Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ransom'

English Word: ransom

Key Russian Translations:

• выкуп [vɨˈkup] - [Formal, used in legal or news contexts]
• выкупить [vɨkʊˈpʲitʲ] - [Formal, as a verb; used when referring to the act of paying or securing release]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in news, literature, and legal discussions, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun cases and verb conjugations, suitable for learners with basic grammar knowledge)

Pronunciation (Russian):

выкуп: [vɨˈkup]

выкупить: [vɨkʊˈpʲitʲ]

Note on выкуп: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the vowel [ɨ], which is a central unrounded vowel unique to Russian and often challenging for English speakers.

Note on выкупить: This is a verb with a soft sign [ʲ] affecting the pronunciation; it may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Money or payment demanded or given to secure the release of a captive

Translation(s) & Context:

• выкуп - Used in formal contexts like kidnappings or historical events, often in news reports or legal documents.
• выкупить - Used as a verb in situations involving negotiation or payment for release.

Usage Examples:

• Они заплатили выкуп за освобождение заложника.

  They paid the ransom for the release of the hostage.

• Преступники требовали выкуп в размере миллиона долларов.

  The criminals demanded a ransom of one million dollars.

• Ему пришлось выкупить украденный товар, чтобы избежать дальнейших проблем.

  He had to ransom the stolen goods to avoid further trouble.

• В исторических романах часто описывается, как викинги выкупали пленных.

  In historical novels, it's often described how Vikings ransomed captives.

Meaning 2: The act of holding someone or something for extortion or payment

Translation(s) & Context:

• выкуп - In broader contexts, referring to the process or demand, especially in metaphorical or extended uses.

Usage Examples:

• Выкуп в этом деле был частью более крупной схемы мошенничества.

  The ransom in this case was part of a larger fraud scheme.

• Он организовал выкуп, но полиция вмешалась вовремя.

  He organized the ransom, but the police intervened in time.

• В кибербезопасности выкуп часто используется для описания атак с шифрованием данных.

  In cybersecurity, ransom is often used to describe attacks involving data encryption.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

выкуп is a masculine noun of the second declension, which follows regular patterns in Russian. It changes based on case and number. выкупить is a verb of the first conjugation with imperfective and perfective aspects (imperfective: выкупать).

For the verb выкупить (perfective):

• Present tense: Not used, as it's perfective; use imperfective выкупать for ongoing actions.
• Past tense: выкупил (masc.), выкупила (fem.), выкупило (neut.), выкупили (plur.).
• Future tense: выкуплю, выкупишь, etc.

Note: выкупить does not change irregularly, making it straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: искупление (redemption, with a more spiritual connotation), залог (pledge, in financial contexts) - Note: искупление implies a moral or religious aspect, while выкуп is more neutral and transactional.
• Antonyms: освобождение (release without payment), похищение (kidnapping, as the opposite act)

Related Phrases:

• Заплатить выкуп - To pay the ransom; used in scenarios involving negotiation for release.
• Требовать выкупа - To demand a ransom; common in crime or thriller contexts.
• Выкуп заложников - Ransom of hostages; often appears in international news.

Usage Notes:

выкуп directly corresponds to "ransom" as a noun and is preferred in formal Russian for legal or historical contexts, while выкупить serves as the verbal form. Be mindful of case usage; for example, in genitive constructions like "payment of ransom," use выкупа. English speakers might confuse it with шантаж (blackmail), which involves threats without necessarily holding someone. Choose выкуп over synonyms when the focus is on financial exchange for release.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using выкуп in the wrong case, e.g., saying "Я плачу выкуп" instead of "Я плачу выкуп" (correct, but learners might forget accusative). Correct: In dative contexts, use выкупу, as in "Я плачу за выкупа" for "I pay for the ransom."
• Error: Confusing with выкупать (to bathe), which is unrelated. Example of error: "Они выкупали заложника" meaning "They bathed the hostage" instead of "They ransomed the hostage." Correct usage: Use выкупить for ransom actions.
• Explanation: Russian verbs have aspects; ensure to pair with the right aspect for tense accuracy to avoid ambiguity in narratives.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and history, the concept of выкуп is often linked to events like the Tatar invasions or World War II, where prisoners were ransomed. It also appears in folklore and literature, symbolizing themes of honor and redemption, as in stories by Tolstoy. This adds a layer of historical weight, making it more than a transactional term.

Related Concepts:

• похищение
• заложник
• шантаж