Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'killer'

English Word: killer

Key Russian Translations:

• убийца [uˈbʲijtsə] - [Formal, Noun]
• крутой [krʊˈtoj] - [Informal, Slang]
• убийственный [uˈbʲijstvʲɪnnyj] - [Formal, Adjective]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in crime-related contexts, less frequent in slang)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate for 'убийца' and 'убийственный'; A2 for 'крутой' as it's more straightforward slang)

Pronunciation (Russian):

убийца: [uˈbʲijtsə]

крутой: [krʊˈtoj]

убийственный: [uˈbʲijstvʲɪnnyj]

Note on убийца: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the palatalized 'bʲ' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

As a noun meaning a person who kills or murderer

Translation(s) & Context:

• убийца - Used in formal or legal contexts, such as describing criminals in news or literature.

Usage Examples:

• В фильме главный герой — профессиональный убийца, который работает на правительство.

  In the movie, the main character is a professional killer who works for the government.

• Полиция поймала серийного убийцу после нескольких лет расследования.

  The police caught the serial killer after several years of investigation.

• В исторических книгах часто упоминают известных убийц, изменивших ход событий.

  Historical books often mention famous killers who changed the course of events.

• Она боялась, что этот убийца может вернуться и нанести удар снова.

  She was afraid that this killer might return and strike again.

As an adjective meaning deadly or extremely effective

Translation(s) & Context:

• убийственный - Used in contexts describing something lethal or overwhelmingly impressive, like in sports or reviews.

Usage Examples:

• Его аргументы были убийственными, и оппонент не смог ничего возразить.

  His arguments were killer, and the opponent couldn't object to anything.

• Эта диета имеет убийственный эффект на здоровье, если не следовать рекомендациям.

  This diet has a killer effect on health if you don't follow the recommendations.

• В концерте солистка исполнила убийственную арию, которая заворожила аудиторию.

  In the concert, the soloist performed a killer aria that captivated the audience.

• Ураганы в этом регионе имеют убийственную силу, разрушая всё на своём пути.

  Hurricanes in this region have a killer force, destroying everything in their path.

As slang meaning cool or awesome

Translation(s) & Context:

• крутой - Informal usage among youth, equivalent to "killer" in American slang for something impressive.

Usage Examples:

• Его новая машина — просто крутой тачка, все завидуют!

  His new car is a killer ride; everyone is jealous!

• Этот фильм — крутой, с убийственными спецэффектами и сюжетом.

  This movie is killer, with awesome special effects and plot.

• Она оделась в крутой наряд для вечеринки, став звездой вечера.

  She dressed in a killer outfit for the party, becoming the star of the evening.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'убийца' (a masculine noun), it follows the standard second declension pattern with irregularities in some cases. Here's a table for its inflections:

For 'убийственный' (an adjective), it declines like other adjectives: e.g., убийственного (genitive singular), убийственные (nominative plural). 'Крутой' is an adjective that declines regularly without irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • убийца: насильник (nasilʹnik) - but more specific to violent criminals
  • крутой: классный (klassnyj) - often used interchangeably in casual speech
  • убийственный: разрушительный (razrushitelʹnyj) - implies destruction
• Antonyms:
  • убийца: спасатель (spasatelʹ) - rescuer
  • крутой: скучный (skuchnyj) - boring
  • убийственный: безвредный (bezvrednyj) - harmless

Related Phrases:

• Серийный убийца - Serial killer; Used in crime discussions to describe repeated offenders.
• Убийственный удар - Killer blow; Refers to a decisive or fatal strike in sports or combat.
• Крутой парень - Killer guy; Slang for a cool or tough person in informal conversations.

Usage Notes:

'Killer' translates variably in Russian based on context: 'убийца' is the direct equivalent for literal meanings, while 'крутой' is best for positive slang. Be cautious with formality—'убийца' is neutral but can sound intense in everyday talk. In Russian, adjectives like 'убийственный' must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify, unlike English. Choose 'крутой' for youth-oriented or casual settings to avoid misunderstandings.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'убийца' in slang contexts, e.g., saying "Это убийца идея" instead of "Это крутая идея."
  Correct: "Это крутая идея" means "This is a killer idea." Explanation: 'Убийца' implies murder, which can lead to confusion or offense.
• Mistake: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "убийственный машина" instead of "убийственная машина."
  Correct: "убийственная машина" (feminine noun). Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'убийца' often evoke references to historical events, such as Soviet-era crimes or modern true-crime stories in media. 'Крутой' reflects contemporary youth culture influenced by Western slang, highlighting Russia's blend of global and local trends in informal language.

Related Concepts:

• преступник (prestuplʹnik) - criminal
• наёмный убийца (naëmnyj ubijtsa) - hitman
• герой (geroj) - hero (antithetical in some contexts)