Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'strength'

English Word: strength

Key Russian Translations:

• сила [ˈsʲilə] - [Formal, Common in everyday and literary contexts]
• прочность [ˈproʧnəsʲtʲ] - [Formal, Often used in technical or material contexts]
• сила воли [ˈsʲilə vɐˈlʲi] - [Informal, Idiomatic expression for willpower or mental strength]

Frequency: High (Especially "сила" is commonly used in Russian media, literature, and daily conversations.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; "сила" is straightforward for learners at this level, but nuances like inflections may require practice. For "прочность", it could be B2 due to technical usage.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сила: [ˈsʲilə]

прочность: [ˈproʧnəsʲtʲ]

сила воли: [ˈsʲilə vɐˈlʲi]

Note on сила: The initial "с" is palatalized, which can be tricky for English speakers; it sounds like "s" in "measure". Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Physical or muscular strength

Translation(s) & Context:

• сила - Used in contexts involving physical power, such as sports or labor (e.g., in formal descriptions or narratives).
• прочность - Applied when referring to the durability or resilience of materials, like in engineering.

Usage Examples:

• Его сила позволила ему поднять тяжелый ящик. (His strength allowed him to lift the heavy box.)

  English: His strength allowed him to lift the heavy box.

• Тренировки развивают силу мышц. (Workouts develop muscle strength.)

  English: Workouts develop muscle strength.

• Прочность металла проверяется в лаборатории. (The strength of the metal is tested in the laboratory.)

  English: The strength of the metal is tested in the laboratory.

• Благодаря своей силе, он выиграл соревнование. (Thanks to his strength, he won the competition.)

  English: Thanks to his strength, he won the competition.

Moral or inner strength

Translation(s) & Context:

• сила воли - Used for mental resilience or determination, common in motivational or psychological contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Ее сила воли помогла преодолеть трудности. (Her strength of will helped her overcome difficulties.)

  English: Her strength of will helped her overcome difficulties.

• Сила воли необходима для достижения целей. (Strength of will is necessary to achieve goals.)

  English: Strength of will is necessary to achieve goals.

• В кризисные моменты проявляется настоящая сила воли. (In crisis moments, true strength of will is revealed.)

  English: In crisis moments, true strength of will is revealed.

• Развитие силы воли – ключ к успеху. (Developing strength of will is the key to success.)

  English: Developing strength of will is the key to success.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Сила" is a feminine noun (3rd declension) and follows standard Russian noun inflections. It has regular changes based on case and number. "Прочность" is also a feminine noun with similar patterns.

Case/Number	Сила (e.g., for physical strength)	Прочность (for durability)
Nominative Singular	сила	прочность
Genitive Singular	силы	прочности
Dative Singular	силе	прочности
Accusative Singular	силу	прочность
Instrumental Singular	силой	прочностью
Prepositional Singular	силе	прочности
Nominative Plural	силы	прочности

"Сила воли" as a phrase doesn't inflect as a single unit but follows the inflections of its components. Note that these are regular; no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • мощь (moshch) - Often implies greater power or might, used in poetic contexts.
  • энергия (energiya) - For energetic strength, more dynamic than static power.
• Antonyms:
  • слабость (slabost') - Weakness, directly opposite to physical or moral strength.
  • бессилие (bessilie) - Impotence or helplessness, especially in emotional contexts.

Related Phrases:

• Сила характера (sila kharaktera) - Strength of character; refers to resilience in personality.
• Физическая сила (fizicheskaya sila) - Physical strength; commonly used in fitness contexts.
• Собрать силы (sokrat' sily) - To gather strength; an idiomatic phrase for mustering energy.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "сила" directly corresponds to the English "strength" in most contexts but can imply a broader sense of power. Choose "прочность" for material or structural strength to avoid confusion. Be mindful of gender agreements in sentences, as "сила" is feminine (e.g., "эта сила" for "this strength"). In informal speech, "сила" is versatile, but in formal writing, pair it with appropriate adjectives for precision.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "сила" with "сила воли": Learners might overuse "сила" for mental strength, leading to incorrect phrases like "сила для цели" instead of "сила воли для цели". Correct: Use "сила воли" for willpower. Error example: *Сила для преодоления* (incorrect for mental context); Correct: Сила воли для преодоления.
• Improper inflection: English speakers often forget case changes, e.g., saying *с сил* instead of *с силой* in instrumental case. Explanation: Always adjust for case to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "сила" often carries connotations of historical resilience, as seen in literature like Tolstoy's works, where it symbolizes national or personal endurance against adversity. This reflects Russia's emphasis on stoicism and strength in the face of challenges, such as in wartime narratives.

Related Concepts:

• энергия (energiya)
• выносливость (vynoslivost')
• мощь (moshch)