Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'custodian'

English Word: custodian

Key Russian Translations:

• хранитель [xrɐnʲiˈtʲelʲ] - [Formal, often used in historical or protective contexts]
• опекун [ɐˈpʲekʊn] - [Formal, Legal context, such as guardianship]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in formal, legal, or historical texts, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian noun declensions and formal vocabulary; for опекун, it may lean towards B2 due to legal nuances)

Pronunciation (Russian):

хранитель: [xrɐnʲiˈtʲelʲ]

Note on хранитель: The stress falls on the third syllable ("telʲ"), and the "х" is a guttural sound similar to the Scottish "loch". Pay attention to the palatalized "тʲ" for accurate pronunciation.

опекун: [ɐˈpʲekʊn]

Note on опекун: The stress is on the second syllable ("pek"), and the "пʲ" is softly palatalized, which can be tricky for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A person responsible for protecting, maintaining, or guarding something (e.g., a building, artifact, or property).

Translation(s) & Context:

• хранитель - Used in formal or historical contexts, such as a museum guardian; implies a sense of preservation and responsibility.

Usage Examples:

• Хранитель музея тщательно охраняет древние артефакты.

  The custodian of the museum carefully guards the ancient artifacts.

• В этой роли он выступает хранителем семейных традиций.

  In this role, he acts as the custodian of family traditions.

• Как хранитель парка, она обеспечивает безопасность посетителей.

  As the custodian of the park, she ensures the safety of visitors.

• Хранитель библиотеки восстанавливает старые книги.

  The custodian of the library restores old books.

2. A legal guardian or person with official responsibility for someone else's affairs.

Translation(s) & Context:

• опекун - Primarily used in legal or official contexts, such as in family law or guardianship proceedings.

Usage Examples:

• Опекун ребенка должен заботиться о его образовании.

  The custodian of the child must care for their education.

• Суд назначил ее опекуном несовершеннолетнего.

  The court appointed her as the custodian of the minor.

• Как опекун, он управляет имуществом покойного.

  As the custodian, he manages the estate of the deceased.

• Опекун обязан отчитываться о расходах перед судом.

  The custodian is required to report expenses to the court.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "хранитель" and "опекун" are masculine nouns in Russian and follow standard first-declension patterns for animate nouns. They change based on case, number, and gender, but as singular masculine nouns, they are inflected regularly.

Note: These nouns do not have irregular inflections. In plural form, they become "хранители" and "опекуны," respectively, and follow the same declension pattern.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • страж (strash) - More general, implying a guard or watchman; often used interchangeably with хранитель in protective contexts.
  • куратор (kurator) - Similar to опекун but with a focus on supervision or oversight in educational or professional settings.
• Antonyms:
  • захватчик (zakhvatchik) - Implies a conqueror or invader, opposite in the sense of protection.
  • похититель (pokhititel') - Means thief or abductor, contrasting with the role of a guardian.

Related Phrases:

• Хранитель тайны - A keeper of a secret; used in literary or mysterious contexts.
• Опекун имущества - Guardian of property; common in legal documents.
• Назначить опекуна - To appoint a custodian; refers to official legal processes.

Usage Notes:

"Хранитель" is a more poetic or historical term, often evoking a sense of duty and preservation, while "опекун" is strictly legal and formal. English users should note that Russian nouns like these must agree in case, number, and gender with other words in the sentence. For example, choose "хранитель" for non-legal contexts and "опекун" for court-related matters. Be cautious with context to avoid mistranslation; "custodian" in banking might not directly map to these without adaptation.

• In formal writing, always decline the noun correctly based on its role in the sentence.
• When selecting between translations, consider the domain: historical for "хранитель," legal for "опекун."

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse the declensions, such as using the nominative form in all cases. For example:

• Error: "Я видел хранитель" (incorrect, as it should be accusative: "Я видел хранителя").
• Correct: "Я видел хранителя музея." Explanation: The accusative case is required after verbs like "видеть" (to see) for direct objects.
• Another common mistake is overusing "опекун" in non-legal contexts, e.g., saying "опекун дома" instead of "хранитель дома." Correct usage: Reserve "опекун" for official guardianship to maintain precision.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "хранитель" often carries a romanticized connotation, as seen in literature like folklore tales where characters are guardians of ancient secrets or national heritage. This reflects Russia's emphasis on preserving history, as in the role of museum custodians in institutions like the Kremlin Armory.

Related Concepts:

• страж
• куратор
• охранник