Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'victim'

English Word: victim

Key Russian Translations:

• жертва (/ˈʐɛrtvə/) - [Formal, Singular]
• пострадавший (/pəstrəˈdavʂɨj/) - [Informal, Masculine, Used in legal or accident contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Commonly used in news, literature, and everyday discussions about crime or misfortune)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun declensions and basic vocabulary, but accessible to learners with some experience)

Pronunciation (Russian):

жертва: /ˈʐɛrtvə/

пострадавший: /pəstrəˈdavʂɨj/

Note on жертва: The initial "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, similar to the "s" in "measure" in English, which can be challenging for beginners. Stress falls on the first syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A person who suffers injury, loss, or death as a result of a crime, accident, or other harmful event.

Translation(s) & Context:

• жертва - Used in formal contexts like news reports or legal discussions to describe someone harmed.
• пострадавший - Applied in informal or medical scenarios, often implying survival or recovery.

Usage Examples:

• В автокатастрофе пострадали несколько человек, включая жертву, которая была госпитализирована.

  In the car accident, several people were injured, including the victim who was hospitalized.

• Жертва ограбления поделилась своей историей в суде, чтобы помочь другим.

  The victim of the robbery shared their story in court to help others.

• Пострадавший от наводнения жертва получила помощь от волонтеров.

  The victim affected by the flood received help from volunteers.

• В этом фильме главная героиня становится жертвой обстоятельств, но находит силы сопротивляться.

  In this film, the main heroine becomes a victim of circumstances but finds the strength to resist.

• Молодой пострадавший жертва кибербуллинга обратился в полицию за защитой.

  The young victim of cyberbullying sought police protection.

Meaning 2: Someone who is exploited or suffers in a metaphorical sense, such as in social or emotional contexts.

Translation(s) & Context:

• жертва - Often used metaphorically in literature or psychology, e.g., "victim of fate."
• пострадавший - Less common here, but can appear in emotional narratives.

Usage Examples:

• Он стал жертвой собственных амбиций, потеряв всё, что имел.

  He became a victim of his own ambitions, losing everything he had.

• Жертва семейного конфликта нуждается в профессиональной помощи.

  The victim of a family conflict needs professional help.

• Пострадавший от дискриминации жертва борется за свои права.

  The victim suffering from discrimination is fighting for their rights.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "жертва" (a feminine noun), it follows the standard first declension pattern in Russian. It changes based on case, number, and gender. Below is a table of its inflections:

For "пострадавший" (a masculine adjective-derived noun), it is irregular and changes with gender and case. In masculine singular: пострадавший (nominative), пострадавшего (genitive), etc. It remains unchanged in plural forms like пострадавшие for mixed gender groups.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: пострадавший (similar, but emphasizes suffering); жертва судьбы (victim of fate, more poetic)
• Antonyms: победитель (/pəbʲɪˈdʲitəlʲ/ - winner); агрессор (/ɐˈɡrʲɛsər/ - aggressor)

Related Phrases:

• жертва обстоятельств - Victim of circumstances (Refers to someone affected by external factors beyond control.)
• пострадавшая сторона - The injured party (Used in legal contexts to denote a victim in disputes.)
• жертва насилия - Victim of violence (Common in social or human rights discussions.)

Usage Notes:

"Жертва" directly corresponds to "victim" in formal English contexts and is gender-neutral in usage, though it defaults to feminine in Russian grammar. Use "пострадавший" for masculine subjects or when emphasizing recovery. Be cautious with context: in Russian, these words can carry emotional weight, so they're more common in serious discussions. When choosing between translations, opt for "жертва" in general scenarios and "пострадавший" in accident-related ones. Grammatically, always decline nouns according to case for correct sentence structure.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "жертва" without proper declension, e.g., saying "Я видел жертва" instead of "Я видел жертву" (accusative case). Correct: Always match the case, as in "Я видел жертву преступления" (I saw the victim of the crime). Explanation: Russian requires nouns to agree in case, which English speakers often overlook.
• Error: Confusing "жертва" with "жертвовать" (to sacrifice), leading to misuse like "Он был жертвовать" instead of "Он был жертвой". Correct: Use "жертва" as a noun only. Explanation: These are unrelated roots, so context is key to avoid semantic errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "жертва" often appear in historical contexts, such as discussions of World War II or Soviet-era hardships, where victims of war or oppression are frequently memorialized. This can evoke strong national sentiments, emphasizing resilience and collective memory rather than individual victimhood.

Related Concepts:

• преступление (crime)
• насилие (violence)
• спасение (rescue)