Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'grave'

English Word: grave

Key Russian Translations:

• могила /mɐˈɡʲilə/ - [Formal, Noun]
• гроб /ɡrob/ - [Informal, Noun, Used in contexts related to coffins or burial]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature, formal discussions, and everyday conversations about death and burial)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic noun inflections and vocabulary related to emotions and mortality)

Pronunciation (Russian):

могила: /mɐˈɡʲilə/ (Stress on the second syllable; the 'г' is a voiced velar fricative, similar to the 'g' in 'go')

гроб: /ɡrob/ (A straightforward pronunciation; the 'р' is a trilled 'r')

Note on могила: Be cautious with the palatalized 'гʲ' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers; it softens before vowels in some dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A place of burial or tomb (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• могила - Used in formal or poetic contexts, such as describing cemeteries or memorials.
• гроб - Applied in practical or everyday scenarios, like funeral arrangements or literature about death.

Usage Examples:

• В старом кладбище есть древняя могила известного поэта.

  In the old cemetery, there is an ancient grave of a famous poet.

• Семья посетила гроб усопшего родственника на похоронах.

  The family visited the grave of the deceased relative at the funeral.

• Могила предков всегда почитается в русской традиции.

  The graves of ancestors are always honored in Russian tradition.

• В фильме показано, как герой чистит гроб своего друга под дождем.

  In the film, the hero is shown cleaning his friend's grave in the rain.

• Каждый год люди приносят цветы к могиле на День Победы.

  Every year, people bring flowers to the grave on Victory Day.

Serious or solemn (Adjective form, less common translation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• серьёзный - Used when 'grave' means severe or important, e.g., in medical or emotional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Врач описал ситуацию как серьёзную, требующую немедленного вмешательства.

  The doctor described the situation as grave, requiring immediate intervention.

• Его серьёзный тон во время речи заставил всех задуматься.

  His grave tone during the speech made everyone think deeply.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'могила' (a feminine noun in the first declension), it follows standard Russian noun inflections. It changes based on case, number, and gender. 'Гроб' is a masculine noun with its own inflections.

Note: These are regular inflections; no irregularities for these words.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • погребение (pogrebenie) - More formal, emphasizing the act of burial.
  • усипальня (usipolnaya) - Used for a tomb or crypt, with a slightly archaic connotation.
• Antonyms:
  • жизнь (zhizn') - Life, as the opposite of death-related concepts.

Related Phrases:

• Вечная память (Vechnaya pamyat') - Meaning: Eternal memory; a phrase used at gravesides during memorials.
• На могиле предков (Na mogile predkov) - Meaning: At the grave of ancestors; common in cultural or familial contexts.
• Гробовая тишина (Grobovaya tishina) - Meaning: Grave silence; an idiom for absolute quietness.

Usage Notes:

'Могила' directly corresponds to the English 'grave' as a burial site and is preferred in formal or literary English-Russian translations. Use 'гроб' for contexts involving coffins. Be mindful of cultural sensitivity, as these words often appear in discussions of death; in Russian, they may carry emotional weight in Orthodox traditions. For adjective forms like 'grave' meaning serious, opt for 'серьёзный' in everyday speech but choose based on context to avoid literal misinterpretations.

• Grammar note: Always inflect nouns according to case; e.g., use genitive for possession like "у могилы" (at the grave).
• Choose between translations based on specificity: 'Могила' for outdoor graves, 'гроб' for enclosed ones.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'могила' with 'гроб' and use them interchangeably, but 'гроб' specifically means a coffin, not the gravesite. For example:

• Incorrect: "Я видел гроб на кладбище" when meaning the entire burial plot (this implies just the coffin).
• Correct: "Я видел могилу на кладбище" for the grave site. Explanation: Use 'могила' for the location to avoid implying only the container.
• Another error: Forgetting inflections, e.g., saying "в могила" instead of "в могиле" (in the grave). Always apply the correct case for grammatical accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, graves like 'могила' hold deep significance, especially in Orthodox traditions. Visiting graves on holidays like Radonitsa involves leaving flowers and food, symbolizing respect for the dead and continuity of family lineage. This reflects Russia's historical emphasis on mortality and remembrance, influenced by literature like Tolstoy's works.

Related Concepts:

• кладбище (kladbishche) - Cemetery
• похороны (pohorony) - Funeral
• усопший (usopshiy) - Deceased