Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'headmistress'

English Word: headmistress

Key Russian Translations:

• директриса [dʲɪrʲekˈtrʲisə] - [Formal, Feminine noun used in educational contexts]
• завучница [zɐˈvut͡ɕnʲɪt͡sə] - [Informal or regional variant, typically for deputy headmistress]

Frequency: Medium (Common in educational discussions but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it involves understanding gender-specific nouns and formal vocabulary; for 'завучница', it may be B2 due to less common usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

директриса: [dʲɪrʲekˈtrʲisə]

завучница: [zɐˈvut͡ɕnʲɪt͡sə]

Note on директриса: The stress falls on the third syllable ('trʲisə'), which can be tricky for learners due to the palatalized consonants.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The female principal or head of a school

Translation(s) & Context:

• директриса - Used in formal settings like schools or official documents to denote a female head administrator.
• завучница - Applied in informal or specific contexts, such as smaller schools, to refer to a female deputy head.

Usage Examples:

• В нашей школе директриса организует все мероприятия.

  In our school, the headmistress organizes all the events.

• Директриса строго следит за дисциплиной в классе.

  The headmistress strictly monitors discipline in the classroom.

• Завучница школы помогла нам с выбором предметов.

  The deputy headmistress of the school helped us with subject selection.

• Новая директриса ввела новые правила для учеников.

  The new headmistress introduced new rules for the students.

• Во время собрания директриса выступила с речью.

  During the assembly, the headmistress gave a speech.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Директриса' and 'завучница' are feminine nouns in Russian, belonging to the first declension. They follow standard patterns for feminine nouns ending in -a.

Note: These nouns do not have irregular inflections, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • руководительница (general female leader, with a broader application than just schools)
  • начальница (female boss, often in administrative roles; less specific to education)
• Antonyms:
  • ученик (student, male)
  • ученица (student, female)

Related Phrases:

• школьная директриса - School headmistress (used to specify the context in educational institutions).
• директриса учебного заведения - Headmistress of an educational institution (formal phrase emphasizing the role).
• завучница на уроке - Deputy headmistress in class (indicating involvement in daily teaching activities).

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'директриса' directly corresponds to 'headmistress' in gender-specific terms, emphasizing the feminine form, which is important in languages like Russian where nouns have grammatical gender. Use 'директриса' in formal or professional contexts, such as school meetings or official documents. Avoid using it interchangeably with 'директор' (which is masculine and gender-neutral in some cases). For 'завучница', it's more regional and informal, so choose based on the exact role. When translating from English, ensure the context specifies the gender to select the appropriate Russian term.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using the masculine form 'директор' for a female headmistress. Incorrect: Мой директор — женщина. Correct: Моя директриса — женщина. Explanation: Russian requires gender agreement, so failing to use the feminine form can lead to grammatical errors and confusion in meaning.

• Error: Overgeneralizing 'завучница' as equivalent to 'headmistress'. Incorrect: Завучница — главная в школе. Correct: Директриса — главная в школе. Explanation: 'Завучница' typically means deputy head, not the primary head, so misuse can alter the intended meaning.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the role of a 'директриса' often carries authority and respect in educational settings, reflecting traditional hierarchies in schools. Historically, women in such positions were less common in the Soviet era, but today it's more prevalent, symbolizing gender equality in professional roles.

Related Concepts:

• учитель
• педагог
• школьный совет