Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'dignity'

English Word: dignity

Key Russian Translations:

• достоинство [dɐˈstojɪnstvə] - [Neutral, Formal/Informal]
• честь [t͡ɕesʲtʲ] - [Formal, Often related to honor]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "достоинство"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "честь"

Pronunciation (Russian):

достоинство: [dɐˈstojɪnstvə]

Note on достоинство: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'о' sounds like a reduced 'a' due to Russian vowel reduction.

честь: [t͡ɕesʲtʲ]

Note on честь: The 'ч' is a soft affricate, similar to 'ch' in "church," and 'ь' indicates palatalization of the preceding consonant.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Self-respect or worth

Translation(s) & Context:

• достоинство - Used to describe personal worth or self-respect in various contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Она сохранила своё достоинство даже в трудные времена.

  She maintained her dignity even in difficult times.

• Он говорил с достоинством, несмотря на критику.

  He spoke with dignity despite the criticism.

• Его достоинство не позволяло ему просить о помощи.

  His dignity did not allow him to ask for help.

2. Honor or moral integrity

Translation(s) & Context:

• честь - Often tied to moral integrity, reputation, or honor in formal or historical contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Защищать честь семьи было для него важно.

  Defending the family’s dignity (honor) was important to him.

• Он поставил свою честь выше богатства.

  He valued his dignity (honor) above wealth.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

достоинство (Noun, Neuter): Follows the standard neuter noun declension in Russian.

честь (Noun, Feminine): Follows the standard feminine noun declension with a soft stem.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for достоинство:

• гордость (pride, in a positive sense)
• самоуважение (self-respect)

Note: "гордость" may carry a connotation of pride, while "самоуважение" focuses purely on self-respect.

Antonyms for достоинство:

• унижение (humiliation)
• позор (shame)

Related Phrases:

• сохранить достоинство - to maintain one’s dignity
• защищать честь - to defend one’s dignity (honor)
• чувство собственного достоинства - sense of self-worth

Usage Notes:

• "достоинство" is the most versatile translation for "dignity," covering personal worth and self-respect in both formal and informal contexts.
• "честь" is more specific to concepts of honor and moral integrity, often used in formal or historical contexts. It is less common in everyday speech for general dignity.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations, as "честь" may sound outdated or overly formal in casual conversations.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "честь" to describe personal dignity in casual contexts.
  Incorrect: Я потерял свою честь в этой ситуации. (I lost my honor in this situation – sounds overly dramatic.)
  Correct: Я потерял своё достоинство в этой ситуации. (I lost my dignity in this situation.)
• Error: Incorrect case usage due to unfamiliarity with declensions.
  Incorrect: Я горжусь мой достоинство. (Incorrect genitive case.)
  Correct: Я горжусь своим достоинством. (I am proud of my dignity.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "честь" (honor) is deeply tied to historical notions of personal and family reputation, often appearing in literature and traditional narratives. "достоинство," on the other hand, is more contemporary and widely used to express individual self-respect and worth.

Related Concepts:

• гордость (pride)
• уважение (respect)
• совесть (conscience)