Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Abase'

English Word: abase

Key Russian Translations:

• унижать [ʊnʲɪˈʐatʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Imperfective]
• унизить [ʊnʲɪˈzʲitʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Perfective]
• принижать [prʲɪnʲɪˈʐatʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Verb, Imperfective]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for all translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

унижать: [ʊnʲɪˈʐatʲ]

Note on унижать: Pay attention to the stress on the second syllable and the soft 'ж' sound, which is a voiced fricative.

унизить: [ʊnʲɪˈzʲitʲ]

Note on унизить: Similar to унижать, but with a hard 'з' sound and a perfective aspect indicating completed action.

принижать: [prʲɪnʲɪˈʐatʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To lower in rank, prestige, or esteem (Humiliate)

Translation(s) & Context:

• унижать/унизить - Used when referring to humiliating someone emotionally or socially, often with a strong negative connotation.
• принижать - Often used to belittle someone's achievements or worth, can be less intense than унижать.

Usage Examples:

• Он постоянно унижает своих подчинённых.

  He constantly humiliates his subordinates.

• Она унизила его перед всеми на собрании.

  She humiliated him in front of everyone at the meeting.

• Не принижай его заслуги, он много работал.

  Don’t belittle his achievements; he worked hard.

• Его слова принижают значение нашей работы.

  His words diminish the importance of our work.

• Унижать других — это признак слабости.

  Humiliating others is a sign of weakness.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

унижать (Imperfective Verb): Regular conjugation in present, past, and future tenses. Below is the present tense conjugation:

унизить (Perfective Verb): Used for completed actions; conjugated similarly but only in past and future tenses (no present tense for perfective verbs).

принижать (Imperfective Verb): Follows similar regular conjugation patterns as унижать.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• оскорблять (to insult)
• ущемлять (to infringe or belittle)

Note: оскорблять focuses more on verbal insult, while ущемлять can imply harming someone’s dignity or rights.

Antonyms:

• возвышать (to elevate)
• хвалить (to praise)

Related Phrases:

• унижать достоинство - to humiliate someone’s dignity
• принижать значение - to downplay the importance
• унизить до слёз - to humiliate to the point of tears

Usage Notes:

• The choice between унижать (imperfective) and унизить (perfective) depends on whether the action is ongoing or completed. Use унижать for habitual or repeated actions and унизить for a one-time, completed act of humiliation.
• принижать is often used in contexts where someone’s value or achievements are diminished, and it can be less emotionally charged than унижать.
• These verbs are transitive and usually require a direct object (e.g., a person or their qualities).

Common Errors:

• Mixing up aspect (унижать vs. унизить): English speakers often fail to distinguish between imperfective and perfective aspects. For example, saying "Я унизить его вчера" is incorrect because унизить is future/past only. Correct form: "Я унизил его вчера" (I humiliated him yesterday).
• Wrong stress or pronunciation: Stress in унижать and унизить falls on the second syllable, not the first. Misplacing stress (e.g., pronouncing as [ˈʊnʲɪʐatʲ]) can lead to misunderstandings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, personal dignity and respect are highly valued. Using words like унижать or унизить can carry a strong negative connotation, and openly humiliating someone is often seen as a serious breach of social norms, especially in formal or professional settings.

Related Concepts:

• оскорбление (insult)
• позор (shame)
• достоинство (dignity)