Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'drunkard'

English Word: drunkard

Key Russian Translations:

• пьяница [pʲɪˈanʲɪtsə] - [Informal; often used in everyday conversation to describe someone with a drinking problem]
• алкоголик [ɐlʲkəɡɐˈlʲik] - [Formal; implies a more clinical or addictive context]
• пьянчуга [pʲɪˈant͡ɕʊɡə] - [Informal; slightly humorous or derogatory, emphasizing habitual drunkenness]

Frequency: Medium (The term is commonly encountered in literature, media, and casual speech in Russian-speaking contexts, but not as high-frequency as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp the vocabulary with some cultural context, as per CEFR standards. For 'пьяница', it's B1; for 'алкоголик', it might lean towards B2 due to its formal connotations.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

пьяница: [pʲɪˈanʲɪtsə]

Note on пьяница: The stress is on the second syllable ('an'), and the 'я' sound is a soft palatalized 'ya'. Pronunciation can vary slightly in dialects, with a more guttural 'ya' in some regions.

алкоголик: [ɐlʲkəɡɐˈlʲik]

Note on алкоголик: The word has a rolling 'l' sound and stress on the third syllable ('lik'). It's derived from the English 'alcoholic', so it may feel familiar to English speakers.

пьянчуга: [pʲɪˈant͡ɕʊɡə]

Note on пьянчуга: The 'ч' is a voiceless palatal fricative, similar to 'ch' in 'church'. This word often carries a folksy tone.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A person who is habitually drunk or has a drinking problem

Translation(s) & Context:

• пьяница - Used in informal, everyday contexts, such as describing personal habits in conversations or stories.
• алкоголик - Applied in formal or medical contexts, like health discussions or official reports.
• пьянчуга - Employed in colloquial or humorous settings, often with a negative or satirical connotation.

Usage Examples:

• В деревне жил старый пьяница, который каждый вечер напивался до бесчувствия.

  In the village lived an old drunkard who got drunk to the point of unconsciousness every evening.

• Его друзья предупреждали, что он превращается в алкоголика, но он не слушал.

  His friends warned him that he was turning into a drunkard, but he didn't listen.

• Пьянчуга на улице пел песни и шатался, пугая прохожих.

  The drunkard on the street was singing songs and staggering, scaring passersby.

• Мать плакала, потому что её сын стал пьяницей и потерял работу.

  The mother cried because her son had become a drunkard and lost his job.

• В фильме главный герой борется с тем, чтобы не стать алкоголиком, как его отец.

  In the film, the main character struggles not to become a drunkard like his father.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are nouns. 'Пьяница' and 'пьянчуга' are masculine nouns, while 'алкоголик' can be masculine or feminine depending on the subject. Russian nouns inflect for case, number, and gender. Below is a table for 'пьяница' as an example; others follow similar patterns with variations.

For 'алкоголик': Similar inflection pattern, but it can change to feminine form (алкоголичка) for female subjects. 'Пьянчуга' is irregular in plural forms and less commonly inflected due to its informal nature.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • пьянчуга (similar to пьяница but more playful)
  • алкоголик (formal synonym, often used in medical contexts)
  • запивоха (colloquial, emphasizing frequent drinking sessions)
• Antonyms:
  • трезвенник (teetotaler; someone who abstains from alcohol)
  • воздержанный (restrained; in the context of drinking)

Related Phrases:

• заядлый пьяница - An inveterate drunkard; used to describe someone deeply entrenched in drinking habits.
• пить как пьяница - To drink like a drunkard; implies excessive and irresponsible consumption.
• алкоголик на работе - A drunkard at work; refers to workplace issues related to alcohol.

Usage Notes:

'Пьяница' is the most direct translation for 'drunkard' in informal settings, but choose 'алкоголик' for formal or medical contexts to avoid sounding derogatory. In Russian culture, these terms often carry stigma, so they are used cautiously in polite conversation. Grammatically, they are masculine nouns by default, but can adapt to feminine forms (e.g., пьяница vs. пьяница for a female). When learning, pay attention to context: 'пьянчуга' might be used in literature or humor, while 'drunkard' in English can be more neutral.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'пьяница' with 'пьяный' (drunk, as in intoxicated). Correct: 'Пьяный' is an adjective for being drunk at a moment, while 'пьяница' is a noun for a habitual drunkard. Example of error: Saying "Он пьяный" to mean a chronic drunkard. Correct: "Он пьяница."

• Error: Overusing 'алкоголик' in casual talk, which can sound too clinical. Correct: In everyday speech, opt for 'пьяница' instead. Example of error: "Мой друг алкоголик" in a light conversation; better as "Мой друг пьяница" for informality.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'пьяница' reflect a historical and social issue with alcohol consumption, influenced by factors like long winters and traditional vodka drinking. It often appears in literature (e.g., in works by Dostoevsky) to symbolize moral decline or societal problems, helping users understand the deeper stigma attached to such vocabulary.

Related Concepts:

• водка (vodka)
• алкоголь (alcohol)
• трезвость (sobriety)