Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'captive'

English Word: captive

Key Russian Translations:

• пленный [ˈplʲenːɨj] - [Formal, Often used for prisoners of war]
• захваченный [zɐxˈvatʃʲɪnːɨj] - [Formal/Informal, Often used for captured objects or people]
• узник [ˈuznʲɪk] - [Formal, Literary, Often used for prisoners in a broader sense]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in historical, military, or literary contexts)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies slightly by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

пленный: [ˈplʲenːɨj]

Note on пленный: Stress on the first syllable; the double 'n' sound is slightly prolonged.

захваченный: [zɐxˈvatʃʲɪnːɨj]

Note on захваченный: Stress on the second syllable; pay attention to the soft 'ч' sound.

узник: [ˈuznʲɪk]

Note on узник: Stress on the first syllable; simple pronunciation for learners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A person held as a prisoner (literal sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пленный - Used primarily for prisoners of war or in military contexts.
• узник - More literary, often referring to someone imprisoned for political or other reasons.

Usage Examples:

• Пленный солдат был освобождён после переговоров.

  The captive soldier was released after negotiations.

• Узник замка провёл годы в одиночестве.

  The captive of the castle spent years in solitude.

• Они взяли нескольких пленных во время боя.

  They took several captives during the battle.

2. Something or someone captured or controlled (figurative sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• захваченный - Used for objects, territories, or metaphorically for emotions/attention.

Usage Examples:

• Захваченный город был быстро освобождён.

  The captured city was quickly liberated.

• Её внимание было полностью захвачено этой книгой.

  Her attention was completely captured by this book.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

пленный (adjective): Declines like a regular adjective in Russian, agreeing in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	пленный	пленная	пленное	пленные
Genitive	пленного	пленной	пленного	пленных

захваченный (participle/adjective): Also declines as an adjective; derived from the verb "захватить" (to capture).

узник (noun): Masculine noun, regular declension in singular and plural.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	узник	узники
Genitive	узника	узников

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for пленный/узник:

• арестант (arrested person, more general)
• заключённый (prisoner, inmate)

Note: "арестант" is more colloquial, while "заключённый" is formal and widely used in legal contexts.

Antonyms for пленный/узник:

• свободный (free)
• освобождённый (released)

Related Phrases:

• взять в плен (to take captive) - Refers to capturing someone, often in a military context.
• держать в плену (to hold captive) - Indicates keeping someone imprisoned or under control.
• захватить в плен (to capture and hold as captive) - A stronger expression for capturing.

Usage Notes:

• "пленный" is most often used in the context of war or military conflicts and typically refers to soldiers or combatants.
• "узник" carries a more dramatic or literary tone, often used for political prisoners or in historical narratives.
• "захваченный" is versatile, applicable to both literal (e.g., captured territory) and figurative (e.g., captured attention) contexts.
• Be mindful of the grammatical agreement when using "пленный" and "захваченный" as adjectives; they must match the noun in case, number, and gender.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "пленный" for non-military contexts.
  Incorrect: "Пленный преступник" (intended: captive criminal).
  Correct: "Заключённый преступник" or simply "арестант".
  Explanation: "пленный" is tied to war contexts; for general prisoners, use "заключённый".
• Error: Misusing "захваченный" for people without context.
  Incorrect: "Захваченный человек" without clarification.
  Correct: Provide context, e.g., "Захваченный врагом человек" (a person captured by the enemy).
  Explanation: "захваченный" often needs additional context when applied to people.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the term "узник" often evokes historical or literary associations, such as the "узники совести" (prisoners of conscience), a term used for dissidents during the Soviet era. Understanding these connotations can help learners use the word appropriately in discussions of history or politics.

Related Concepts:

• плен (captivity)
• захват (capture)
• освобождение (liberation)