Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'homicide'

English Word: homicide

Key Russian Translations:

• убийство [ʊˈbʲijstvə] - [Formal]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in legal, news, and formal contexts, but not in everyday casual conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of legal terminology and basic Russian noun declensions)

Pronunciation (Russian):

убийство: [ʊˈbʲijstvə]

Note on убийство: The stress falls on the second syllable ("bʲij"), which is a common challenge for English speakers due to the soft consonant 'й'. Pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The killing of one person by another, often implying intent or unlawfulness.

Translation(s) & Context:

• убийство - Used in formal, legal, or journalistic contexts to describe a deliberate or unlawful killing.

Usage Examples:

• Он был арестован по обвинению в убийстве. (On byl arestovan po obvineniyu v ubiystve.)

  He was arrested on charges of homicide.

• Следствие установило, что это было преднамеренное убийство. (Sledstvie ustanovilo, chto eto bylo prednamerennoe ubiystvo.)

  The investigation established that it was a premeditated homicide.

• В новостях сообщили о двойном убийстве в центре города. (V novostyakh soobshchili o dvoynom ubiystve v tsentre goroda.)

  The news reported a double homicide in the city center.

• Суд приговорил его к пожизненному заключению за убийство. (Sud prigovoril ego k pozhiznennomu zaklyucheniyu za ubiystvo.)

  The court sentenced him to life imprisonment for homicide.

• История этого убийства стала основой для фильма. (Istoriya etogo ubiystva stala osnovoy dlya filma.)

  The story of this homicide became the basis for a film.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

The word "убийство" is a neuter noun in the third declension. It follows standard Russian noun inflection patterns for case and number, with no irregularities. Below is a table of its inflections:

Note: As a neuter noun, it does not change in the accusative singular form to match the nominative.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • заклание (zaklaniye) - Less common, often used in literary or archaic contexts for ritualistic killing.
  • истребление (istrebeleniye) - Implies mass killing, with a connotation of extermination.
• Antonyms:
  • спасение (spaseniye) - Saving or rescue, contrasting with the act of killing.
  • защита (zashchita) - Protection, implying prevention of harm.

Related Phrases:

• Преднамеренное убийство (Prednamerennoe ubiystvo) - Premeditated homicide; used in legal contexts to indicate planned killing.
• Убийство первой степени (Ubiystvo pervoy stepeni) - First-degree homicide; refers to the most serious form in criminal law.
• Массовое убийство (Massovoye ubiystvo) - Mass homicide; describes killings involving multiple victims, often in news reports.

Usage Notes:

"Убийство" directly corresponds to "homicide" in English, emphasizing the act of killing rather than the perpetrator. It is typically used in formal settings like courtrooms, police reports, or media. Unlike English, where "homicide" is neutral, Russian often pairs it with adjectives to specify intent (e.g., "преднамеренное" for premeditated). When choosing translations, opt for "убийство" in legal contexts; avoid it in casual speech to prevent sounding overly dramatic. Grammatically, always decline it according to its case in a sentence for proper agreement.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "убийство" with "убийца" (ubiytsa, meaning "murderer"). Incorrect: "Он убийство" (wrong, as it mixes noun forms). Correct: "Он совершил убийство" (He committed homicide). Explanation: "Убийство" is the act, not the person; use genitive or other cases appropriately.

• Overusing in informal contexts. Incorrect: Casually saying "Это убийство!" to mean "That's terrible!" in everyday talk. Correct: Use "ужасно" (uzhasno) instead. Explanation: This can make speech sound exaggerated or inappropriate; reserve for serious discussions.

• Forgetting declensions. Incorrect: "О убийстве" (missing the prepositional case). Correct: "Об убийстве" (Ob ubiystve). Explanation: Russian requires precise case endings; ignoring them leads to grammatical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and legal systems, "убийство" often carries heavy moral and historical connotations, especially in the context of Soviet-era crimes or modern events like high-profile murders. It reflects Russia's emphasis on collective responsibility and state control over justice, as seen in literature like Dostoevsky's works, where homicide themes explore guilt and redemption.

Related Concepts:

• преступление (prestuplenie) - Crime
• насилие (nasiliye) - Violence
• смерть (smert') - Death