Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'calamity'

English Word: calamity

Key Russian Translations:

• бедствие [ˈbʲedstvʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Commonly Used]
• катастрофа [kətɐˈstrofə] - [Neutral, Often for Major Disasters]
• несчастье [nʲɪˈsʲtʃastʲjə] - [Neutral, Personal or Smaller Scale]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts related to disasters or misfortunes)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for all translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

бедствие: [ˈbʲedstvʲɪjə]

Note on бедствие: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "е" is pronounced as a soft "ye" sound.

катастрофа: [kətɐˈstrofə]

Note on катастрофа: Stress is on the third syllable. The "о" in the stressed syllable is pronounced clearly.

несчастье: [nʲɪˈsʲtʃastʲjə]

Note on несчастье: Stress on the second syllable. The "е" at the end softens the preceding consonant.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A disastrous event causing significant distress (e.g., natural disaster)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бедствие - Often used for natural or large-scale disasters (e.g., floods, earthquakes).
• катастрофа - Used for catastrophic events, often implying severity (e.g., plane crashes, major accidents).

Usage Examples:

• Наводнение стало настоящим бедствием для этого региона.

  The flood became a real calamity for this region.

• Эта катастрофа унесла сотни жизней.

  This catastrophe claimed hundreds of lives.

• Мы должны предотвратить подобные бедствия в будущем.

  We must prevent such calamities in the future.

2. A personal misfortune or tragic event

Translation(s) & Context:

• несчастье - Refers to personal or smaller-scale misfortunes (e.g., loss, tragedy in one’s life).

Usage Examples:

• Его семья пережила большое несчастье.

  His family went through a great calamity.

• Это несчастье изменило её жизнь навсегда.

  This calamity changed her life forever.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

бедствие (neuter noun): Follows the second declension pattern for neuter nouns.

катастрофа (feminine noun): Follows the first declension pattern for feminine nouns ending in -а.

несчастье (neuter noun): Follows the second declension pattern for neuter nouns, similar to бедствие.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for бедствие/катастрофа/несчастье:

• трагедия (tragedy, often emotional or dramatic)
• горе (grief, sorrow, often personal)
• беда (trouble, misfortune, less formal)

Antonyms for бедствие/катастрофа/несчастье:

• счастье (happiness)
• успех (success)

Related Phrases:

• природное бедствие - Natural disaster
• авиационная катастрофа - Aviation catastrophe
• семейное несчастье - Family misfortune

Usage Notes:

• бедствие is most commonly used for natural disasters or large-scale events, but it is less emotionally charged than несчастье.
• катастрофа implies a more severe or impactful event, often used in technical or formal contexts (e.g., industrial accidents).
• несчастье is more personal and can refer to individual tragedies or misfortunes, often carrying an emotional tone.
• Choosing between these depends on the scale and context of the "calamity" being described.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using катастрофа for minor personal issues. Incorrect: "Потеря работы - это катастрофа." Correct: "Потеря работы - это несчастье." (Explanation: катастрофа is too strong for personal setbacks; use несчастье or беда instead.)
• Error: Misusing бедствие in personal contexts. Incorrect: "Его болезнь - это бедствие." Correct: "Его болезнь - это несчастье." (Explanation: бедствие is typically reserved for large-scale events.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the word несчастье often carries a deep emotional weight, reflecting the cultural value placed on empathy and shared suffering. It is common in literature and everyday speech to express solidarity with someone experiencing personal hardship. Additionally, discussions of бедствие or катастрофа often evoke historical memories of large-scale disasters or wars in Russian history.

Related Concepts:

• трагедия (tragedy)
• кризис (crisis)
• беда (trouble)