Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Burglary'

English Word: Burglary

Key Russian Translations:

• кража [ˈkraʐa] - [Formal, Often used in legal contexts]
• воровство [vɐˈrofstvə] - [Neutral, General term for theft]
• ограбление [ɐɡrɐˈblʲenʲɪjə] - [Formal, Often implies a violent or forced entry]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "кража" and "воровство"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "ограбление"

Pronunciation (Russian):

кража: [ˈkraʐa]

Note on кража: The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure' but harder.

воровство: [vɐˈrofstvə]

Note on воровство: Stress falls on the second syllable; the final "о" is reduced to a schwa sound.

ограбление: [ɐɡrɐˈblʲenʲɪjə]

Note on ограбление: Stress on the third syllable; the "е" is palatalized, softening the preceding consonant.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Burglary as Breaking into a Property to Steal

Translation(s) & Context:

• кража - Commonly used in legal or formal contexts to describe theft involving unauthorized entry.
• ограбление - Often implies a more aggressive act, sometimes involving confrontation or violence.

Usage Examples:

• В нашем районе произошла кража со взломом.

  A burglary occurred in our neighborhood.

• Полиция расследует кражу в частном доме.

  The police are investigating a burglary in a private house.

• Ограбление квартиры было совершено ночью.

  The burglary of the apartment was committed at night.

2. Burglary as General Theft (Broader Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• воровство - A broader term for theft, not necessarily involving breaking in.

Usage Examples:

• Воровство в магазинах стало серьезной проблемой.

  Burglary (or theft) in stores has become a serious problem.

• Он был обвинён в воровстве на рабочем месте.

  He was accused of burglary (or theft) at the workplace.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

кража (Noun, Feminine): Follows the standard feminine noun declension in Russian.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	кража	кражи
Genitive	кражи	краж
Dative	краже	кражам
Accusative	кражу	кражи
Instrumental	кражей	кражами
Prepositional	о краже	о кражах

воровство (Noun, Neuter): Follows the standard neuter noun declension; does not change much in plural as it is often used abstractly.

ограбление (Noun, Neuter): Follows the standard neuter noun declension with regular plural forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• хищение (More formal, often used in legal contexts)
• похищение (Can imply abduction as well as theft)

Antonyms:

• дарение (Gifting)
• возврат (Return)

Note: Synonyms like "хищение" are more formal and often used in written or legal language compared to "кража".

Related Phrases:

• кража со взломом - Burglary with breaking and entering.
• ограбление банка - Bank robbery (often implies burglary with violence).
• мелкое воровство - Petty theft or minor burglary.

Usage Notes:

• "кража" is the most direct and common translation for "burglary" when referring to theft with unauthorized entry, especially in legal or formal contexts.
• "ограбление" often implies a more violent or confrontational act and may not always be the best fit for non-violent burglary.
• "воровство" is a broader term for theft and may not always imply breaking into a property, so context is key when choosing this word.
• Be mindful of the formality of the situation when selecting the appropriate term.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "ограбление" for non-violent burglary.
  Incorrect: Ограбление произошло без насилия. (Implies violence by default)
  Correct: Кража произошла без насилия.
  Explanation: "Ограбление" often carries a connotation of aggression or robbery, so "кража" is more appropriate for typical burglary without confrontation.
• Error: Overusing "воровство" when specificity is needed.
  Incorrect: Воровство в доме. (Too vague)
  Correct: Кража в доме.
  Explanation: "Воровство" is a general term for theft and lacks the specificity of "кража" for burglary.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "кража" and "ограбление" are often associated with discussions of crime in media or legal contexts. Due to historical and social factors, such as high-profile crime waves in the post-Soviet era, these words may carry a heavier emotional or societal weight compared to their English equivalents. For example, "ограбление" might evoke images of organized crime or dramatic heists in popular imagination.

Related Concepts:

• вор (Thief)
• взлом (Breaking in)
• преступление (Crime)