Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pawn'

English Word: pawn

Key Russian Translations:

• пешка [ˈpʲeʂkə] - [Informal, Chess context; refers specifically to the chess piece]
• залог [zɐˈlog] - [Formal, Legal or financial context; used for pawning an item]
• заложить [zɐlɐˈʐɨtʲ] - [Informal/Neutral, Verbal context; as a verb meaning to pawn something]

Frequency: Medium (Common in chess-related discussions or everyday financial contexts, but not everyday vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires basic understanding of Russian noun/adjective declensions and verb conjugations for accurate use)

Pronunciation (Russian):

пешка: [ˈpʲeʂkə]

Note on пешка: The 'ш' sound is a soft 'sh' as in 'sheep', and the word has a stressed first syllable. Pay attention to the palatalized 'п' sound, which is common in Russian.

залог: [zɐˈlog]

Note on залог: The stress is on the second syllable; the 'о' is pronounced as a short 'o'. This word may have slight regional variations in speed.

заложить: [zɐlɐˈʐɨtʲ]

Note on заложить: The verb ending '-ить' often softens the preceding consonant; practice the final 'тʲ' for proper articulation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A chess piece (the lowest-ranking piece in chess)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пешка - Used in recreational or competitive chess contexts; informal and straightforward.

Usage Examples:

• В шахматах пешка может продвигаться вперед.

  In chess, a pawn can move forward.

• Я потерял свою пешку в начале игры.

  I lost my pawn at the beginning of the game.

• Пешка часто используется для защиты короля.

  The pawn is often used to protect the king.

• Если пешка дойдет до противоположной стороны, она превращается.

  If a pawn reaches the opposite side, it transforms.

Meaning 2: To pledge or pawn an item (as in a pawnshop)

Translation(s) & Context:

• залог - Formal context, such as legal or financial transactions; implies something given as security.
• заложить - As a verb in everyday situations, like pawning jewelry; neutral tone.

Usage Examples:

• Он отнес часы в ломбард в качестве залога.

  He took the watch to the pawnshop as collateral.

• Чтобы получить кредит, мне пришлось заложить свой велосипед.

  To get a loan, I had to pawn my bicycle.

• Залог должен быть возвращен после оплаты долга.

  The pawned item must be returned after paying the debt.

• Люди часто закладывают ювелирные изделия в трудные времена.

  People often pawn jewelry during hard times.

• Заложить дом – это серьезный финансовый шаг.

  Pawning a house is a serious financial step.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'пешка' (a feminine noun, 1st declension):

For 'залог' (a masculine noun, 2nd declension; follows standard patterns):

For 'заложить' (a verb, perfective aspect; irregular in conjugation):

It conjugates as: Я заложил, Ты заложил, Он заложил, etc. Note its imperfective counterpart 'залогать' for ongoing actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • пешка: фигура (figure; more general for chess pieces)
  • залог: обеспечение (security; in financial contexts)
  • заложить: отдать в заклад (to give as pledge; more formal alternative)
• Antonyms:
  • залог: выкуп (redemption; opposite of pawning)
  • заложить: выкупить (to redeem; as in buying back a pawned item)

Related Phrases:

• Пешка ферзя - A phrase meaning "pawn of the queen" in chess strategy; refers to a supporting piece.
• Заложить под проценты - Means "to pawn with interest"; used in financial contexts to indicate borrowing against an item.
• Шах и мат с пешкой - "Checkmate with a pawn"; an idiomatic expression for an unexpected win in games or life.

Usage Notes:

'Пешка' directly corresponds to 'pawn' in chess and is straightforward, but avoid using it metaphorically in Russian as it might not translate idioms like 'pawn in a game' accurately—opt for 'фигура в игре' instead. For 'залог', it's more formal and legal, so use it in professional settings rather than casual conversation. When choosing between translations, consider context: 'заложить' is a verb for actions, while 'залог' is a noun. Grammar note: Nouns like 'пешка' must agree in case, gender, and number with other words in the sentence.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'пешка' in a financial context, e.g., saying "Я пешка часы" instead of "Я заложил часы".
  Correct: "Я заложил часы" (I pawned the watch). Explanation: 'Пешка' is chess-specific; mix-ups occur due to similar English meanings, leading to confusion in word choice.
• Error: Forgetting declension, e.g., saying "без пешка" instead of "без пешки".
  Correct: "Без пешки" (Without a pawn). Explanation: Russian requires genitive case after prepositions like 'без', so learners must adjust endings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'пешка' in chess symbolizes the expendable nature of lower ranks, often reflecting themes in literature like in Tolstoy's works, where pawns represent common people in societal games. 'Залог' ties into historical pawnshop traditions in Russia, dating back to tsarist times, emphasizing economic hardship and resourcefulness.

Related Concepts:

• Ферзь (queen in chess)
• Ладья (rook in chess)
• Кредит (loan, related to pawning)