Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'heiress'

English Word: heiress

Key Russian Translations:

• наследница [nɐˈslʲednʲɪtsə] - [Formal, Feminine noun, Used in legal, familial, or historical contexts]

Frequency: Medium (This word is encountered in discussions of inheritance, literature, and history, but not in everyday casual conversation.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; learners need to understand noun declensions and gender agreements, which can be challenging for beginners.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

наследница: [nɐˈslʲednʲɪtsə]

Note on наследница: The stress falls on the third syllable ("slʲed"), and the "slʲ" sound is a soft 'l' followed by a palatalized consonant, which is common in Russian but may require practice for English speakers. Variations in regional accents might slightly alter vowel length.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A female person who is entitled to inherit property, titles, or wealth.

Translation(s) & Context:

• наследница - Typically used in formal contexts such as legal documents, historical narratives, or family discussions about succession.

Usage Examples:

• Она является наследницей огромного состояния, которое оставил ей отец.

  She is the heiress to a vast fortune that her father left her.

• Наследница престола тщательно готовится к своей будущей роли в монархии.

  The heiress to the throne is carefully preparing for her future role in the monarchy.

• В романе главная героиня, как наследница, борется за своё право на имущество.

  In the novel, the main heroine, as the heiress, fights for her right to the property.

• Молодая наследница инвестирует своё наследство в бизнес, чтобы расширить семейное наследие.

  The young heiress is investing her inheritance in business to expand the family legacy.

• Наследница старинного рода часто сталкивается с давлением общественного мнения.

  The heiress of an ancient lineage often faces pressure from public opinion.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Наследница" is a first-declension feminine noun in Russian, which means it follows standard patterns for feminine nouns ending in -а. It inflects based on case, number, and gender agreement. Below is a table outlining its basic declensions in the singular form (plural forms are less common but follow similar rules).

Note: The word is invariant in terms of gender but changes with case as shown. For plural, it becomes "наследницы" in nominative, following regular patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • преемница (preemnica) - More general, implying a successor in any context, with a slight nuance of taking over a position rather than inheriting wealth.
  • владелица (vladelitsa) - Used when emphasizing ownership, but less specific to inheritance.
• Antonyms:
  • наследник (naslednik) - The male counterpart, meaning "heir."

Related Phrases:

• наследственное право (nasledstvennoe pravo) - Inheritance law; a common legal term referring to the rules governing property transfer.
• наследница престола (naslednitsa prestola) - Heiress to the throne; used in monarchical or historical contexts to denote royal succession.
• передача наследства (peredacha nasledstva) - Transfer of inheritance; a phrase involving the process of passing down assets.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "наследница" directly corresponds to "heiress" in English, emphasizing the feminine gender, which is crucial in Russian grammar as adjectives and verbs must agree. It is typically used in formal or written contexts, such as legal documents or literature, rather than casual speech. When choosing between translations, opt for "наследница" if the context specifies a female heir; otherwise, "наследник" might be used for males. Be mindful of case agreements in sentences, as Russian requires nouns to change form based on their role.

Common Errors:

• Using the masculine form "наследник" instead of "наследница" for a female subject: Incorrect: Он является наследник. (This mixes genders.) Correct: Она является наследницей. (Explanation: Russian nouns have grammatical gender, so always match the subject's gender.)
• Forgetting declension in sentences: Incorrect: Я думаю о наследница. (This uses the wrong case.) Correct: Я думаю о наследнице. (Explanation: In the prepositional case, the noun must end in -е for this form.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of an heiress often ties into historical traditions of nobility and inheritance, as seen in literature like Tolstoy's works. It can carry connotations of social responsibility or burden, reflecting Russia's feudal past where family estates and titles were passed down, sometimes with gender-specific restrictions that have evolved in modern times.

Related Concepts:

• наследство (nasledstvo)
• завещание (zaveshchanie)
• преемственность (preemstvennost')