Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'thief'

English Word: thief

Key Russian Translations:

• вор [vor] - [Informal, commonly used in everyday contexts for a male thief]
• воровка [vɐˈrovkə] - [Informal, Feminine form, used specifically for a female thief]
• злоумышленник [zləʊˈumɨʃlʲɪnʲɪk] - [Formal, Legal or official contexts, implying a more malicious intent]

Frequency: Medium (The word is encountered in crime-related discussions, literature, and media, but not as ubiquitous as everyday vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; involves basic noun declensions and gender agreement, which can be challenging for learners beyond beginner level. For 'воровка', the feminine form may add slight complexity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

вор: [vor] (The 'o' is pronounced as a mid-back rounded vowel, similar to the 'o' in "more". Stress on the first syllable.)

воровка: [vɐˈrovkə] (Note on воровка: The stress falls on the second syllable, and the 'a' in the first syllable is a reduced vowel, common in Russian unstressed positions.)

злоумышленник: [zləʊˈumɨʃlʲɪnʲɪk] (Note on злоумышленник: Pay attention to the palatalized 'sh' sound [ʃlʲ], which is a distinctive feature of Russian phonology.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: A person who steals, often secretly or illegally.

Translation(s) & Context:

• вор - Used in informal, everyday contexts like news reports or casual conversations about petty crime.
• воровка - Applied in contexts involving female perpetrators, such as in stories or investigations.
• злоумышленник - Employed in formal or legal settings, emphasizing intent rather than just the act of stealing.

Usage Examples:

• Вор пробрался в дом ночью и украл ювелирные изделия. (Vor probralas' v dom noch'yu i ukral yuvelirnyye izdelija.)

  Translation: The thief broke into the house at night and stole the jewelry. (This example shows 'вор' in a simple narrative context, highlighting a basic theft scenario.)

• Полиция поймала воровку, которая грабила магазины в центре города. (Politsiya poymala vorovku, kotoraya grabila magaziny v tsentre goroda.)

  Translation: The police caught the female thief who was robbing stores in the city center. (This demonstrates 'воровка' in a law enforcement context, with feminine gender agreement.)

• Злоумышленник был арестован за серию краж в банках. (Zloumyshlennik byl arestovan za seriyu krazh v bankakh.)

  Translation: The malicious thief was arrested for a series of bank robberies. (Here, 'злоумышленник' is used in a formal, legal context to convey premeditated crime.)

• В старом фильме главный герой разоблачает вора, скрывающегося среди друзей. (V starom fil'me glavnyy geroy razoblachaet vora, skryvayushchegosya sredi druzey.)

  Translation: In the old movie, the main character exposes the thief hiding among friends. (This example illustrates 'вор' in a storytelling or dramatic setting.)

• Местные жители опасаются воровок, которые орудуют в парке по вечерам. (Mestnyye zhitel' opasayutsya vorovok, kotoryye oruduyut v parke po vecheram.)

  Translation: Local residents fear female thieves who operate in the park in the evenings. (This shows 'воровка' in plural form, emphasizing community concerns.)

Secondary Meaning: Figurative use, e.g., someone who deceives or takes unfairly (less common).

Translation(s) & Context:

• вор - In metaphorical contexts, such as in literature, to describe a metaphorical "stealer" of ideas or trust.

Usage Examples:

• Он был настоящим вором чужих идей, всегда представляя их как свои. (On byl nastoyashchim vorom chuzhikh idey, vsegda predstavlyaya ikh kak svoi.)

  Translation: He was a real thief of other people's ideas, always presenting them as his own. (This example uses 'вор' figuratively in a professional or creative context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'вор' (a masculine noun, first declension), it follows standard Russian noun patterns with variations by case and number. 'воровка' is feminine and also declines regularly.

Note: These forms are regular, but learners should note that 'злоумышленник' (also masculine) follows a similar pattern but may vary slightly in complex compounds.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • грабитель (grabitel' – robber, often implies violence)
  • преступник (prestupnik – criminal, broader term for any lawbreaker)
  • налётчик (nalyotchik – raider, used for sudden attacks)
• Antonyms:
  • честный человек (chestnyy chelovek – honest person)
  • полицейский (policayskiy – policeman, representing law enforcement)

Related Phrases:

• Ловить вора (Lovit' vora) – To catch a thief; used in contexts of pursuit or apprehension.
• Вор в законе (Vor v zakone) – Thief in law; refers to a high-ranking criminal in Russian organized crime, with cultural implications.
• Спрятать как вор (Spryatat' kak vor) – To hide like a thief; a phrase meaning to conceal something sneakily.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'вор' directly corresponds to 'thief' as a noun and must agree in gender, number, and case with other elements in the sentence. For English speakers, remember that Russian nouns decline, so 'вор' changes form based on context (e.g., 'вора' in genitive). Use 'воровка' for female subjects to maintain gender accuracy. In formal writing, opt for 'злоумышленник' when emphasizing intent. Avoid direct word-for-word translation; consider the context to choose the appropriate synonym.

• Gender agreement: Always pair with adjectives or verbs that match the noun's gender (e.g., 'хитрый вор' for a cunning male thief).
• Scene selection: 'вор' is versatile for informal use, but in legal documents, 'злоумышленник' is preferred for precision.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'вор' without proper declension, e.g., saying "Я видел вор" instead of "Я видел вора".
  Correct: "Я видел вора" (I saw the thief). Explanation: Russian requires accusative case after verbs like 'videt' (to see), so learners must adjust for case.
• Error: Confusing 'вор' with verbs like 'воровать' (to steal), leading to incorrect sentence structure.
  Correct: Use 'вор' as a noun only; for the action, say "Вор ворует" (The thief is stealing). Explanation: 'вор' is not a verb, so don't mix it with action descriptions without proper context.
• Error: Forgetting gender: Saying "Вор поймана" (for a female thief) instead of "Воровка поймана".
  Correct: "Воровка поймана". Explanation: Past tense verbs in Russian agree with the subject's gender, which is crucial for accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of a 'вор' often appears in folklore and literature, such as in stories by Pushkin or in references to historical bandits like Stenka Razin. The phrase 'Вор в законе' is tied to the Russian mafia (vor v zakone), representing a code of honor among criminals, which reflects themes of loyalty and underworld justice in post-Soviet society.

Related Concepts:

• кража (krazha – theft)
• угонщик (ugonschik – car thief)
• преступление (prestupleniye – crime)