Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'plea'

English Word: plea

Key Russian Translations:

• просьба [prɐˈsʲba] - [Formal, Singular, Used in everyday requests or appeals]
• мольба [ˈmolʲbə] - [Informal, Emotional, Used in contexts of desperate pleading]
• заявление [zəˈjɑvlʲenʲje] - [Formal, Legal, Used in official or courtroom settings]

Frequency: Medium (Common in written and spoken Russian, especially in formal or literary contexts, but not as frequent as basic everyday words).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun declensions and context-specific usage. For 'просьба', it's straightforward; for 'заявление', it may vary to B2 due to legal connotations).

Pronunciation (Russian):

просьба: [prɐˈsʲba] (Stress on the second syllable; the 's' is palatalized, which is common in Russian nouns).

мольба: [ˈmolʲbə] (Stress on the first syllable; note the soft 'l' sound, which can be tricky for beginners).

заявление: [zəˈjɑvlʲenʲje] (Stress on the third syllable; pay attention to the vowel reductions in unstressed positions).

Note on просьба: The 's' sound is softened due to the following 'ь', a common feature in Russian that affects pronunciation fluidity.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A request or appeal (general sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• просьба - Used in polite, everyday situations, such as making a formal request in writing or conversation (e.g., in letters or official emails).
• мольба - Applied in emotional or urgent contexts, like begging for help, often in literature or dramatic speech.

Usage Examples:

• Её просьба о помощи была искренней и трогательной.

  Her plea for help was sincere and touching.

• В суде адвокат представил мольбу клиента о снисхождении.

  In court, the lawyer presented the client's plea for leniency.

• Он написал письмо с просьбой рассмотреть его заявку на работу.

  He wrote a letter with a plea to consider his job application.

• Мольба матери заставила его изменить решение.

  The mother's plea made him change his mind.

• Письменная просьба была оформлена как официальное заявление.

  The written plea was formatted as an official statement.

Legal or formal appeal (specific sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• заявление - Used in bureaucratic or legal environments, such as court pleadings or official petitions.

Usage Examples:

• Суд рассмотрел его заявление о пересмотре приговора.

  The court reviewed his plea for reconsideration of the sentence.

• Её заявление в полиции было принято как официальная просьба.

  Her plea at the police station was accepted as an official request.

• Адвокат подготовил заявление для апелляции.

  The lawyer prepared a plea for appeal.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Просьба' is a feminine noun of the first declension. It follows standard Russian noun patterns with regular inflections based on case and number.

'Мольба' is also a feminine noun with similar first declension patterns (e.g., Nominative: мольба; Genitive: мольбы).

'Заявление' is a neuter noun of the second declension and is mostly regular (e.g., Nominative: заявление; Genitive: заявления). These words do not have irregular inflections, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • запрос (zapros) - More formal, often used in official inquiries.
  • апелляция (apellyatsiya) - Specifically for legal appeals, with a narrower context.
• Antonyms:
  • отказ (otkaz) - Refusal, directly opposite in meaning.
  • запрет (zapret) - Prohibition, used when a plea is denied or blocked.

Related Phrases:

• выразить просьбу - To express a plea (used in polite requests, e.g., in customer service).
• написать мольбу - To write a desperate plea (common in literary or emotional contexts).
• подать заявление - To submit a formal plea (e.g., in legal or administrative settings).

Usage Notes:

The English word 'plea' corresponds most directly to 'просьба' in general contexts, but English speakers should note that Russian often requires the appropriate case for grammatical agreement (e.g., dative for indirect objects). 'Мольба' is better for emotional intensity, while 'заявление' is reserved for formal or legal scenarios. Be mindful of the formality level: use 'просьба' in written communications to match the polite tone of English 'plea'. If multiple translations apply, choose based on context—e.g., avoid 'мольба' in professional settings to prevent sounding overly dramatic.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'просьба' with 'мольба': Learners might overuse 'мольба' for any plea, making it sound too emotional. Correct usage: Use 'просьба' for neutral requests (e.g., Incorrect: "Его мольба о работе" → Correct: "Его просьба о работе" – His plea for a job).

• Misapplying cases: Forgetting to decline 'просьба' properly, such as using nominative in all contexts (e.g., Incorrect: "Я ответил на просьба" → Correct: "Я ответил на просьбу" in accusative case).

• Overgeneralizing 'заявление': Treating it as equivalent to any plea, when it's specifically for documents (e.g., Incorrect: "Его устное заявление" for a verbal plea → Better: "Его устная просьба").

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions like 'просьба' often emphasize politeness and hierarchy, especially in formal interactions. For instance, in literature such as Dostoevsky's works, 'мольба' conveys deep emotional desperation, reflecting Russia's historical emphasis on personal pleas in social and political contexts. This can help English users understand the nuanced, sometimes theatrical, nature of Russian emotional expression.

Related Concepts:

• апелляция
• петиция
• обращение