Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Crook'

English Word: crook

Key Russian Translations:

• мошенник [mɐˈʂɛnːɪk] - [Informal, used for a swindler or fraudster]
• жулик [ˈʐulʲɪk] - [Colloquial, often derogatory]
• крюк [krʲuk] - [Neutral, refers to a hook or bend, literal meaning]

Frequency: Medium (varies by meaning; "мошенник" is more common than "крюк" in spoken contexts)

Difficulty: A2-B1 for "мошенник" and "жулик" (Beginner-Intermediate); B1 for "крюк" (Intermediate, due to less frequent literal usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мошенник: [mɐˈʂɛnːɪk]

Note on мошенник: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ш" sound is a retroflex fricative, distinct from English "sh".

жулик: [ˈʐulʲɪk]

Note on жулик: Stress on the first syllable. The "ж" is a voiced retroflex fricative, similar to the "s" in "measure".

крюк: [krʲuk]

Note on крюк: Short and straightforward, stress on the single syllable. The "р" is rolled.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A dishonest person, swindler, or criminal

Translation(s) & Context:

• мошенник - Commonly used for someone who deceives others for personal gain, often in financial contexts.
• жулик - More colloquial and derogatory, often implying petty theft or trickery.

Usage Examples:

• Этот мошенник обманул пожилую женщину на крупную сумму денег.

  This crook deceived an elderly woman out of a large sum of money.

• Не верь ему, он настоящий жулик!

  Don’t trust him, he’s a real crook!

• Мошенники часто используют интернет для своих схем.

  Crooks often use the internet for their schemes.

2. A bend, hook, or curved object

Translation(s) & Context:

• крюк - Refers to a literal hook or bend, often used for tools or paths (e.g., a shepherd’s crook or a detour).

Usage Examples:

• Пастух опирался на свой крюк, наблюдая за стадом.

  The shepherd leaned on his crook while watching the flock.

• Мы сделали крюк, чтобы избежать пробки.

  We took a detour (lit. made a crook) to avoid the traffic jam.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

мошенник (Noun, Masculine, Animate):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	мошенник	мошенники
Genitive	мошенника	мошенников
Dative	мошеннику	мошенникам
Accusative	мошенника	мошенников
Instrumental	мошенником	мошенниками
Prepositional	о мошеннике	о мошенниках

жулик (Noun, Masculine, Animate): Follows similar declension patterns as "мошенник".

крюк (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate): Follows regular second declension for inanimate nouns, with forms like Genitive: крюка, Plural: крюки.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for мошенник/жулик (dishonest person):

• обманщик
• плут
• аферист

Note: "аферист" often implies larger-scale fraud compared to "жулик", which can refer to petty trickery.

Antonyms for мошенник/жулик:

• честный человек

Synonyms for крюк (hook/bend):

• загиб
• изгиб

Related Phrases:

• мошенническая схема - Fraudulent scheme (a plan or trick used by a crook).
• жулик и вор - Crook and thief (a common pairing to emphasize dishonesty).
• сделать крюк - To take a detour (lit. to make a crook, meaning to take a curved path).

Usage Notes:

• "мошенник" is the most neutral and widely accepted term for "crook" in the sense of a swindler. It is appropriate in both formal and informal contexts.
• "жулик" carries a more derogatory tone and is often used in spoken language to express disdain or contempt for someone’s dishonest behavior.
• "крюк" is used in a completely different context, referring to a literal or figurative bend/hook. Be careful not to confuse the metaphorical and literal meanings of "crook" when translating.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "крюк" to mean a dishonest person. This is incorrect as "крюк" only refers to a hook or bend.

Incorrect: Он крюк, он украл мои деньги. (He’s a crook, he stole my money.)

Correct: Он мошенник, он украл мои деньги.

Error 2: Overusing "жулик" in formal contexts. It can sound too colloquial or emotional in written or official texts.

Incorrect (formal context): В суде обвинили жулика. (The court accused the crook.)

Correct: В суде обвинили мошенника.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "мошенник" and "жулик" often carry strong negative connotations due to historical and social sensitivities around trust and honesty, especially in post-Soviet contexts where scams became prevalent. Using such terms can evoke emotional responses, so they should be used carefully in conversation.

Related Concepts:

• обман (deception)
• воровство (theft)
• афера (scam)