Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'redemption'

English Word: redemption

Key Russian Translations:

• искупление [/ɪsˈkuplənʲɪje/] - [Formal, Religious context]
• погашение [/pɐˈɡaʂənʲɪje/] - [Formal, Financial or legal context]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in religious, literary, and financial texts, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of abstract concepts and noun inflections, with 'искупление' being slightly more challenging due to its religious connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

искупление: /ɪsˈkuplənʲɪje/ (Stress on the second syllable; the 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh' as in 'sheep')

погашение: /pɐˈɡaʂənʲɪje/ (Stress on the second syllable; the 'ш' sound is a standard 'sh', and the word ends with a soft 'e' sound)

Note on искупление: This word often has a rolled 'r' in some dialects, which can be a challenge for learners. Pronunciation may vary slightly in poetic or liturgical settings.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The act of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil (e.g., in religious or moral contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• искупление - Used in formal, theological discussions, such as in Christianity or literature.

Usage Examples:

• В христианстве искупление Христа принесло спасение человечеству.

  In Christianity, Christ's redemption brought salvation to humanity.

• Ее искупление за прошлые ошибки сделало ее сильнее.

  Her redemption for past mistakes made her stronger.

• Книга описывает путь искупления главного героя через страдания.

  The book describes the main character's path to redemption through suffering.

Meaning 2: The repayment of a debt or obligation (e.g., in financial or legal contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• погашение - Common in business, banking, or contractual scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Погашение кредита должно произойти в течение пяти лет.

  The redemption of the loan must occur within five years.

• Компания объявила о погашении облигаций раньше срока.

  The company announced the early redemption of the bonds.

• Погашение долга принесло облегчение семье.

  The redemption of the debt brought relief to the family.

• В контракте указано условие погашения залога.

  The contract specifies the condition for redemption of the collateral.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'искупление' and 'погашение' are neuter nouns in Russian, following the standard second declension pattern for nouns ending in -ение. They are invariable in gender but change according to case, number, and sometimes stress.

For 'погашение', the inflections follow the same pattern: e.g., Nominative Singular: погашение; Genitive Plural: погашений. These nouns are regular and do not have irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • спасение (salvation; more general and less formal than искупление)
  • освобождение (liberation; often used in a broader, non-religious sense)
  • выкуп (ransom; specifically for financial redemption)
• Antonyms:
  • проклятие (curse; implies the opposite of spiritual redemption)
  • долг (debt; in financial contexts, as it represents the unredeemed state)

Related Phrases:

• Кровь искупления - Blood of redemption (a phrase from religious texts, referring to sacrificial atonement).
• Погашение задолженности - Redemption of debt (common in financial discussions, meaning settling outstanding obligations).
• Путь к искуплению - Path to redemption (used in literature or personal development contexts to describe a journey of reform).

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'искупление' is primarily associated with religious or moral redemption and is not interchangeable with 'погашение', which is strictly financial. English speakers should note that Russian often requires the appropriate case for context; for example, use the genitive case after prepositions like 'для' (for). Choose 'искупление' for abstract, spiritual themes and 'погашение' for concrete, transactional scenarios to ensure accurate correspondence.

• Always consider the formality: These words are formal and rarely used in casual speech.
• In sentences, they may require agreement with adjectives or verbs based on gender and number.

Common Errors:

One common mistake is confusing 'искупление' with 'спасение', leading learners to overuse 'спасение' in religious contexts where 'искупление' implies a specific act of atonement. For example:

• Incorrect: Я ищу спасение за свои грехи. (This understates the idea of redemption.)
• Correct: Я ищу искупление за свои грехи. (More precise for redemption through repentance.)

Explanation: 'Спасение' means general salvation, while 'искупление' involves active redemption. Another error is improper inflection, such as using the nominative in all cases, e.g., saying "для искупление" instead of "для искупления".

Cultural Notes:

'Искупление' carries deep cultural and historical significance in Russian Orthodox Christianity, often linked to themes in literature like Dostoevsky's works, where it represents personal transformation through suffering. This reflects Russia's spiritual heritage, emphasizing redemption as a path to moral renewal rather than just forgiveness.

Related Concepts:

• спасение
• освобождение
• выкуп
• проклятие