Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'employee'

English Word: employee

Key Russian Translations:

• сотрудник [sɐˈtrudʲnʲik] - [Formal, Singular, Used in professional contexts]
• работник [rɐˈbotʲnʲik] - [Informal, Singular, Used for general workers or employees]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday business and professional discussions, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun declensions and contextual usage, suitable for learners with basic Russian grammar knowledge).

Pronunciation (Russian):

сотрудник: [sɐˈtrudʲnʲik]

Note on сотрудник: The stress falls on the third syllable; the "дʲ" sound is palatalized, which can be challenging for beginners. Pronounce it with a soft "d" as in "dew".

работник: [rɐˈbotʲnʲik]

Note on работник: Stress on the second syllable; the "тʲ" is palatalized, similar to a soft "t" in "tune".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: A person employed in a company or organization.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сотрудник - Used in formal or professional settings, such as offices or corporations, to refer to staff members.
• работник - Applied in more general or informal contexts, like manual labor or everyday jobs.

Usage Examples:

• Мой сотрудник работает в офисе с девяти до пяти. (My employee works in the office from nine to five.)

  English Translation: My employee works in the office from nine to five.

• Эта компания имеет много квалифицированных работников. (This company has many qualified employees.)

  English Translation: This company has many qualified employees. (Here, "работников" shows plural form in context.)

• Новый сотрудник быстро адаптировался к команде. (The new employee quickly adapted to the team.)

  English Translation: The new employee quickly adapted to the team. (Demonstrates use in a team-building scenario.)

• Как опытный работник, он знает все тонкости производства. (As an experienced employee, he knows all the nuances of production.)

  English Translation: As an experienced employee, he knows all the nuances of production. (Illustrates informal application in industrial settings.)

• Сотрудники компании часто участвуют в корпоративных мероприятиях. (Employees of the company often participate in corporate events.)

  English Translation: Employees of the company often participate in corporate events. (Shows plural and genitive usage.)

Secondary Meaning: A worker in a specific field or role.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сотрудник - In specialized contexts, like a researcher or academic employee.
• работник - For blue-collar or service industry employees.

Usage Examples:

• В университете сотрудник лаборатории проводит эксперименты. (In the university, the employee of the laboratory conducts experiments.)

  English Translation: In the university, the employee of the laboratory conducts experiments.

• Местный работник фермы ухаживает за животными. (The local employee on the farm takes care of the animals.)

  English Translation: The local employee on the farm takes care of the animals. (Emphasizes rural or agricultural context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "сотрудник" and "работник" are masculine nouns in Russian and follow standard first-declension patterns for masculine nouns ending in a consonant. They inflect based on case, number, and gender agreement. "Сотрудник" and "работник" are regular in their declensions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • служащий (sluzhashchiy) - More formal, often for public sector or office workers; implies a salaried position.
  • кадр (kadr) - Used in HR contexts, emphasizing workforce or personnel.
• Antonyms:
  • работодатель (rabotodatel') - Employer, the opposite in a work relationship.
  • безработный (bezrabotnyy) - Unemployed, highlighting the lack of employment.

Related Phrases:

• сотрудник компании (sotrudnik kompanii) - Employee of the company; refers to someone working for a specific organization.
• опытный работник (opytnyy rabotnik) - Experienced employee; used to describe someone with skills in their field.
• временный сотрудник (vremennyy sotrudnik) - Temporary employee; common in contract-based work.

Usage Notes:

"Сотрудник" is the most precise translation for "employee" in formal English contexts, such as corporate environments, while "работник" is better for general or manual labor scenarios. Choose based on context: use "сотрудник" for white-collar roles and "работник" for blue-collar ones. Be mindful of Russian's grammatical gender—both are masculine nouns, so they agree with masculine adjectives and verbs. In sentences, always decline according to case for proper agreement.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "сотрудник" interchangeably with "работник" without considering formality. For example, learners might say "Я работник офиса" instead of "Я сотрудник офиса" for a professional setting.

  Correct: "Я сотрудник офиса" (I am an office employee). Explanation: "Работник" sounds too general and less professional.

• Error: Forgetting to decline the noun in sentences, e.g., saying "Я работаю с сотрудник" instead of "Я работаю с сотрудником".

  Correct: "Я работаю с сотрудником". Explanation: In the instrumental case, it must be "сотрудником" to indicate "with the employee".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the term "сотрудник" often carries connotations of loyalty and long-term commitment to an organization, reflecting historical influences from Soviet-era work ethics where employees were seen as part of a collective. This can differ from Western views, where job mobility is more common.

Related Concepts:

• начальник (nachal'nik) - Boss or manager.
• коллега (kollega) - Colleague.
• кадровик (kadrovik) - HR specialist.