Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fear'

English Word: fear

Key Russian Translations:

• страх (/ˈstrax/) - [Noun, Formal/Informal]
• бояться (/bɐˈjasʲtʲɪ/) - [Verb, Informal, Used in everyday contexts to express emotional response]

Frequency: High (Common in literature, conversations, and media, appearing frequently in Russian texts and speech.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; "страх" is straightforward for basic learners, while "бояться" involves verb conjugation, making it slightly more challenging for beginners.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

страх: /ˈstrax/ (The "х" is a voiceless velar fricative, similar to the "ch" in Scottish "loch".)

бояться: /bɐˈjasʲtʲɪ/ (Stress on the second syllable; the "я" is a soft vowel, and the ending changes based on conjugation.)

Note on страх: Be cautious with the "х" sound, as it's a common point of difficulty for English speakers who may substitute it with "h" or "k".

Note on бояться: This verb has palatalization in the stem, which affects pronunciation in conjugated forms.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: An emotion of distress or anxiety caused by the presence of danger (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• страх - Used in formal and informal contexts to describe a general state of fear, such as in psychological discussions or everyday fears.

Usage Examples:

• Он испытывает страх перед высотой.

  He experiences fear of heights.

• Страх парализовал её, и она не могла пошевелиться.

  Fear paralyzed her, and she couldn't move.

• В детстве страх темноты был для меня настоящей проблемой.

  In childhood, fear of the dark was a real problem for me.

• Страх потери близких заставляет нас ценить каждый момент.

  Fear of losing loved ones makes us cherish every moment.

Meaning 2: To be afraid or feel fear (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бояться - Commonly used in informal speech to express personal emotions, such as fearing something specific, and can be conjugated for different subjects.

Usage Examples:

• Я боюсь летать на самолёте из-за турбулентности.

  I fear flying on a plane because of turbulence.

• Дети боятся темноты, но со временем это проходит.

  Children fear the dark, but it passes with time.

• Она боится публичных выступлений, поэтому избегает конференций.

  She fears public speaking, so she avoids conferences.

• Мы боимся перемен, но они необходимы для роста.

  We fear change, but it's necessary for growth.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "страх" (noun, masculine), it follows the standard third declension pattern for Russian nouns. It is inflected based on case and number:

For "бояться" (verb, imperfective), it is a first conjugation verb with irregularities in some forms. Key conjugations include:

Note: "Бояться" does not change in the infinitive form and has aspectual pairs like "испугаться" (perfective).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ужас (uzhas) - Similar to "terror", often used for intense fear.
  • тревога (trevoga) - Implies anxiety or worry, with a subtle difference from pure fear.
• Antonyms:
  • смелость (smelost') - Courage, directly opposite to fear.
  • уверенность (uverennost') - Confidence, lacking any element of fear.

Related Phrases:

• Без страха и упрёка (Bez strakha i upryoka) - Without fear or reproach; means acting boldly and honorably.
• Бояться как огня (Boyat'sya kak ogni) - To fear like fire; an idiom for extreme fear or avoidance.
• Страх Божий (Strakh Bozhiy) - Fear of God; refers to awe and respect in a religious context.

Usage Notes:

"Страх" directly corresponds to the noun form of "fear" in English and is versatile across contexts, but it's more neutral in Russian. "Бояться" aligns with the verb "to fear" and is commonly used in imperfective aspect for ongoing fears. In formal writing, prefer "страх" over slang alternatives. When choosing between translations, use "страх" for static emotions and "бояться" for actions; be mindful of Russian's aspect system, as "бояться" often pairs with perfective verbs like "испугаться" for sudden fear.

Common Errors:

• English speakers often misuse case endings with "страх", e.g., saying "страх" in the genitive instead of "страха" (wrong: "Я имею страх"; correct: "Я имею страх" is actually fine in nominative, but errors occur in phrases like "из-за страх" instead of "из-за страха"). Explanation: Russian requires correct declension to fit sentence structure.
• Conjugating "бояться" incorrectly, such as using "боюсь" for plural subjects (wrong: "Мы боюсь"; correct: "Мы боимся"). Explanation: Verb agreement with subject is crucial; practice conjugation tables to avoid this.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "страх" often appears in literature and folklore, such as in fairy tales by Pushkin, where fear is a motif for personal growth. The phrase "Страх Божий" reflects Orthodox influences, emphasizing reverence rather than terror, highlighting how fear can be a positive force in moral development.

Related Concepts:

• тревога (trevoga)
• паника (panika)
• храбрость (khabrost')