Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'policewoman'

English Word: policewoman

Key Russian Translations:

• полицейская /pə.lʲiˈt͡sɛj.ska.jə/ - [Formal, Informal; Refers to a female police officer in modern contexts]
• милиционерка /mʲɪ.lʲɪ.t͡sɪ.əˈnʲɛr.kə/ - [Informal, Somewhat outdated; Used in historical or regional contexts, especially in former Soviet states]

Frequency: Medium (Common in news, law enforcement discussions, but less frequent in everyday casual conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Involves understanding Russian noun gender agreement and case inflections, which can be challenging for beginners)

Pronunciation (Russian):

полицейская: /pə.lʲiˈt͡sɛj.ska.jə/ (Stress on the third syllable; The 'й' sound is a soft palatal approximant, which may be tricky for English speakers)

милиционерка: /mʲɪ.lʲɪ.t͡sɪ.əˈnʲɛr.kə/ (Stress on the fourth syllable; Note the soft consonants 'лʲ' and 'нʲ', common in Russian but absent in English)

Note on полицейская: Be cautious with the soft 'лʲ' sound, which is similar to the 'l' in "million" in English. Pronunciation can vary slightly by region.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: A female member of the police force.

Translation(s) & Context:

• полицейская - Used in formal and professional contexts, such as official reports or modern media, to denote a woman in law enforcement.
• милиционерка - Applied in informal or historical settings, like stories about the Soviet era, but less common today due to reforms in Russian policing.

Usage Examples:

• В городе работает опытная полицейская, которая расследует сложные дела.

  In the city, an experienced policewoman works on complex cases. (This example shows the word in a professional context, highlighting its use with adjectives and verbs.)

• Моя сестра стала полицейской и теперь патрулирует улицы ночью.

  My sister became a policewoman and now patrols the streets at night. (Demonstrates the word in a familial or biographical narrative, with verb agreement.)

• Полицейская быстро отреагировала на сигнал тревоги и предотвратила кражу.

  The policewoman quickly responded to the alarm signal and prevented the theft. (Illustrates usage in an action-oriented sentence, emphasizing speed and responsibility.)

• В старом фильме главная героиня — милиционерка, борющаяся с преступностью в 1980-х.

  In the old film, the main heroine is a policewoman fighting crime in the 1980s. (Shows the outdated term in a historical or cultural context, like media references.)

• Каждый день полицейская встречается с новыми вызовами на работе.

  Every day, the policewoman faces new challenges at work. (Exemplifies everyday usage with routine descriptions, focusing on daily life.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "полицейская" and "милиционерка" are feminine nouns (1st declension). They follow standard Russian noun inflection patterns, changing based on case, number, and gender. "Полицейская" is more commonly used and has regular inflections, while "милиционерка" is similar but less frequent.

For "милиционерка", the inflections are identical in pattern: e.g., Genitive Singular: милиционерки; Plural: милиционерки (though it's less commonly inflected due to rarity).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • офицер полиции (police officer, female implied) - More general term, often used interchangeably in formal contexts.
  • страж порядка (guardian of order) - Poetic or metaphorical synonym, with a slightly more archaic connotation.
• Antonyms:
  • преступница (criminal, female) - Direct opposite, referring to someone breaking the law.

Related Phrases:

• полицейская машина (police car) - A vehicle used by law enforcement; commonly heard in descriptions of chases or patrols.
• работа полицейской (work of a policewoman) - Refers to the duties and challenges in the profession; used in career discussions.
• патруль полицейской (policewoman's patrol) - Describes routine monitoring of areas; highlights daily operations in urban settings.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "полицейская" directly corresponds to "policewoman" by emphasizing the feminine gender, which is crucial in Russian grammar where nouns must agree in gender, number, and case. Use "полицейская" in modern contexts, as "милиционерка" is outdated and may confuse listeners in contemporary Russia. Be mindful of formal vs. informal settings: in official documents, pair it with verbs like "работает" (works), ensuring gender agreement. When choosing between translations, opt for "полицейская" for accuracy unless discussing historical topics.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using the masculine form "полицейский" for a female officer. Incorrect: "Полицейский расследует дело" (implying a male). Correct: "Полицейская расследует дело". Explanation: Russian requires gender-specific forms; this mistake can lead to confusion about the person's gender.

• Error: Forgetting case inflections, e.g., saying "с полицейская" instead of "с полицейской" in the instrumental case. Correct: "Работать с полицейской" (To work with a policewoman). Explanation: English learners often overlook Russian's complex case system, which affects prepositions and verbs.

Cultural Notes:

In Russia, the role of a policewoman has evolved significantly since the Soviet era, where women in law enforcement were less common and often depicted in media as heroic figures. Today, "полицейская" reflects gender equality efforts in the police force, but cultural perceptions may still associate policing with masculinity, influenced by historical contexts like the militsiya system.

Related Concepts:

• полиция (police)
• следователь (investigator)
• криминалистка (female criminologist)