Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'plague'

English Word: plague

Key Russian Translations:

• чума [ˈtʃu.mə] - [Formal, Medical/Historical Context]
• мора [ˈmo.rə] - [Formal, Literary/Poetic, Used in older or biblical contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in historical, medical, and literary discussions, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires basic understanding of Russian nouns and historical vocabulary; for 'чума', it's straightforward, but 'мора' may be slightly more advanced due to its archaic connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

чума: [ˈtʃu.mə]

Note on чума: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'ч' sound is a voiceless palatal fricative, similar to the 'ch' in 'loch' in Scottish English. Be cautious with the vowel reduction in casual speech.

мора: [ˈmo.rə]

Note on мора: Stress on the first syllable; the 'о' is pronounced as a full [o] in careful speech, but may reduce to [a] in fast, informal contexts.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Plague as a deadly infectious disease (e.g., bubonic plague)

Translation(s) & Context:

• чума - Used in medical, historical, or scientific contexts to describe epidemics like the Black Death.
• мора - Employed in literary or biblical contexts for a more poetic reference to plagues or divine punishments.

Usage Examples:

• В Средние века чума унесла миллионы жизней в Европе.

  In the Middle Ages, the plague took millions of lives in Europe.

• Чума распространилась быстро из-за плохих санитарных условий.

  The plague spread quickly due to poor sanitary conditions.

• Мора, описанная в Библии, часто символизирует гнев божий.

  The plague, as described in the Bible, often symbolizes divine wrath.

• Современные вакцины помогли предотвратить новую чуму в развивающихся странах.

  Modern vaccines have helped prevent a new plague in developing countries.

2. Plague as a metaphor for a widespread problem or annoyance

Translation(s) & Context:

• чума - Informally used metaphorically for something destructive, like a social issue (e.g., in media or casual speech).

Usage Examples:

• Коррупция — это чума современного общества.

  Corruption is a plague on modern society.

• Эти насекомые стали настоящей чумой в нашем саду.

  These insects have become a real plague in our garden.

• Чума безработицы затронула многие регионы страны.

  The plague of unemployment has affected many regions of the country.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'чума' and 'мора' are feminine nouns in Russian, following standard declension patterns for first-declension nouns. 'Чума' is more commonly used and has regular inflections, while 'мора' is less frequent and also regular but often archaic.

Note: These forms are regular and follow standard patterns for feminine nouns ending in -a. There are no irregular inflections here.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • эпидемия (epidemic) - More general term for widespread disease outbreaks.
  • пандемия (pandemic) - Used for global-scale plagues, with a modern connotation.
  • болезнь (illness) - Basic synonym, but less specific to deadly outbreaks.
• Antonyms:
  • здоровье (health) - Represents the opposite of disease and plague.
  • излечение (cure) - Antonym in the context of resolution or healing.

Related Phrases:

• Чёрная чума - The Black Plague; refers to the historical bubonic plague epidemic.
• Чума двадцатого века - Plague of the twentieth century; often used metaphorically for major disasters like wars.
• Мора египетская - Egyptian plague; from biblical references, implying divine punishment.

Usage Notes:

'Чума' directly corresponds to the English 'plague' in medical and historical contexts, making it the most precise translation. Use 'мора' for more literary or archaic settings, as it carries a poetic or biblical tone. Be mindful of Russian's grammatical cases; for example, in prepositional phrases, it changes to 'в чуме' (in the plague). In formal writing, pair it with adjectives like 'чума bubonic' for specificity. When choosing between translations, opt for 'чума' in everyday or scientific discussions and 'мора' in cultural or religious texts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'чума' in the nominative case incorrectly in sentences, e.g., saying "Я боюсь чума" instead of "Я боюсь чумы" (genitive for "of the plague"). Correct: "Я боюсь чумы." Explanation: Russian requires the genitive case after verbs like 'бояться' (to fear).

• Error: Confusing 'чума' with 'чумая' (an adjective form, meaning plague-like). Correct: Use 'чума' as a noun only. Explanation: Learners might mistakenly add endings; always check the context to avoid adjectivizing nouns unintentionally.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'чума' often evokes memories of historical events like the Black Death, which devastated Russia in the 14th century, or references in literature such as Pushkin's works. It carries a sense of inevitability and catastrophe, sometimes symbolizing broader societal ills, reflecting Russia's history of epidemics and resilience.

Related Concepts:

• эпидемия
• болезнь
• инфекция
• карантин