Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'worker'

English Word: worker

Key Russian Translations:

• рабочий [rɐˈbotɕɪj] - [Informal, Masculine, Singular, Used for manual or industrial workers]
• работник [rɐˈbotnʲik] - [Formal, Neutral, Singular, Used in professional or general employment contexts]

Frequency: High (Commonly used in everyday Russian, especially in discussions about labor, employment, and society)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of basic noun inflections and vocabulary related to work, but straightforward for learners with foundational grammar knowledge. For 'рабочий', it may be slightly more challenging due to adjective-like inflections.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

рабочий: [rɐˈbotɕɪj] (The 'ч' sound is a palatalized 'ch' as in 'church', but softer; stress on the second syllable.)

работник: [rɐˈbotnʲik] (The 'нʲ' indicates a palatalized 'n', similar to the 'n' in 'news'; stress on the second syllable.)

Note on рабочий: Be cautious with the soft 'ч' sound, which can vary regionally; in some dialects, it might sound closer to [rɐˈboʧɪj].

Note on работник: The final 'к' is not aspirated; practice with native speakers for natural flow.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A person who performs manual or physical labor.

Translation(s) & Context:

• рабочий - Used in informal or everyday contexts, such as factory settings or blue-collar jobs; often implies physical effort.

Usage Examples:

• Рабочий устал после смены на заводе. (The worker was tired after the shift at the factory.)

  Translation: The worker was tired after the shift at the factory.

• Мой отец был рабочим в строительной компании. (My father was a worker in a construction company.)

  Translation: My father was a worker in a construction company. (Shows familial or biographical context.)

• Рабочие бастуют из-за низкой зарплаты. (The workers are striking due to low wages.)

  Translation: The workers are striking due to low wages. (Demonstrates plural usage in social or protest scenarios.)

• В России многие рабочие мигрируют из сельских регионов. (In Russia, many workers migrate from rural areas.)

  Translation: In Russia, many workers migrate from rural areas. (Illustrates broader societal context.)

Meaning 2: A person employed in a job or profession, often in a more general sense.

Translation(s) & Context:

• работник - Used in formal or professional contexts, such as offices, services, or white-collar roles; implies employment status.

Usage Examples:

• Этот работник компании очень ответственен. (This worker at the company is very responsible.)

  Translation: This worker at the company is very responsible. (Highlights professional attributes.)

• Работники офиса жалуются на перегруженность. (The office workers are complaining about being overworked.)

  Translation: The office workers are complaining about being overworked. (Shows plural and workplace dynamics.)

• Какой работник вам нужен для этой позиции? (What kind of worker do you need for this position?)

  Translation: What kind of worker do you need for this position? (Used in hiring or recruitment contexts.)

• Молодые работники часто ищут новые возможности. (Young workers often seek new opportunities.)

  Translation: Young workers often seek new opportunities. (Demonstrates demographic-specific usage.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'рабочий' and 'работник' are nouns, but they follow different inflection patterns due to their grammatical genders and types. 'Рабочий' is an adjective-derived noun (often used as a substantive adjective), while 'работник' is a standard masculine noun.

For 'рабочий' (masculine, can function as a noun):

For 'работник' (masculine noun, first declension):

Note: These are regular inflections; no irregularities, but always check context for gender agreement.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • труженик (truzhenik) - Emphasizes hard work or dedication, often in a positive, poetic sense.
  • сотрудник (sotrudnik) - More formal, used for colleagues or employees in an organization.
• Antonyms:
  • безработный (bezrabotnyy) - Unemployed person.
  • начальник (nachalnik) - Boss or supervisor, implying authority over workers.

Related Phrases:

• Рабочий класс (rabochiy klass) - The working class; refers to the social stratum of manual laborers.
• Квалифицированный работник (kvalificirovannyy rabotnik) - Skilled worker; used in job descriptions or training contexts.
• Наёмный работник (naemyy rabotnik) - Hired worker; implies contractual employment, often with a brief explanation of labor rights.

Usage Notes:

The English word 'worker' translates to Russian as 'рабочий' for more physical or informal roles and 'работник' for professional settings. Choose based on context: 'рабочий' is ideal for blue-collar discussions, while 'работник' suits formal environments like offices. Note that Russian nouns must agree in case, number, and gender, so always inflect according to the sentence structure. For example, in questions or prepositional phrases, proper inflection avoids awkwardness. If the worker is female, use 'рабочая' or 'работница' for gender accuracy.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'рабочий' in a formal business context, e.g., saying "Я - рабочий компании" instead of "Я - работник компании". Correct: "работник" is more appropriate for professional settings. Explanation: 'рабочий' implies manual labor, which can sound mismatched in white-collar scenarios, leading to confusion.

• Error: Forgetting to inflect for case, e.g., saying "Я видел рабочий" (incorrect accusative) instead of "Я видел рабочего". Correct: Use "рабочего" in accusative. Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, and English speakers often overlook this, resulting in grammatically incorrect sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'рабочий' carry historical significance from the Soviet era, where the working class was idealized in propaganda and literature (e.g., in works by Maxim Gorky). Today, it reflects ongoing discussions about labor rights and social inequality, especially in post-Soviet states, helping users understand the word's deeper connotations in modern Russian society.

Related Concepts:

• профессия (professiya) - Profession
• труд (trud) - Labor
• зарплата (zarplata) - Salary