Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Depreciation'

English Word: depreciation

Key Russian Translations:

• амортизация [ɐmərtʲɪˈzat͡sɨjə] - [Formal, Commonly used in financial and accounting contexts]
• обесценивание [ɐbʲɪsʲt͡sɨˈnʲivənʲɪjə] - [Formal/Neutral, Used for loss of value, often in economic or abstract contexts]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in specialized contexts like finance and economics)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "амортизация"; B1 (Lower Intermediate) for "обесценивание"

Pronunciation (Russian):

амортизация: [ɐmərtʲɪˈzat͡sɨjə]

Note on амортизация: Stress falls on the fourth syllable. The "р" sound is rolled, and "ц" is pronounced as "ts".

обесценивание: [ɐbʲɪsʲt͡sɨˈnʲivənʲɪjə]

Note on обесценивание: Stress on the fifth syllable. Pay attention to the soft "н" sound before "и".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Financial Depreciation (e.g., of assets)

Translation(s) & Context:

• амортизация - Primarily used in accounting and finance to refer to the gradual reduction in value of tangible assets over time.

Usage Examples:

• Амортизация оборудования рассчитывается ежегодно.

  The depreciation of equipment is calculated annually.

• Мы учитываем амортизацию при составлении бюджета.

  We take depreciation into account when preparing the budget.

• Амортизация автомобиля составила 20% за первый год.

  The depreciation of the car was 20% in the first year.

2. Loss of Value (general or abstract)

Translation(s) & Context:

• обесценивание - Used for both tangible and intangible loss of value, often in economic or metaphorical contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Инфляция привела к обесцениванию сбережений.

  Inflation led to the depreciation of savings.

• Обесценивание усилий команды стало большой проблемой.

  The depreciation of the team's efforts became a major issue.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

амортизация (Noun, Feminine): Follows the first declension pattern in Russian.

обесценивание (Noun, Neuter): Follows the second declension pattern in Russian.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for амортизация:

• износ (wear and tear, often for physical assets)

Synonyms for обесценивание:

• уценка (discount or markdown, often for goods)
• снижение стоимости (reduction in value)

Antonyms for обесценивание:

• удорожание (increase in value)
• повышение стоимости (rise in value)

Related Phrases:

• амортизационные отчисления - Depreciation deductions (used in accounting for periodic write-offs).
• обесценивание валюты - Currency depreciation (common in economic discussions).

Usage Notes:

• "амортизация" is highly specialized and almost exclusively used in financial or technical contexts to describe the systematic reduction in the value of assets. It is not interchangeable with "обесценивание" in most cases.
• "обесценивание" is more versatile and can refer to both tangible (e.g., money, goods) and intangible (e.g., efforts, ideas) loss of value. It is often used in economic or metaphorical contexts.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations, as using "амортизация" outside of accounting or technical discussions can sound unnatural.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "амортизация" to describe general loss of value, e.g., "Амортизация валюты" (incorrect).
  Correction: Use "обесценивание валюты" for currency depreciation. "Амортизация" is specific to asset depreciation in accounting.
• Error: Confusing grammatical cases, e.g., using nominative "амортизация" instead of genitive "амортизации" after prepositions like "для".
  Correction: Learn the correct case endings for each context (see inflection table above).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian financial culture, "амортизация" is a key concept in business and accounting, often discussed in relation to tax deductions and asset management. Discussions around "обесценивание" are common in the context of economic instability, such as inflation or currency fluctuations, which have historical significance in Russia.

Related Concepts:

• инфляция (inflation)
• стоимость (value/cost)
• активы (assets)