Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'weakness'

English Word: weakness

Key Russian Translations:

• Слабость (ˈslabəsʲtʲ) - [Informal, General; refers to physical or emotional frailty]
• Недостаток (nʲɪdəˈstatək) - [Formal; used for flaws, shortcomings, or deficiencies in a broader sense]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in everyday conversations, literature, and professional contexts, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun declensions and context-dependent usage; "Слабость" may be easier for beginners, while "Недостаток" could lean toward B2 for its abstract applications).

Pronunciation (Russian):

Слабость: ˈslabəsʲtʲ (The stress is on the first syllable; note the palatalized 'sʲ' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers—similar to the 's' in "measure" but softer.)

Note on Слабость: Be mindful of the soft sign (ь) at the end, which affects pronunciation by softening the preceding consonant.

Недостаток: nʲɪdəˈstatək (Stress on the third syllable; the 'nʲ' is a palatalized 'n', akin to the 'n' in "news" with a slight glide.)

Note on Недостаток: This word has a more formal tone, and the vowel reductions in unstressed syllables are typical in Russian speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Physical or emotional frailty (e.g., lack of strength or vulnerability)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Слабость - Used in informal or everyday contexts to describe temporary or inherent weakness, such as in health or emotions.
• Недостаток - Less common here; applied in formal contexts for systemic weaknesses, like in medical or psychological discussions.

Usage Examples:

• После болезни у него появилась слабость в ногах.

  After the illness, he experienced weakness in his legs.

• Её слабость к шоколаду часто становится причиной переедания.

  Her weakness for chocolate often leads to overeating.

• В эмоциональном плане, слабость может проявляться как неуверенность в себе.

  In an emotional sense, weakness can manifest as self-doubt.

• Физическая слабость после тренировки требует отдыха.

  Physical weakness after a workout requires rest.

Meaning 2: A flaw or shortcoming (e.g., in character, skills, or systems)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Недостаток - Preferred in formal or professional settings, such as business or criticism, to denote a defect or limitation.
• Слабость - Used informally for personal flaws, but less common than for physical/emotional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Основной недостаток этой системы — её уязвимость к хакерам.

  The main weakness of this system is its vulnerability to hackers.

• В его характере есть недостаток терпения, что мешает в работе.

  In his character, there is a weakness of patience, which hinders his work.

• Экономический недостаток страны — зависимость от импорта.

  The economic weakness of the country is its dependence on imports.

• Слабость в навыках общения можно преодолеть с помощью курсов.

  A weakness in communication skills can be overcome with courses.

• Недостаток финансирования стал слабостью проекта.

  The lack of funding became the weakness of the project.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Слабость" and "Недостаток" are feminine nouns in Russian, following standard declension patterns for first-declension nouns. They exhibit regular inflections based on case, number, and gender. Below is a table outlining the key inflections:

These nouns do not have irregular forms, but pay attention to the soft sign in "Слабость," which affects pronunciation in inflected forms. In plural, "Слабости" becomes the base for further declension (e.g., Genitive Plural: Слабостей).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• Недостаток: Проблема (problem; more neutral and general)
• Слабость: Уязвимость (vulnerability; implies exposure to harm)
• Both: Брешь (breach; used in contexts like security, with a connotation of a gap)

Antonyms:

• Сила (strength; direct opposite for physical or emotional contexts)
• Преимущество (advantage; counters flaws in professional or abstract settings)

Related Phrases:

• Показать слабость — To show weakness (Used in contexts of vulnerability in negotiations or personal relationships.)
• Исправить недостаток — To correct a weakness (Common in self-improvement or quality control scenarios.)
• Слабость характера — Weakness of character (Refers to moral or personality flaws.)

Usage Notes:

"Weakness" in English often maps directly to "Слабость" for informal, personal contexts, but "Недостаток" is better for formal or systemic issues. Be cautious with register: "Слабость" can sound too casual in professional writing, while "Недостаток" might be overly formal in everyday speech. Grammatically, both nouns require agreement in gender, number, and case with accompanying words. When choosing between translations, consider the context—e.g., use "Слабость" for health-related weakness and "Недостаток" for strategic flaws.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "Слабость" interchangeably with "Недостаток" without context. For example, saying "Мой недостаток в математике" when meaning a personal skill gap, but incorrectly phrasing it as "Слабость в математике" which implies physical tiredness.

  Correct: "Недостаток в математике" (more accurate for skills). Explanation: "Слабость" connotes physical/emotional frailty, not intellectual gaps, leading to confusion in meaning.

• Error: Forgetting declensions, e.g., saying "О слабость" instead of "О слабости" in prepositional case. Correct: Always decline based on sentence structure. Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case, so improper declension can make the sentence grammatically incorrect and hard to understand for native speakers.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, acknowledging "слабость" (weakness) is often seen as a sign of humility or realism, especially in literature like Dostoevsky's works, where personal flaws drive character development. Conversely, "недостаток" in a societal context might reference historical or economic vulnerabilities, such as those during the Soviet era, emphasizing resilience as a cultural value.

Related Concepts:

• Усталость (fatigue)
• Восприимчивость (susceptibility)
• Преодоление (overcoming)