Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'holdup'

English Word: holdup

Key Russian Translations:

• задержка [zəˈdʲerʐkə] - [Formal, used in contexts like traffic or scheduling]
• ограбление [ɐˈɡrablenʲjə] - [Informal, often in criminal or everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in daily conversations and media, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (for задержка); B2 Upper-Intermediate (for ограбление, due to contextual nuances and potential cultural implications)

Pronunciation (Russian):

задержка: [zəˈdʲerʐkə]

Note on задержка: The 'ж' sound is a voiced postalveolar fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure' in English; stress falls on the second syllable, which can be tricky for beginners.

Audio: []

ограбление: [ɐˈɡrablenʲjə]

Note on ограбление: The 'г' is a voiced velar fricative, pronounced like a soft 'g'; the ending '-ение' often softens in casual speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

First Meaning: Delay or obstruction (e.g., in traffic, events, or processes)

Translation(s) & Context:

• задержка - Used in formal or neutral contexts, such as describing a traffic jam or a meeting delay.

Usage Examples:

• Из-за пробок на дороге произошла задержка в полчаса.

  Due to traffic jams, there was a holdup of half an hour.

• Задержка рейса вынудила нас ждать в аэропорту.

  The flight holdup forced us to wait at the airport.

• Благодаря задержке, мы успели перекусить перед поездкой.

  Thanks to the holdup, we managed to grab a quick bite before the trip.

• Эта задержка в производстве может повлиять на сроки проекта.

  This holdup in production could affect the project timelines.

Second Meaning: Robbery or armed holdup (e.g., criminal act)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ограбление - Used in informal or dramatic contexts, such as news reports or storytelling about crimes.

Usage Examples:

• Во время ограбления банка преступники использовали маски.

  During the bank holdup, the criminals used masks.

• Ограбление ювелирного магазина шокировало весь город.

  The jewelry store holdup shocked the entire city.

• Полиция расследует недавнее ограбление на улице.

  The police are investigating the recent street holdup.

• Из-за ограбления нам пришлось изменить маршрут.

  Because of the holdup, we had to change our route.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are nouns. Russian nouns inflect based on case, number, and gender. Here's a breakdown:

For задержка (feminine noun, 3rd declension):

Note: It follows regular feminine patterns with no irregularities.

For ограбление (neuter noun, 2nd declension):

This noun is regular but may vary slightly in spoken language.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • задержка: промедление (promedlenie) - Similar, but implies more voluntary delay.
  • ограбление: налет (nalet) - Often used for quick, surprise attacks; грабеж (grabesh) - More general term for theft.
• Antonyms:
  • задержка: своевременность (svoevremennost') - Timeliness or punctuality.
  • ограбление: защита (zashchita) - Protection or defense against crime.

Related Phrases:

• Из-за задержки трафика - Due to traffic holdup (used in daily commuting contexts).
• Ограбление с применением оружия - Armed holdup (common in crime reports).
• Причина задержки - Cause of the holdup (for problem-solving scenarios).

Usage Notes:

The English word 'holdup' can correspond to задержка for non-criminal delays, which is neutral and widely applicable in formal settings like business or transportation. For criminal contexts, ограбление is more precise but carries a dramatic tone, so use it cautiously in conversations. Note the gender and case agreements in Russian sentences; for example, задержка requires feminine adjectives. When choosing between translations, opt for задержка in everyday scenarios and ограбление for law enforcement or media discussions.

Common Errors:

• Confusing задержка with промедление: Learners might overuse промедление for any delay, but it's better for intentional procrastination. Correct: Use задержка for external holdups. Example: Incorrect: "Промедление в трафике" (implies voluntary delay); Correct: "Задержка в трафике" – because it's unforeseen.
• Misinflecting ограбление: Beginners often forget case endings, e.g., saying "ограбление" in genitive as "ограбление" instead of "ограбления". Example: Incorrect: "Из-за ограбление" (wrong case); Correct: "Из-за ограбления" – always check the sentence structure for proper agreement.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like ограбление often evoke memories of historical events, such as the high crime rates during the 1990s economic turmoil in Russia. This can add a layer of sensitivity in conversations, where discussing a holdup might reference broader social issues rather than just the act itself.

Related Concepts:

• пробка (traffic jam, related to задержка)
• преступление (crime, related to ограбление)
• задержание (detainment by authorities)