Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'murder'

English Word: murder

Key Russian Translations:

• убийство [ʊˈbʲijstvə] - [Formal, Noun]
• убивать [ʊˈbʲivatʲ] - [Formal, Verb]

Frequency: Medium - This term is commonly encountered in news, legal contexts, and literature, but not in everyday casual conversation.

Difficulty: B2 - Upper Intermediate; Learners at this level should grasp the vocabulary with some exposure to Russian grammar, though verb conjugations may pose challenges for beginners.

Pronunciation (Russian):

убийство: [ʊˈbʲijstvə]

Note on убийство: The stress is on the third syllable; be mindful of the palatalized 'бʲ' sound, which is a common difficulty for English speakers. Pronounce it as "oo-BEE-stvah".

убивать: [ʊˈbʲivatʲ]

Note on убивать: Stress on the second syllable; the final 'tʲ' is softly palatalized. It sounds like "oo-BEE-vaht'".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The act of unlawfully killing a person (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• убийство - Used in formal or legal contexts to describe a premeditated or unlawful killing, such as in court proceedings or news reports.

Usage Examples:

• Вчера в городе произошло жестокое убийство известного политика.

  Yesterday, a brutal murder of a well-known politician occurred in the city.

• Убийство было тщательно спланировано и совершено в ночное время.

  The murder was carefully planned and carried out at night.

• Расследование убийства привело к аресту подозреваемого.

  The investigation of the murder led to the arrest of the suspect.

• В исторических романах убийство часто становится ключевым сюжетом.

  In historical novels, murder often becomes a central plot element.

Meaning 2: The action of killing unlawfully (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• убивать - Used to describe the act of committing murder, often implying intent; common in narratives, legal descriptions, or discussions of crime.

Usage Examples:

• Преступник пытался убивать жертв ради наживы.

  The criminal tried to murder victims for personal gain.

• В фильме главный герой решает убивать, чтобы отомстить за прошлое.

  In the film, the main character decides to murder in order to avenge the past.

• Закон строго наказывает тех, кто убивает невинных людей.

  The law strictly punishes those who murder innocent people.

• Во время войны солдаты могут убивать по приказу, но это не всегда считается убийством.

  During war, soldiers may kill on orders, but it's not always classified as murder.

• Писатель описывает, как серийный убийца продолжает убивать, несмотря на расследования.

  The writer describes how a serial murderer continues to kill despite investigations.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For убийство (neuter noun, 2nd declension), it follows standard Russian noun declension patterns. It is inflected based on case and number:

For убивать (imperfective verb, 1st conjugation), it conjugates irregularly in some forms. Key conjugations in present tense:

Note: This verb has aspectual pairs; the perfective is убить (ubit').

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Убийство: заклание (zaklaniye) - More archaic, used in literary contexts for ritualistic killing.
  • Убивать: казнить (kaznit') - Implies execution, often state-sanctioned.
• Antonyms:
  • Спасать (spasat') - To save or rescue.
  • Защищать (zashchishchat') - To protect.

Related Phrases:

• Совершить убийство - To commit murder; Used in legal contexts to describe the act of carrying out a killing.
• Массовое убийство - Mass murder; Refers to the killing of multiple people, often in tragic events.
• Убийство первой степени - First-degree murder; A term borrowed from legal systems, indicating premeditation.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "убийство" directly corresponds to the noun form of "murder" in English, emphasizing the unlawful aspect, while "убивать" aligns with the verb form. Use "убийство" in formal writing or discussions to maintain neutrality, as it's less emotional than English equivalents. For verbs, choose "убивать" for ongoing actions and pair it with perfective aspects like "убить" for completed ones. Be cautious with context: in casual speech, euphemisms might be preferred to avoid directness. When multiple translations exist, select based on grammatical needs (e.g., noun vs. verb).

Common Errors:

• Confusing "убийство" with "убийца" (killer) - Error: Saying "Он убийство" instead of "Он совершил убийство". Correct: Use "убийство" as a noun for the act, not the person. Explanation: "Убийца" means the perpetrator, so pair actions correctly for clarity.
• Improper verb conjugation - Error: Saying "Я убиваюс" instead of "Я убиваю". Correct: The verb "убивать" conjugates as "убиваю" in first person singular. Explanation: English speakers often omit the full ending; practice conjugation tables to avoid this.
• Overusing in informal contexts - Error: Using "убивать" in everyday talk when a softer term like "убить" (in perfective) might suffice. Correct: Reserve for serious discussions. Explanation: This can sound overly dramatic in casual settings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "убийство" often carry heavy connotations from historical events, such as Stalin-era purges or modern crime waves, reflecting themes of justice and morality in literature like Dostoevsky's works. It's frequently used in media to discuss social issues, highlighting the cultural emphasis on accountability and the rule of law.

Related Concepts:

• Криминал (kriminal) - Crime.
• Преступление (prestuplenie) - Offense.
• Смерть (smert') - Death.