Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'trauma'

English Word: trauma

Key Russian Translations:

• травма (/ˈtrav.mə/) - [Formal, Medical]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in medical, psychological, and everyday discussions of injury or stress)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate level, as it involves understanding medical vocabulary and basic noun declensions)

Pronunciation (Russian):

травма: /ˈtrav.mə/

Note on травма: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'a' sounds are typically short and unstressed, which can be challenging for English speakers used to varying vowel lengths.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Physical injury or wound

Translation(s) & Context:

• травма - Used in formal medical contexts, such as describing accidents or injuries in healthcare settings.

Usage Examples:

• После аварии у него была серьёзная травма ноги.

  After the accident, he had a serious trauma to his leg.

• Врачи диагностировали травму позвоночника у пациента.

  Doctors diagnosed a trauma to the patient's spine.

• Спортсмен получил травму во время тренировки и не смог продолжить.

  The athlete sustained a trauma during training and couldn't continue.

• Травма головы может привести к долгосрочным проблемам.

  A head trauma can lead to long-term issues.

2. Psychological or emotional distress

Translation(s) & Context:

• травма - Used in psychological or therapeutic contexts, often interchangeably with emotional harm, but more formal than everyday slang.

Usage Examples:

• Детская травма может повлиять на всю жизнь человека.

  Childhood trauma can affect a person's entire life.

• Психолог помогает пациентам справляться с эмоциональной травмой.

  The psychologist helps patients deal with emotional trauma.

• Война оставила глубокую травму в умах выживших.

  The war left a deep trauma in the minds of the survivors.

• Травма от потери близкого требует профессиональной помощи.

  Trauma from losing a loved one requires professional help.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Травма" is a feminine noun of the third declension in Russian. It follows standard patterns for feminine nouns ending in -а. Below is a table of its declensions:

Note: This word does not have irregular forms, making it relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ранение (raneniye) - More specific to wounds, often used in military or injury contexts.
  • ушиб (ushib) - Refers to a bruise or contusion, with a slight difference in severity.
• Antonyms:
  • здоровье (zdorov'ye) - Health, implying the absence of injury.
  • спокойствие (spokoystvo) - Calmness, especially for psychological contexts.

Related Phrases:

• психическая травма - Psychological trauma; used in therapy to describe emotional scars.
• травма головы - Head trauma; a common medical phrase for brain injuries.
• получить травму - To sustain an injury; a fixed expression in accident reports.

Usage Notes:

"Травма" directly corresponds to the English "trauma" in both physical and psychological senses, but it's more commonly used in formal or medical contexts in Russian. English speakers should note that Russian often requires the noun to be declined based on its role in the sentence, such as in prepositional phrases (e.g., "о травме" for "about the trauma"). When choosing between translations, use "травма" for general purposes, but opt for more specific synonyms like "ранение" if the context is combat-related. Be mindful of the word's feminine gender, which affects adjective agreements (e.g., "серьёзная травма").

• In informal speech, Russians might use diminutives like "травмочка" for a minor injury, but this is rare for serious contexts.
• It's often paired with verbs like "получить" (to receive) or "вызвать" (to cause) to describe onset.

Common Errors:

English learners often mistake "травма" for a masculine noun and fail to decline it correctly. For example:

• Error: Saying "травма был" instead of "травма была" (incorrect gender agreement).
• Correct: Травма была серьёзной. (The trauma was serious.) - Explanation: Use feminine verb forms like "была" to match the noun's gender.
• Error: Using it without declension, e.g., "Я думаю о травма" instead of "Я думаю о травме".
• Correct: Я думаю о травме. - Explanation: In the prepositional case, it becomes "травме" when discussing it abstractly.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "травма" often carries a deeper connotation in the context of historical events, such as wars or the Soviet era, where psychological trauma from collective experiences (e.g., WWII) is a common theme in literature and psychology. This reflects Russia's emphasis on resilience and community healing, as seen in works by authors like Solzhenitsyn.

Related Concepts:

• шок (shok) - Shock
• стресс (stress) - Stress
• реабилитация (reabilitatsiya) - Rehabilitation