Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Absolve'

English Word: absolve

Key Russian Translations:

• освобождать [osvobozhdat'] - [Formal, often used in legal or moral contexts]
• прощать [proshchat'] - [Neutral, often used in personal or religious contexts]
• оправдывать [opravdyvat'] - [Formal, often used in legal or justificatory contexts]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for all translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

освобождать: [ɐsvəbɐˈʒdatʲ]

Note on освобождать: Stress falls on the third syllable; the "ж" is pronounced as a voiced fricative [ʒ].

прощать: [prɐˈɕːatʲ]

Note on прощать: Stress on the second syllable; the "щ" sound is a long, soft [ɕː].

оправдывать: [ɐprɐvˈdɨvətʲ]

Note on оправдывать: Stress on the third syllable; ensure proper articulation of the soft "в".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To free from blame or guilt (legal/moral sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• освобождать - Used in formal or legal contexts to indicate release from responsibility or obligation.
• оправдывать - Used when justifying or exonerating someone in a formal setting, often legally.

Usage Examples:

• Суд освободил его от всех обвинений.

  The court absolved him of all charges.

• Его оправдали после долгого расследования.

  He was absolved after a lengthy investigation.

• Комитет освободил её от ответственности за ошибку.

  The committee absolved her of responsibility for the mistake.

2. To forgive (personal/religious sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• прощать - Commonly used in personal or religious contexts to express forgiveness of sins or wrongdoings.

Usage Examples:

• Священник простил его грехи.

  The priest absolved him of his sins.

• Она простила его за все обиды.

  She absolved him of all grievances.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

освобождать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation in the present, past, and future tenses.

Person	Present Tense
Я (I)	освобождаю [osvobozhdayu]
Ты (You, singular)	освобождаешь [osvobozhdayesh']
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	освобождает [osvobozhdayet]
Мы (We)	освобождаем [osvobozhdayem]
Вы (You, plural)	освобождаете [osvobozhdayete]
Они (They)	освобождают [osvobozhdayut]

прощать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation, similar structure to above.

оправдывать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation, follows standard first conjugation patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for освобождать:

• отпускать
• избавлять

Note: "отпускать" is more colloquial, while "избавлять" often implies relief from burden.

Synonyms for прощать:

• миловать

Antonyms for прощать:

• обвинять
• наказывать

Related Phrases:

• освободить от грехов - To absolve from sins (religious context).
• оправдать ожидания - To justify expectations (slightly different but related usage).
• простить и забыть - To forgive and forget (common expression).

Usage Notes:

• "освобождать" is typically used in formal or legal contexts, emphasizing release from obligations or accusations.
• "прощать" is more personal and often carries emotional or religious connotations, such as forgiving sins or personal wrongs.
• "оправдывать" focuses on justification or exoneration, often in a legal or moral debate setting.
• Choose the appropriate translation based on the context—legal vs. personal forgiveness.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "прощать" in a legal context.

Incorrect: Суд простил его от обвинений.

Correct: Суд освободил его от обвинений.

Explanation: "прощать" implies personal forgiveness and is inappropriate for formal or legal absolution; use "освобождать" instead.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian Orthodox tradition, the concept of absolution ("прощать") is deeply tied to religious confession and forgiveness of sins by a priest. This cultural context may influence how native speakers perceive the term in non-religious settings as well, often carrying a sense of moral weight.

Related Concepts:

• исповедь (confession)
• грех (sin)
• вина (guilt)