Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Burden'

English Word: burden

Key Russian Translations:

• бремя [ˈbrʲemʲə] - [Formal, Neutral]
• груз [ɡrus] - [Informal, Often Metaphorical]
• нагрузка [nɐˈɡruskə] - [Neutral, Often Related to Workload]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "бремя" and "груз"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "нагрузка"

Pronunciation (Russian):

бремя: [ˈbrʲemʲə]

Note on бремя: The stress is on the first syllable, and the "я" is pronounced as a soft "ya".

груз: [ɡrus]

Note on груз: A short, sharp pronunciation with a hard "г".

нагрузка: [nɐˈɡruskə]

Note on нагрузка: Stress on the second syllable; the "г" is hard.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A Heavy Load (Physical or Metaphorical)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бремя - Often used for metaphorical burdens like responsibility or emotional weight.
• груз - Can refer to both physical loads and metaphorical burdens, often with a sense of heaviness or difficulty.

Usage Examples:

• Это бремя слишком тяжелое для меня.

  This burden is too heavy for me.

• На его плечах лежит груз ответственности.

  The burden of responsibility lies on his shoulders.

• Я не хочу нести этот груз один.

  I don’t want to carry this burden alone.

2. Workload or Obligation

Translation(s) & Context:

• нагрузка - Primarily used for workload or obligations, especially in academic or professional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• У учителей большая нагрузка в этом семестре.

  Teachers have a heavy workload this semester.

• Его нагрузка на работе невыносима.

  His workload at the office is unbearable.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

бремя (neuter noun): Regular declension in singular and plural.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	бремя	бремена
Genitive	бремени	бремен
Dative	бремени	бременам
Accusative	бремя	бремена
Instrumental	бременем	бременами
Prepositional	бремени	бременах

груз (masculine noun): Regular declension.

нагрузка (feminine noun): Regular declension.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for бремя/груз:

• тяжесть
• обуза

Note: "тяжесть" often implies physical weight, while "обуза" carries a negative connotation of being a hindrance.

Antonyms for бремя/груз:

• облегчение
• свобода

Related Phrases:

• нести бремя - To bear a burden (often responsibility).
• груз забот - A burden of worries.
• сбросить груз - To get rid of a burden.
• учебная нагрузка - Academic workload.

Usage Notes:

• "бремя" is more formal and often used in written language or serious contexts, such as discussing societal or emotional burdens.
• "груз" is versatile and can be used in both spoken and written Russian, often implying something tangible or heavy (physically or emotionally).
• "нагрузка" is specific to workload or obligations and is less likely to be used for emotional burdens.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing "бремя" and "груз" in inappropriate contexts: English learners often use "груз" when "бремя" is more appropriate for formal or metaphorical burdens. For example, saying "груз долга" (burden of debt) sounds less natural than "бремя долга".

2. Incorrect declension of "бремя": Since "бремя" is a neuter noun, learners often mistakenly use masculine endings. Correct: "с этим бременем" (with this burden); Incorrect: "с этим бременом".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "бремя" often carries a deep emotional or philosophical weight, as seen in literature and historical contexts (e.g., "бремя белого человека" or "the white man's burden"). It reflects a sense of duty or inevitable hardship, which may resonate more strongly in Russian than in English.

Related Concepts:

• ответственность (responsibility)
• тяжесть (heaviness)
• обязанность (duty)