Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'person'

English Word: person

Key Russian Translations:

• человек [ˈtʃʲɪlɐvʲɪk] - [Formal, General use for a human being]
• лицо [ˈlʲit͡sə] - [Formal, Often used in legal or administrative contexts, e.g., for an individual as a legal entity]
• индивид [ɪnʲdʲɪˈvʲit] - [Formal, Academic or psychological contexts, implying an individual with unique characteristics]

Frequency: High (Especially 'человек' is one of the most common nouns in everyday Russian speech and writing.)

Difficulty: A1 for 'человек' (Beginner level, as it's a basic noun with straightforward usage); B1 for 'лицо' and 'индивид' (Intermediate, due to contextual nuances and potential confusion with other meanings of 'лицо' like 'face').

Pronunciation (Russian):

человек: [ˈtʃʲɪlɐvʲɪk]

Note on человек: The stress falls on the first syllable. Be careful with the palatalized 'ч' sound, which is softer than in English 'ch'. Common mispronunciation by learners involves over-emphasizing the 'л' sound.

лицо: [ˈlʲit͡sə]

Note on лицо: The 'ц' is a voiceless affricate, similar to 'ts' in 'bits'. Stress on the first syllable; variations may occur in fast speech.

индивид: [ɪnʲdʲɪˈvʲit]

Note on индивид: Stress on the third syllable; the word has a more borrowed feel from Latin/French, so pronunciation is relatively consistent.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A human being or individual (General sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• человек - Used in everyday conversations, literature, or descriptions of people in a neutral or positive light; common in informal and formal settings.
• лицо - Applied in legal, bureaucratic, or formal contexts where 'person' refers to an entity with rights or responsibilities.
• индивид - Typically in scientific, psychological, or philosophical discussions, emphasizing personal traits or isolation.

Usage Examples:

• Этот человек очень добрый и отзывчивый.

  This person is very kind and responsive.

• В юридических документах каждое лицо имеет равные права.

  In legal documents, every person has equal rights.

• Психолог изучает поведение индивида в группе.

  The psychologist studies the behavior of a person in a group.

• Каждый человек заслуживает уважения, независимо от происхождения.

  Every person deserves respect, regardless of their background.

2. Person as in a character or role (e.g., in storytelling or theater)

Translation(s) & Context:

• человек - Used metaphorically in narratives or films to describe a character's persona.
• лицо - Less common, but can imply a 'public face' or role in dramatic contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Главный человек в фильме — это загадочный детектив.

  The main person in the film is a mysterious detective.

• На сцене каждое лицо играет свою роль в пьесе.

  On stage, every person plays their role in the play.

• Индивид в этой истории представляет типичного современного человека.

  The person in this story represents a typical modern individual.

• Этот персонаж — сильный человек, преодолевающий трудности.

  This person is a strong character overcoming difficulties.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'человек' is a masculine noun (3rd declension) with regular inflections. It changes based on case, number, and gender agreements. Below is a table for its nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, instrumental, and prepositional forms in singular and plural:

'лицо' is a neuter noun with standard 2nd declension inflections, but it can be irregular in plural forms due to its multiple meanings. For example: Nominative singular: лицо; Plural: лица (people) or лица (faces).

'индивид' is an indeclinable noun in most contexts (borrowed from Latin), meaning it remains unchanged: Nominative: индивид; remains the same in all cases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • личность (lichnost') - More emphasis on personality or identity.
  • индивидуум (individuum) - Similar to 'индивид', but slightly more formal.
• Antonyms:
  • нечеловек (nechelovek) - Non-human or inhuman entity.
  • объект (obekt) - Object, implying lack of personhood.

Related Phrases:

• Человеческий фактор - Refers to the human element in situations, often in contexts like psychology or engineering (e.g., human error).
• Лицо общества - Means 'a person of society' or 'public figure', used in social or political discussions.
• Индивид в обществе - A phrase meaning 'the individual in society', common in philosophical or sociological texts.

Usage Notes:

When translating 'person' to Russian, choose 'человек' for everyday, human-centric contexts as it most closely matches the English nuance. 'Лицо' is preferable in formal or legal settings to avoid ambiguity with its other meaning ('face'). 'Индивид' should be reserved for academic or specialized discussions to convey individuality. Be mindful of gender agreements in sentences; for example, adjectives and verbs must agree with the noun's gender (e.g., 'человек' is masculine). In informal speech, 'человек' can imply respect or humanity, so it's often used positively.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'человек' with 'лицо' in daily contexts: Learners might say "Это лицо" when meaning "This person" in a casual chat, which sounds odd. Correct usage: Use 'человек' for general references. Error example: "Это лицо работает здесь" (incorrect for "This person works here"); Correct: "Этот человек работает здесь".

• Overlooking inflections: English speakers often forget to decline nouns, e.g., saying "Я видел человек" instead of "Я видел человека". Explanation: Always adjust for case, as in "Я видел этого человека" (Accusative case).

• Misusing 'индивид' as a direct synonym: It's not interchangeable in casual talk; saying "Мой друг — индивид" sounds overly formal. Correct: Use 'человек' for friends or acquaintances.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'человек' often carries a deeper philosophical connotation, influenced by literature like Dostoevsky's works, where it represents the essence of humanity and moral complexity. This reflects Russia's historical emphasis on the individual's role in society versus the collective, as seen in Soviet-era ideologies where 'человек' was idealized in propaganda.

Related Concepts:

• общество (obshchestvo) - Society
• личность (lichnost') - Personality
• индивидуальность (individual'nost') - Individuality