Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pollution'

English Word: pollution

Key Russian Translations:

• загрязнение [zəɡrʲɪzˈnʲenʲɪje] - [Formal, used in environmental and scientific contexts]
• загрязнение окружающей среды [zəɡrʲɪzˈnʲenʲɪje ɐkružájuʂʲej sredej] - [Formal, specific to environmental pollution]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in discussions about environment, news, and science, but not in everyday casual conversation).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires basic understanding of Russian nouns and environmental vocabulary; for 'загрязнение', it's straightforward, but 'загрязнение окружающей среды' may be B2 due to compound phrasing).

Pronunciation (Russian):

загрязнение: [zəɡrʲɪzˈnʲenʲɪje]

загрязнение окружающей среды: [zəɡrʲɪzˈnʲenʲɪje ɐkružájuʂʲej sredej]

Note on загрязнение: The stress falls on the third syllable ('nʲenʲ'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized consonants; pronounce it with a soft 'r' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The contamination of air, water, or land by harmful substances.

Translation(s) & Context:

• загрязнение - Used in general environmental discussions, such as industrial or urban pollution contexts.
• загрязнение окружающей среды - Applied in broader ecological contexts, emphasizing impact on the natural world.

Usage Examples:

• Загрязнение воздуха в больших городах приводит к росту заболеваний.

  Air pollution in big cities leads to an increase in diseases.

• Правительство борется с загрязнением окружающей среды, внедряя новые законы.

  The government is fighting environmental pollution by introducing new laws.

• Загрязнение рек химическими отходами угрожает местной фауне.

  Pollution of rivers by chemical waste threatens local wildlife.

• В результате промышленного загрязнения многие озера потеряли свою чистоту.

  As a result of industrial pollution, many lakes have lost their purity.

• Загрязнение окружающей среды часто обсуждается на международных саммитах.

  Environmental pollution is often discussed at international summits.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Загрязнение' is a neuter noun in the third declension. It follows standard Russian noun inflection patterns with regular changes based on case and number. 'Загрязнение окружающей среды' is a phrase where 'окружающей среды' inflects as a genitive phrase.

For 'загрязнение окружающей среды', the phrase inflects based on its components, with 'окружающей' changing in agreement (e.g., genitive case as shown).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • загрязнение среды (more specific to environment, implying broader ecological impact)
  • контаминация (less common, borrowed term for contamination in scientific contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • чистота (cleanliness, used in general contexts)
  • экологическая чистота (ecological purity, emphasizing environmental aspects)

Related Phrases:

• Экологическое загрязнение - Refers to pollution related to ecology or nature.
• Загрязнение воздуха - Specifically means air pollution, common in urban discussions.
• Промышленное загрязнение - Indicates industrial pollution, often linked to factories.

Usage Notes:

'Загрязнение' directly corresponds to 'pollution' in English, particularly in formal or scientific contexts, but it's more commonly used as a noun without articles in Russian. Be mindful of the genitive case when specifying what is polluted, e.g., 'загрязнение воздуха'. For learners, choose 'загрязнение' for general use and 'загрязнение окружающей среды' for broader environmental topics. It's neutral in tone but can carry a negative connotation in discussions. Grammatically, always ensure agreement in gender, number, and case with surrounding words.

Common Errors:

• Using the wrong case: Learners might say 'загрязнение воздух' instead of 'загрязнение воздуха' (genitive case required). Correct: 'Загрязнение воздуха' – This error stems from not recognizing Russian's case system.

• Confusing with similar words: Mistaking it for 'заражение' (infection), which is unrelated. Correct usage: Use 'загрязнение' for environmental contexts only, as 'заражение' implies biological spread.

• Overusing in informal speech: English speakers might translate 'pollution' directly in casual talk, but in Russian, it's more formal; opt for phrases like 'грязный воздух' in everyday conversation for better naturalness.

Cultural Notes:

In Russia, 'загрязнение' often evokes issues like industrial pollution in cities such as Moscow or Siberia, stemming from historical Soviet-era factories. It's a key topic in modern environmental movements, reflecting growing awareness of climate change and its impact on daily life, such as air quality in urban areas.

Related Concepts:

• экология
• загрязнитель
• экологический ущерб