Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'clerk'

English Word: clerk

Key Russian Translations:

• клерк [klʲerk] - [Neutral, Commonly used in office contexts]
• служащий [slʊˈʐaɕːɪj] - [Formal, Broader term for employee]
• администратор [ɐdmʲɪnʲɪˈstratər] - [Neutral, Often used for clerks in specific roles like reception]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in business and administrative contexts)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner to Intermediate, varies slightly by term)

Pronunciation (Russian):

клерк: [klʲerk]

Note on клерк: The stress is on the first syllable. The 'e' is pronounced as a soft 'e' due to the preceding 'л'.

служащий: [slʊˈʐaɕːɪj]

Note on служащий: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ж' sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, unique to Russian.

администратор: [ɐdmʲɪnʲɪˈstratər]

Note on администратор: Stress on the fourth syllable. A longer word, often reduced in casual speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Office Worker or Administrative Assistant

Translation(s) & Context:

• клерк - Refers to a general office clerk or someone handling paperwork.
• служащий - A broader term for any employee, often used in formal or official contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Клерк в офисе помог мне с документами.

  The clerk in the office helped me with the documents.

• Этот служащий работает в банке уже десять лет.

  This clerk has been working at the bank for ten years.

• Клерк быстро обработал мой запрос.

  The clerk quickly processed my request.

2. Receptionist or Front Desk Clerk

Translation(s) & Context:

• администратор - Often used for clerks at a front desk, such as in hotels or offices.

Usage Examples:

• Администратор на ресепшене был очень вежлив.

  The clerk at the reception was very polite.

• Я спросил у администратора, где находится зал для совещаний.

  I asked the clerk where the meeting room was located.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

клерк (noun, masculine): Follows standard masculine noun declension.

служащий (noun, masculine, animate): Similar to клерк, follows masculine animate noun declension rules. Plural form: служащие.

администратор (noun, masculine): Follows regular masculine noun declension. Plural form: администраторы.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for клерк:

• служащий
• сотрудник
• работник

Note: 'сотрудник' implies a colleague or co-worker, while 'работник' is more general and less formal than 'служащий'.

Antonyms for клерк:

• руководитель (manager)
• начальник (boss)

Related Phrases:

• офисный клерк - Office clerk (a clerk working in an office environment).
• служащий банка - Bank clerk (an employee working in a bank).
• администратор отеля - Hotel clerk (a front desk clerk at a hotel).

Usage Notes:

• 'клерк' is a direct borrowing from English and is widely understood in modern Russian, especially in urban and business contexts.
• 'служащий' is more formal and can refer to any employee, not just a clerk. It is often used in official documents or speeches.
• 'администратор' is specific to roles involving customer interaction, like receptionists or front desk clerks. Avoid using it for back-office clerks.
• When choosing between these terms, consider the formality of the situation and the specific role of the person.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'клерк' in overly formal contexts. Incorrect: "Клерк правительства" (Government clerk). Correct: "Служащий правительства" (Government employee). Explanation: 'клерк' sounds too casual for high-level or official contexts.
• Error: Confusing 'администратор' with IT-related roles. Incorrect: "Администратор системы" for a clerk. Correct: Use 'администратор' only for front desk or managerial clerks, not technical roles (use 'системный администратор' for IT roles).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the term 'клерк' often carries a neutral or slightly negative connotation of routine, low-level office work, influenced by Western media portrayals. 'служащий', on the other hand, is a more respectful term, often associated with Soviet-era terminology for state employees.

Related Concepts:

• офис (office)
• документы (documents)
• работа (work)