Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'postmaster'

English Word: postmaster

Key Russian Translations:

• почтмейстер [pɐʂtˈmejstər] - [Formal, Used in official or historical contexts]
• начальник почты [nəˈt͡ɕalʲnʲik ˈpoʂtɨ] - [Informal, Modern everyday usage]

Frequency: Low (This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation but appears in formal, administrative, or historical texts.)

Difficulty: B2 (Upper Intermediate; requires familiarity with Russian noun declensions and formal vocabulary; the first translation is more straightforward, while the second involves compound phrases.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

почтмейстер: [pɐʂtˈmejstər]

начальник почты: [nəˈt͡ɕalʲnʲik ˈpoʂtɨ]

Note on почтмейстер: The pronunciation includes a soft 'т' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers; it’s a borrowed word from English via German, so the stress is on the second syllable. Pay attention to the rolled 'р' in почты for the second term.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The person in charge of a post office or postal services.

Translation(s) & Context:

• почтмейстер - Used in formal, historical, or official contexts, such as in literature or government documents referring to postal administration.
• начальник почты - Applied in modern, everyday situations, like describing a local post office manager in casual conversation.

Usage Examples:

• В нашем маленьком городе почтмейстер работает уже двадцать лет и знает всех жителей по имени.

  In our small town, the postmaster has been working for twenty years and knows all the residents by name.

• Начальник почты помог мне отправить посылку в другой регион без лишних хлопот.

  The postmaster helped me send a package to another region without any extra hassle.

• В исторических романах почтмейстер часто изображён как ключевой фигурант в сюжете.

  In historical novels, the postmaster is often depicted as a key figure in the plot.

• Если у вас проблемы с почтовыми отправлениями, обратитесь напрямую к начальнику почты.

  If you have issues with mail shipments, contact the postmaster directly.

• Почтмейстер в старом здании почты был ответственен за конфиденциальность переписки в царское время.

  The postmaster in the old post office building was responsible for the confidentiality of correspondence during the tsarist era.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are nouns. "Почтмейстер" is a masculine noun (from the first declension group) and follows standard Russian inflection patterns. "Начальник почты" is a phrase where "начальник" is a masculine noun, and "почты" is the genitive form of "почта" (feminine noun, first declension).

For "почтмейстер" (singular):

For "начальник" in the phrase "начальник почты" (it can be pluralized if needed):

These words do not have irregular inflections, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • главный почтовый работник (main postal worker; more general and modern)
  • управляющий почтой (post office manager; emphasizes administrative role)
• Antonyms: Not directly applicable, as this is a specific role term. However, a contrasting concept might be подчинённый (subordinate), referring to lower-level staff.

Related Phrases:

• Почтовое отделение (Post office branch) - Refers to the physical location where a postmaster works.
• Начальник почтового отделения (Head of the post office) - A common phrase for modern equivalents.
• Работа почтмейстера (The work of a postmaster) - Used in historical or descriptive contexts to discuss responsibilities.

Usage Notes:

• Choose "почтмейстер" for formal or historical contexts, as it directly mirrors the English term and is often used in literature or official documents. "Начальник почты" is more versatile for everyday Russian and aligns with contemporary postal services.
• Be mindful of context: In Russia, postal roles have evolved, so "почтмейстер" may carry a nostalgic or archaic connotation, while "начальник почты" is neutral and widely understood.
• Grammatically, always decline these nouns according to Russian case rules to ensure sentence accuracy; for example, use genitive after prepositions like "в" (in the postmaster's office: в кабинете почтмейстера).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "почтмейстер" in modern informal settings, which can sound outdated or overly formal. Correct: Opt for "начальник почты" in casual conversations. Example of error: "Я видел почтмейстера вчера" (in a everyday chat); Correct: "Я видел начальника почты вчера". Explanation: This maintains naturalness and avoids confusing historical with contemporary usage.
• Error: Failing to decline the noun properly, e.g., saying "к почтмейстер" instead of "к почтмейстеру". Correct: Use the dative form for directional phrases. Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, which English speakers often overlook.

Cultural Notes:

The term "почтмейстер" has historical roots in Imperial Russia, where postmasters played a crucial role in communication and espionage, as depicted in literature like Pushkin's works. In modern Russia, the postal system reflects the country's vast geography, making figures like the postmaster symbols of connectivity in remote areas, though the role has become less prominent with digital advancements.

Related Concepts:

• почта (post office or mail)
• письмо (letter)
• почтовая служба (postal service)