Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'runaway'

English Word: runaway

Key Russian Translations:

• беглец [bʲɪˈɡlʲɛts] - [Formal, Masculine noun, Used in contexts of escape or flight]
• беглый [ˈbʲeɡlɨj] - [Informal/Neutral, Adjective, Used to describe something or someone that has escaped]
• бежать [bʲɪˈʐatʲ] - [Neutral, Verb, Used in the context of running away, but more general for fleeing]

Frequency: Medium - The word and its translations are commonly encountered in literature, news, and everyday discussions about escape or evasion, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Requires understanding of noun and adjective inflections; for 'бежать' as a verb, it may vary to B2 due to its conjugation patterns.

Pronunciation (Russian):

беглец: [bʲɪˈɡlʲɛts]

Note on беглец: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 'л' sound, which is palatalized. Common in formal speech.

беглый: [ˈbʲeɡlɨj]

Note on беглый: Stress on the first syllable; the 'ы' sound is a central vowel, which non-native speakers often confuse with 'i'.

бежать: [bʲɪˈʐatʲ]

Note on бежать: This is a verb with aspectual pairs; the infinitive form has a soft 'ж' sound. Pronunciation varies slightly in different dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: As a noun, referring to a person who has escaped or fled (e.g., from home, prison, or danger)

Translation(s) & Context:

• беглец - Used in formal or literary contexts, such as describing fugitives in historical or legal settings.
• бежать (in nominalized form) - Informal, when emphasizing the act of running away.

Usage Examples:

• Он был пойман как беглец из тюрьмы.

  He was caught as a runaway from prison.

• Война создала множество беженцев и беглецов.

  The war created many refugees and runaways.

• Молодой беглец скрывается в лесу, чтобы избежать преследования.

  The young runaway is hiding in the forest to avoid pursuit.

• Беглец из дома часто ищет помощи у друзей.

  A runaway from home often seeks help from friends.

Meaning 2: As an adjective, describing something that is out of control or has escaped (e.g., a runaway train or success)

Translation(s) & Context:

• беглый - Neutral, often used metaphorically for uncontrolled situations.
• бежать (in adjectival contexts) - Less common, but implies rapid, unchecked movement.

Usage Examples:

• Беглый поезд сошёл с рельсов из-за неисправности.

  The runaway train derailed due to a malfunction.

• Её карьера стала беглой после первого успеха.

  Her career became runaway after the first success.

• В беглом темпе развивается технология в наше время.

  Technology is developing at a runaway pace in our time.

• Беглый огонь распространился по сухой траве.

  The runaway fire spread through the dry grass.

• Он управлял беглым проектом, который вышел из-под контроля.

  He was managing a runaway project that got out of control.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'беглец' (noun, masculine): This is a first-declension noun with regular inflections. It changes by case and number.

For 'беглый' (adjective): This adjective follows the standard pattern for hard-stem adjectives, agreeing in gender, number, and case.

For 'бежать' (verb, imperfective): This is an irregular verb in some aspects. It conjugates as follows in present tense:

Note: 'бежать' has a perfective counterpart 'бежать' in some contexts, but it's generally aspectually paired with 'убежать'.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • беглец: изгнанник (izgnannik) - Similar, but implies exile; used in political contexts.
  • беглый: неконтролируемый (nekontrolirovannyj) - Emphasizes lack of control.
  • бежать: убегать (ubegat') - More specific to fleeing quickly.
• Antonyms:
  • беглец: пленник (plennik) - Captive or prisoner.
  • беглый: контролируемый (kontrolirovannyj) - Controlled or managed.
  • бежать: оставаться (ostavatsya) - To stay or remain.

Related Phrases:

• Беглый взгляд - A quick glance; used for a brief, fleeting look.
• Бежать сломя голову - To run headlong; implies rushing without caution.
• Беглец из прошлого - A runaway from the past; metaphorical for unresolved issues.

Usage Notes:

'Runaway' corresponds closely to 'беглец' in noun form for people escaping, but in Russian, gender agreement is crucial—use 'беглянка' for feminine. For adjectives like 'runaway', 'беглый' is ideal for uncontrolled scenarios, but avoid direct translation in idiomatic expressions. In formal writing, opt for 'беглец' over 'бежать' to maintain precision. Russian often requires aspectual verbs, so pair 'бежать' with perfectives like 'убежать' for completed actions.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'беглец' without gender agreement, e.g., saying 'беглец' for a female subject.
  Correct: Use 'беглянка' for females. Explanation: Russian nouns have grammatical gender, unlike English, so this leads to grammatical errors.
• Mistake: Confusing 'бежать' with 'бежать' in aspect; e.g., using imperfective where perfective is needed.
  Correct: For a completed runaway action, say 'он убежал' instead of 'он бежал'. Explanation: Aspect errors can change the meaning from ongoing to completed action.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'беглец' often evoke historical contexts, such as serfs fleeing in the 19th century or political dissidents during the Soviet era. This adds a layer of historical weight, making it more than just a literal escape—it's tied to themes of freedom and rebellion in Russian literature, like in Tolstoy's works.

Related Concepts:

• изгнанник
• убегать
• беспокойный