Строители будущего должны думать о детях.

  The builders of the future must think about children.

• Она стала строительницей мира в своей общине.

  She became a builder of peace in her community.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

строитель (noun, masculine): Declines as a second-declension masculine noun.

строительница (noun, feminine): Declines as a first-declension feminine noun with similar patterns but feminine endings. Less commonly used, often replaced by the masculine form regardless of gender in modern usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for строитель:

• рабочий (worker, in construction contexts)
• зодчий (architect, archaic or poetic)

Note: "рабочий" is broader and less specific to building; "зодчий" is rarely used in modern speech.

Antonyms for строитель:

• разрушитель (destroyer)

Related Phrases:

• строитель дорог - "road builder" (literal, refers to someone constructing roads)
• строитель мостов - "bridge builder" (literal or figurative, e.g., fostering connections)
• строитель будущего - "builder of the future" (figurative, someone shaping tomorrow)

Usage Notes:

• The term "строитель" is the most common and versatile translation for "builder," applicable in both literal (construction worker) and figurative (creator) senses.
• "строительница" is grammatically correct as the feminine form but is rarely used in everyday speech. Many speakers, even when referring to a female builder, use "строитель."
• In professional contexts, specifying the type of builder (e.g., "строитель домов" for "house builder") is common.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "строитель" in the wrong case due to misunderstanding Russian declensions (e.g., saying "Я вижу строитель" instead of "Я вижу строителя" in the accusative case).
  Correction: Ensure the noun agrees with the grammatical case required by the verb or preposition. "Строитель" must change to "строителя" in the accusative case.
• Error: Overusing "строительница" when "строитель" is sufficient.
  Correction: Unless emphasizing gender, stick to "строитель" as it is the default form in modern Russian.

Cultural Notes:

In Soviet and post-Soviet culture, the term "строитель" often carries a heroic connotation due to the emphasis on construction and infrastructure development during the Soviet era. Builders were celebrated as key contributors to society, especially in projects like the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM). This cultural reverence may still influence how the term is perceived in certain contexts.

Related Concepts:

• стройка (construction site)
• строительство (construction as a process or industry)
• архитектор (architect)