Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'resignation'

English Word: resignation

Key Russian Translations:

• увольнение [u.vɐlʲ.'nʲe.nʲe] - [Formal, Singular]
• отставка [ɐt.'stav.kə] - [Formal, Often used in political or official contexts]
• смирение [smʲi.'rʲe.nʲe] - [Informal, For the sense of acceptance or submission]

Frequency: Medium (Common in professional and everyday discussions, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun declensions and formal contexts. For 'увольнение', it's B1; for 'отставка', it's B2 due to political nuances.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

увольнение: [u.vɐlʲ.'nʲe.nʲe]

отставка: [ɐt.'stav.kə]

смирение: [smʲi.'rʲe.nʲe]

Note on увольнение: The stress is on the third syllable; be careful with the soft 'л' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers.

Note on отставка: Pronounce the 'т' as a hard 't', and the ending 'ка' with a soft vowel; common in formal speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The act of giving up a job or position (e.g., job resignation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• увольнение - Used in formal employment contexts, such as writing a resignation letter or discussing job termination.
• отставка - Applied in political or high-level official resignations, like a government official stepping down.

Usage Examples:

• Я подал заявление об увольнении на прошлой неделе. (Ya podal zayavleniye ob uvolnenii na proshloy nedele.)

  I submitted my resignation letter last week.

• Его увольнение из компании было неожиданным. (Yego uvolneniye iz kompanii bylo neozhidannym.)

  His resignation from the company was unexpected.

• После отставки президента страна столкнулась с кризисом. (Posle otstavki prezidenta strana stolknulas s krizisom.)

  After the president's resignation, the country faced a crisis.

• Она приняла решение об увольнении после долгих размышлений. (Ona prinyala resheniye ob uvolnenii posle dolgi kh razmyshleniy.)

  She made the decision of resignation after much thought.

Meaning 2: The state of accepting something unwillingly or submissively

Translation(s) & Context:

• смирение - Used in personal or philosophical contexts, implying quiet acceptance of fate.

Usage Examples:

• Его смирение перед трудностями вдохновило всех вокруг. (Yego smireniye pered trudnostyami vdochnovilo vsekh vokrug.)

  His resignation in the face of difficulties inspired everyone around.

• Смирение — это не слабость, а сила. (Smireniye — eto ne slabost, a sila.)

  Resignation is not weakness, but strength.

• Она проявила смирение, когда планы изменились. (Ona proyavila smireniye, kogda plany izmenilis.)

  She showed resignation when the plans changed.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'увольнение' is a neuter noun of the second declension. It follows standard patterns for Russian nouns.

'отставка' is a feminine noun of the first declension and inflects similarly:

'смирение' is a neuter noun and does not change in most forms, making it relatively invariable in casual use.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отставка (Similar to увольнение but more formal)
  • уход (Less formal, implies leaving a position)
• Antonyms:
  • назначение (Appointment or assignment)
  • продвижение (Promotion)

Related Phrases:

• Письмо об увольнении (Pismo ob uvolnenii) - A resignation letter; used in formal job contexts.
• Добровольная отставка (Dobrovolnaya otstavka) - Voluntary resignation; implies a personal choice in official settings.
• Смирение судьбы (Smireniye sudby) - Resignation to fate; a phrase in philosophical or literary discussions.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'увольнение' directly corresponds to 'resignation' in job contexts but is more formal and often involves legal paperwork. Use 'отставка' for political figures to match the hierarchical tone. 'Смирение' is better for emotional or submissive connotations, which differ from English 'resignation' by emphasizing inner peace. Be mindful of context: in business emails, stick to formal language; in casual talk, 'смирение' might sound poetic. When choosing between translations, consider the audience—formal for professionals, informal for personal stories.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse 'увольнение' with 'увольнение' in the sense of being fired (which is the same word but context-dependent). Error: Saying "Я уволен" to mean "I resigned" (implying dismissal). Correct: "Я подал в отставку" for resignation. Explanation: 'Уволен' means "fired," so use phrases like "подать заявление об увольнении" for voluntary action.
• Another error is improper declension, e.g., using 'увольнение' in the wrong case. Error: "Из увольнение" instead of "Из увольнения." Correct: Always decline based on sentence structure to avoid grammatical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'отставка' often carries historical weight, linked to events like the resignation of tsars or Soviet leaders, symbolizing political upheaval. 'Смирение' reflects a philosophical tradition from Orthodox Christianity and literature (e.g., Tolstoy), where accepting fate is seen as a virtue, differing from Western individualism.

Related Concepts:

• назначение
• продвижение
• карьерный рост