Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'status'

English Word: status

Key Russian Translations:

• статус [ˈstatʊs] - [Formal, Borrowed from English, Commonly used in technical or official contexts]
• положение [pəlɐˈʐɛnʲɪje] - [General, Informal, Often used in everyday or descriptive contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Frequently encountered in modern Russian, especially in business, technology, and social discussions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires basic understanding of noun declensions and borrowed words for "статус", while "положение" may vary slightly in complexity)

Pronunciation (Russian):

статус: [ˈstatʊs]

положение: [pəlɐˈʐɛnʲɪje]

Note on статус: The stress is on the first syllable; be mindful of the hard 'т' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers used to softer consonants.

Note on положение: The 'ж' is a soft, fricative sound; pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech, with emphasis on the third syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The condition or state of something or someone (e.g., social, professional, or technical status)

Translation(s) & Context:

• статус - Used in formal contexts like online profiles or official documents, where precision is needed.
• положение - Applied in everyday conversations for broader descriptions, such as social standing or situational state.

Usage Examples:

• Мой статус в компании изменился на старшего менеджера. (My status in the company has changed to senior manager.)

  English Translation: My status in the company has changed to senior manager.

• Его социальное положение позволяет ему влиять на решения. (His social status allows him to influence decisions.)

  English Translation: His social status allows him to influence decisions.

• Проверьте статус вашего заказа в приложении. (Check the status of your order in the app.)

  English Translation: Check the status of your order in the app.

• В этом положении она чувствует себя уверенно. (In this status/position, she feels confident.)

  English Translation: In this status/position, she feels confident.

• Статус проекта остается неизменным из-за задержек. (The status of the project remains unchanged due to delays.)

  English Translation: The status of the project remains unchanged due to delays.

Meaning 2: A specific rank or level in a system (e.g., marital status or online status)

Translation(s) & Context:

• статус - Common in digital or bureaucratic contexts, like "relationship status" on social media.
• положение - Less common here, but used for hierarchical or physical positions.

Usage Examples:

• Ее семейный статус указан как "в браке". (Her marital status is listed as "married".)

  English Translation: Her marital status is listed as "married".

• Он обновил свой статус в соцсети на "занят". (He updated his status on social media to "busy".)

  English Translation: He updated his status on social media to "busy".

• Это положение в иерархии дает ему привилегии. (This status in the hierarchy gives him privileges.)

  English Translation: This status in the hierarchy gives him privileges.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "статус" and "положение" are masculine nouns in Russian, but they follow different inflection patterns. "Статус" is a borrowed word and often remains unchanged in informal use, while "положение" follows standard Russian declension rules.

Note: "Статус" is invariable in plural forms in many contexts (e.g., статусы), but "положение" has a regular plural: положения.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • статус: состояние (sostoyanie - state or condition)
  • положение: ситуация (situatsiya - situation), место (mesto - place or position)
• Antonyms:
  • статус: без статуса (bez statusa - without status)
  • положение: беспорядок (besporyadok - disorder or chaos)

Note: "Состояние" as a synonym for "статус" implies a more temporary or physical state, while "ситуация" for "положение" emphasizes context.

Related Phrases:

• Статус-кво (status quo) - Refers to the existing state of affairs, often in political or social contexts.
• Изменить положение (to change the situation) - Means to alter one's status or circumstances for improvement.
• Социальное положение (social status) - Describes one's place in society, with implications for class or rank.

Usage Notes:

• "Статус" is a direct loanword from English and is preferred in modern, urban Russian for precise, technical meanings, but it may sound less "native" in literary contexts.
• "Положение" is more versatile and idiomatic for everyday use; choose it when describing broader situational aspects to sound more natural.
• Always consider the grammatical case; for example, use the genitive form (статуса) after prepositions like "без" (without).
• In formal writing, "статус" aligns closely with English "status," while "положение" might require additional context for accuracy.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "статус" in informal speech where "положение" is more appropriate, e.g., saying "Мой статус плохой" instead of "Мое положение плохое" for "My status is bad."
  Correct: "Мое положение плохое" – Explanation: "Статус" implies a fixed or official state, while "положение" fits emotional or descriptive contexts better.
• Error: Forgetting declension, e.g., using nominative "статус" in all cases instead of "статусу" in dative.
  Correct: "Я думаю о статусе" vs. "Я дал статусу приоритет" – Explanation: Proper declension ensures grammatical agreement in sentences.
• Error: Confusing with English pronunciation, e.g., pronouncing "статус" as [ˈsteɪtəs] instead of [ˈstatʊs].
  Correct Pronunciation: [ˈstatʊs] – Explanation: Russian phonetics require harder consonants and different vowel sounds.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "статус" often reflects societal hierarchies, such as in the post-Soviet era where social status (социальный статус) is tied to economic mobility. Historically, terms like "положение" evoke ideas from literature (e.g., in Tolstoy's works), emphasizing personal or class-based positions, which can carry undertones of fate or social determinism.

Related Concepts:

• уровень (uroven' - level)
• роль (rol' - role)
• класс (klass - class)