Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'business'

English Word: business

Key Russian Translations:

• бизнес [ˈbiznʲɪs] - [Informal, Commonly used for modern business contexts]
• дело [ˈdʲeɫə] - [Neutral, Often used for personal or legal matters]
• предприятие [prʲɪtˈprʲijətʲɪjə] - [Formal, Refers to a company or enterprise]

Frequency: High (especially "бизнес" and "дело")

Difficulty: A2 for "бизнес" and "дело" (Beginner-Intermediate); B2 for "предприятие" (Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

бизнес: [ˈbiznʲɪs]

Note on бизнес: Borrowed from English, the stress is on the first syllable, and the 's' is pronounced softly.

дело: [ˈdʲeɫə]

Note on дело: The 'e' is pronounced as 'ye', and the stress is on the first syllable.

предприятие: [prʲɪtˈprʲijətʲɪjə]

Note on предприятие: Stress falls on the third syllable, and the 'я' is pronounced as 'ya'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Commercial Activity or Company (Economic Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бизнес - Refers to commerce, entrepreneurship, or a business venture in modern contexts.
• предприятие - Refers specifically to a company, factory, or enterprise, often in formal or legal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он открыл свой бизнес в прошлом году.

  He opened his own business last year.

• Этот бизнес приносит хороший доход.

  This business brings in good income.

• Наше предприятие производит мебель.

  Our enterprise produces furniture.

2. Personal Matter or Task

Translation(s) & Context:

• дело - Refers to a personal matter, task, or affair, often non-commercial.

Usage Examples:

• Это не твоё дело!

  This is none of your business!

• У меня есть важное дело сегодня.

  I have an important matter to attend to today.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

бизнес (noun, masculine, inanimate, indeclinable): This word is borrowed from English and does not change form in Russian. It remains "бизнес" in all cases and numbers.

дело (noun, neuter): Declines according to the second declension pattern for neuter nouns.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	дело	дела
Genitive	дела	дел
Dative	делу	делам
Accusative	дело	дела
Instrumental	делом	делами
Prepositional	о деле	о делах

предприятие (noun, neuter): Follows a similar declension pattern to "дело". Refer to standard neuter noun declension rules.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for бизнес:

• коммерция (commerce, more formal)
• предпринимательство (entrepreneurship)

Synonyms for дело:

• вопрос (matter, issue)
• задание (task)

Antonyms: None directly applicable across all meanings.

Related Phrases:

• вести бизнес - "to run a business" (refers to managing commercial activities)
• серьёзное дело - "serious matter" (used for important personal or legal issues)
• государственное предприятие - "state enterprise" (refers to a government-owned company)

Usage Notes:

• "бизнес" is a direct borrowing from English and is widely used in modern Russian for commercial contexts. It is more informal than "предприятие".
• "дело" has a broader meaning and is often used for personal matters or abstract concepts. It should not be used to refer to a company.
• "предприятие" is formal and typically refers to a physical entity like a factory or organization. It is less common in casual speech.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "дело" to mean a commercial business. Incorrect: "У меня есть дело в центре города" (intended as "I have a business downtown"). Correct: "У меня есть бизнес в центре города". Explanation: "дело" refers to a matter or task, not a commercial entity.
• Error: Overusing "бизнес" in formal contexts. Incorrect: Official documents using "бизнес". Correct: Use "предприятие" in legal or official texts.

Cultural Notes:

In post-Soviet Russia, the word "бизнес" became extremely popular in the 1990s with the rise of private entrepreneurship. It often carries a connotation of modern, Western-style commerce, sometimes with a hint of informality or even risk. In contrast, "предприятие" evokes associations with Soviet-era state-owned companies.

Related Concepts:

• экономика (economy)
• компания (company)
• торговля (trade)