Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'hanker'

English Word: hanker

Key Russian Translations:

• жаждать [ˈʐaʐdətʲ] - [Verb, Informal; Used to express a strong, intense desire or craving]
• стремиться [ˈstrʲemʲɪt͡sə] - [Verb, Formal; Used in contexts involving aspiration or pursuit, often with a goal]
• желать [ʐɨˈlatʲ] - [Verb, Neutral; More general desire, but can imply longing in certain contexts]

Frequency: Medium (The word is not among the most common in everyday Russian, but appears in literature, conversations about emotions, and motivational contexts.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuanced emotional vocabulary. For 'жаждать', it's B2; for 'стремиться', it might be B1 if focusing on basic forms.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

жаждать: [ˈʐaʐdətʲ] (The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'. Stress on the first syllable.)

стремиться: [ˈstrʲemʲɪt͡sə] (The 'щ' is a voiceless alveolo-palatal fricative; stress on the first syllable. Pay attention to the soft sign 'ь' affecting pronunciation.)

желать: [ʐɨˈlatʲ] (The 'ж' is similar to in 'жаждать'; secondary stress can vary in fast speech.)

Note on жаждать: This word has a somewhat archaic or poetic feel in modern Russian, so pronounce it with emphasis to convey intensity. Variations in regional accents may soften the 'ж' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To have a strong, persistent desire for something (primary meaning of 'hanker')

Translation(s) & Context:

• жаждать - Used in emotional or intense contexts, such as craving success or longing for a person; common in literature or personal narratives.
• стремиться - Applied in goal-oriented scenarios, like career ambitions; more formal and less emotional than жаждать.
• желать - General desire; used in everyday speech but can overlap with 'hanker' when emphasizing depth.

Usage Examples:

• Он жаждал вернуться в родной город после долгой разлуки.

  He hankered to return to his hometown after a long separation.

• Молодая художница жаждала признания и выставляла свои работы на каждом конкурсе.

  The young artist hankered for recognition and entered her works in every competition.

• В детстве я всегда стремился к приключениям, но жаждал безопасности дома.

  As a child, I always hankered for adventures but longed for the safety of home.

• Она желала простоты жизни, но в глубине души жаждала роскоши.

  She desired a simple life, but deep down hankered for luxury.

• После переезда в новый город, он стремился к успеху, но всё жаждал старых друзей.

  After moving to a new city, he hankered for success but longed for his old friends.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which inflect based on tense, aspect, person, and number in Russian. 'Жаждать' and 'желать' are imperfective verbs, while 'стремиться' can be used in various aspects. Below is a table for 'жаждать' as an example:

For 'стремиться', it follows similar patterns but is often used with prepositions like 'к' (to). 'Желать' has irregular forms in some tenses. These verbs do not change for gender in the infinitive form but do in the past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • хотеть (more casual, less intense)
  • тосковать (implies homesickness or deep longing)
  • пожелать (for wishing, often in formal or future contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • отвергать (to reject)
  • не желать (to not desire)
  • отталкивать (to repel or push away)

Related Phrases:

• жаждать успеха - Thirst for success; a common motivational phrase in Russian culture.
• стремиться к идеалу - Strive for the ideal; used in personal development contexts.
• желать лучшего - Desire something better; often in reflective or aspirational speech.

Usage Notes:

• 'Жаждать' is the closest match to 'hanker' for intense emotional desire, but it's more poetic and less common in casual talk; use it in narratives or formal writing.
• In Russian, these verbs often require prepositions (e.g., жаждать чего-то), unlike 'hanker' which can stand alone; always specify the object for natural flow.
• When choosing between translations, opt for 'стремиться' in professional or goal-oriented contexts, and 'желать' for everyday wants to avoid over-dramatizing.
• Grammar note: These are imperfective verbs, so they describe ongoing desires; for completed actions, pair with perfective aspects like 'возжаждать'.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'жаждать' interchangeably with 'хотеть' without considering intensity. Incorrect: Я хочу мороженого (implies simple want). Correct: Я жажду приключений (for strong craving). Explanation: 'Жаждать' conveys passion, so misuse can make speech sound exaggerated.
• Error: Forgetting verb conjugations, e.g., saying 'жаждать' in the wrong person. Incorrect: Он жаждать (grammatically wrong). Correct: Он жаждет. Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with subject in person and number.
• Error: Omitting prepositions in phrases. Incorrect: Он жаждал богатство (sounds incomplete). Correct: Он жаждал богатства. Explanation: Prepositions like 'к' or genitive case are essential for clarity.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian literature and culture, words like 'жаждать' often appear in contexts of unfulfilled desires, as seen in works by authors like Tolstoy or Dostoevsky. It reflects the Russian emphasis on deep emotional introspection, where longing can symbolize broader themes of loss or aspiration, especially in historical or post-Soviet narratives.

Related Concepts:

• желание (desire)
• тоска (longing or melancholy)
• амбиции (ambitions)