опеку́н
opekúnmasculine
In Russian, the word for guardian is опеку́н (opekún). Wiktionary also lists кура́тор (kurátor) and попечи́тель (popečítelʹ).
Meaning: law: person legally responsible for a minor in loco parentis (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| опеку́н | opekún | masculine |
| кура́тор | kurátor | masculine |
| попечи́тель | popečítelʹ | masculine |
| попечи́тельница | popečítelʹnica | feminine |
In a legal context, the term refers to a person who has legal responsibility for a minor or an incapacitated person.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends heavily on the specific type of responsibility: опеку́н is the specific legal term for someone appointed to manage the affairs of a minor or an incapacitated person. кура́тор is used in a professional sense to mean a supervisor, mentor or person in charge of a specific project or academic program. попечи́тель is used in an institutional sense, typically referring to a trustee of an institution, a patron of the arts or a member of a board of trustees.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The term попечи́тельница is the feminine form used when the guardian or trustee is specifically a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
opekún
Did you know?
- In a legal dispute, a person might be appointed as a попечи́тель specifically for those aged 14 to 18, whereas опеку́н is used for children under 14.
- The word попечи́тель shares a root with попе́чь, which means 'to care for' or 'to worry about'.
- In Russian universities, a кура́тор is often a faculty member assigned to a group of students to guide their academic and social integration.
Examples in context
- Суд назначил ее попечителем и доверил ей заботу о ребенке.The court appointed her as a guardian and entrusted her with the care of the child.
- Он является официальным опеку́ном ребёнка.On yavlyaetsya ofitsial'nym opekunom rebyonka.He is the official guardian of the child.
- Опеку́н должен следить за имуществом.Opekun dolzhen sledit' za imushchestvom.The guardian must look after the property.
- Его назначили опеку́ном в суде.Yego naznachili opekunom v sude.He was appointed guardian in court.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guardian” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
