Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'guilt'

English Word: guilt

Key Russian Translations:

• вина /ˈvʲinə/ - [Formal, used in legal or moral contexts]
• чувство вины /ˈt͡ɕʉvstvə ˈvʲinɨ/ - [Informal, emotional or psychological contexts]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in everyday conversations, literature, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary)

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

Pronunciation (Russian):

вина: /ˈvʲinə/ (The stress is on the first syllable; the "в" is pronounced as a voiced labiodental fricative, similar to "v" in "victory".)

Note on вина: Be cautious with the palatalized "вʲ", which is a common feature in Russian that might be tricky for English speakers; it softens the sound before vowels.

чувство вины: /ˈt͡ɕʉvstvə ˈvʲinɨ/ (The word "чувство" has stress on the first syllable, and "вины" follows the same pronunciation as above.)

Note on чувство вины: The "ч" is a voiceless alveolo-palatal affricate, akin to "ch" in "church", and the phrase is often spoken quickly in casual speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The state of having committed an offense or crime (legal or moral responsibility)

Translation(s) & Context:

• вина - Used in formal contexts like courtrooms or serious discussions about accountability; implies a sense of wrongdoing.

Usage Examples:

• Он признал свою вину в суде. (On priznal svoyu vinu v sude.)

  He admitted his guilt in court.

• Вина за аварию лежит на водителе. (Vina za avariyu lezhit na voditele.)

  The guilt for the accident lies with the driver.

• Суд доказал его вину. (Sud dokazal ego vinu.)

  The court proved his guilt.

Meaning 2: A feeling of having done wrong or failed in an obligation (emotional or psychological state)

Translation(s) & Context:

• чувство вины - Common in informal, personal conversations about emotions; expresses internal remorse rather than legal fault.

Usage Examples:

• После ссоры у меня появилось чувство вины. (Posle ssory u menya poyavilos' chuvstvo viiny.)

  After the argument, I felt a sense of guilt.

• Её мучает чувство вины из-за прошлого. (Eyoo muchayet chuvstvo viiny iz-za proshlogo.)

  She is tormented by guilt from the past.

• Чтобы избавиться от чувства вины, нужно извиниться. (Chtoby izbavitsya ot chuvstva viiny, nuzhno izvinit'sya.)

  To get rid of the feeling of guilt, you need to apologize.

• Чувство вины иногда помогает людям измениться. (Chuvstvo viiny inogda pomogaet lyudyam izmenit'sya.)

  Guilt can sometimes help people change.

• В терапии часто обсуждают чувство вины. (V terapii chasto obsuzhdayut chuvstvo viiny.)

  In therapy, guilt is often discussed.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For вина (a feminine noun in the first declension), it follows standard Russian noun declension patterns. It is inflected based on case, number, and gender. Note that it is singular in most contexts related to "guilt"; the plural form is less common.

For чувство вины, it is a phrase where "чувство" (neuter noun) inflects as: Nominative - чувство, Genitive - чувства, etc. "Вины" inflects as above. The phrase as a whole does not inflect uniformly but follows the rules of its components.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • стыд (styd) - More about shame, often interchangeable in emotional contexts but implies public humiliation.
  • раскаяние (raskayaniye) - Regret or repentance, used when guilt leads to a desire for atonement.
• Antonyms:
  • невиновность (nevinovnost') - Innocence, directly opposite in legal contexts.
  • справедливость (spravedlivost') - Justice, contrasting with unjust guilt.

Related Phrases:

• Чувство вины и стыда (Chuvstvo viiny i styda) - Feeling of guilt and shame; used in psychological discussions to describe complex emotions.
• Признать вину (Priznat' vinu) - To admit guilt; a common phrase in legal or personal accountability scenarios.
• Освободиться от вины (Osvobodit'sya ot viiny) - To free oneself from guilt; often in self-help or therapeutic contexts.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "вина" is more formal and often relates to legal or objective fault, while "чувство вины" captures the subjective, emotional aspect similar to English "guilt". Choose "вина" for contexts involving blame or responsibility, and "чувство вины" for personal feelings. Be mindful of grammatical gender and case; for example, in sentences, "вина" must agree with adjectives and verbs. In informal speech, Russians might use diminutives or intensifiers like "большая вина" (big guilt) to emphasize severity.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "вина" with "вино" (wine): English learners might mishear or misspell due to similarity. Error: "Я чувствую вино" (incorrect for guilt). Correct: "Я чувствую вину". Explanation: "Вино" means an alcoholic beverage, so always check context.
• Overusing "чувство вины" in formal settings: Error: Using it in a legal document instead of "вина". Correct: "Обвиняемый признал вину". Explanation: Reserve "чувство вины" for emotional dialogues to avoid sounding informal or imprecise.
• Forgetting declension: Error: Saying "Я имею вина" instead of "Я имею вину". Correct: Ensure proper accusative case. Explanation: Russian nouns change form based on sentence role, which English lacks, so practice declensions carefully.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions of guilt like "чувство вины" are often tied to concepts of collective responsibility, as seen in literature (e.g., Dostoevsky's works) where personal guilt reflects broader societal or moral failings. This can stem from historical contexts like the Soviet era, where individual actions were scrutinized for their impact on the community, making guilt a deeply introspective emotion.

Related Concepts:

• стыд (shame)
• раскаяние (repentance)
• совесть (conscience)