Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'motive'

English Word: motive

Key Russian Translations:

• мотив /mɐˈtʲif/ - [Formal, often used in psychological, literary, or legal contexts]
• причина /prʲɪˈzɪnə/ - [Common, everyday usage for general reasons or causes]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations appear regularly in Russian literature, news, and conversations, but not as frequently as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of noun declensions and context-specific usage. For 'причина', it may be A2 for beginners due to its simplicity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

мотив: /mɐˈtʲif/ (The 'тʲ' indicates a palatalized 't', common in Russian; stress on the second syllable.)

Note on мотив: Pay attention to the soft 'тʲ' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers. It sounds softer than a standard English 't'.

Audio: []

причина: /prʲɪˈzɪnə/ (Stress on the third syllable; the 'рʲ' is a rolled 'r' with palatalization.)

Note on причина: The initial 'прʲ' blend is pronounced quickly; avoid over-emphasizing the 'r' as in English.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A reason or driving force behind an action, often in psychological, legal, or narrative contexts

Translation(s) & Context:

• мотив - Used in formal settings like detective stories or psychology to denote underlying motivations.
• причина - Applied in everyday situations for straightforward causes, such as in explanations or excuses.

Usage Examples:

• Его мотив для преступления оставался загадкой для полиции.

  His motive for the crime remained a mystery to the police.

• В романе главный герой раскрывает свой мотив через внутренний монолог.

  In the novel, the main character reveals his motive through an internal monologue.

• Причина опоздания была плохой погодой, а не ленью.

  The reason for being late was bad weather, not laziness.

• Она объяснила мотив своего решения на собрании акционеров.

  She explained the motive behind her decision at the shareholders' meeting.

• Какая причина привела к этому конфликту?

  What motive led to this conflict?

Meaning 2: A recurring theme or element in art, music, or literature

Translation(s) & Context:

• мотив - Commonly used in artistic contexts, such as in music or visual arts, to describe a repeated pattern.

Usage Examples:

• Этот музыкальный мотив повторяется на протяжении всей симфонии.

  This musical motive repeats throughout the symphony.

• В картине доминирует мотив природы и одиночества.

  The painting is dominated by the motive of nature and solitude.

• Автор использует мотив любви как центральный элемент сюжета.

  The author uses the motive of love as the central element of the plot.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'мотив' (a masculine noun, second declension):

Note: This follows regular masculine noun patterns with no irregularities.

For 'причина' (a feminine noun, first declension):

This is a standard feminine noun with no special irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for мотив: повод (reason, pretext; less formal), основание (basis; more abstract)
• Synonyms for причина: повод (pretext; implies something less direct), фактор (factor; used in analytical contexts)
• Antonyms: следствие (consequence; opposite of cause)

Note: 'Повод' can be a subtle synonym for 'мотив' but is often used for excuses in informal speech.

Related Phrases:

• скрытый мотив - Hidden motive; used in mysteries or psychology to imply unspoken intentions.
• основная причина - Main reason; common in problem-solving or explanations.
• мотив преступления - Motive for a crime; frequently in legal or detective contexts.

Usage Notes:

'Мотив' aligns closely with the English 'motive' in formal or artistic senses, but 'причина' is better for everyday 'reasons'. Choose 'мотив' for psychological depth and 'причина' for causal explanations. Be mindful of Russian's case system; for example, use genitive after prepositions like 'из-за' (because of). This vocabulary is neutral in register but can vary by context—avoid 'мотив' in casual chats where 'причина' fits better.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'мотив' interchangeably with 'причина' in all contexts. Incorrect: "Мотив опоздания" (implies a deeper psychological reason). Correct: "Причина опоздания" for simple delays. Explanation: 'Мотив' suggests intent, while 'причина' denotes a factual cause.
• Error: Forgetting declensions, e.g., saying "из мотив" instead of "из мотива". Incorrect: "Из мотив." Correct: "Из мотива." Explanation: Russian nouns change based on case, so always adjust for grammar.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'мотив' often carries connotations from literature like Dostoevsky's works, where motives reveal character depth. This reflects a cultural emphasis on introspection and the complexity of human behavior, differing from English's more straightforward usage.

Related Concepts:

• цель (goal)
• повод (pretext)
• фaktor (factor)