Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Apprehend'

English Word: apprehend

Key Russian Translations:

• понимать [pɐˈnʲimatʲ] - [Formal, General Use]
• задерживать [zədʲɪrˈʐɨvətʲ] - [Formal, Legal Context]
• осознавать [ɐsɐˈznɐvətʲ] - [Formal, Reflective Use]

Frequency: Medium (varies by context; "понимать" is highly frequent, while "задерживать" is more specialized)

Difficulty: "понимать" - B1 (Intermediate); "задерживать" - B2 (Upper-Intermediate); "осознавать" - B2 (Upper-Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

понимать: [pɐˈnʲimatʲ]

Note on понимать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "я" sound is a soft vowel, often challenging for non-native speakers.

задерживать: [zədʲɪrˈʐɨvətʲ]

Note on задерживать: The "ж" sound is a retroflex fricative, distinct from English "zh". Stress on the third syllable.

осознавать: [ɐsɐˈznɐvətʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To Understand or Comprehend

Translation(s) & Context:

• понимать - Used in general contexts to express understanding of ideas or information.
• осознавать - Implies a deeper, reflective understanding or realization.

Usage Examples:

• Я не могу понять, что он говорит.

  I can’t understand what he is saying.

• Она начала понимать важность этого решения.

  She started to understand the importance of this decision.

• Он осознал свою ошибку только спустя годы.

  He realized his mistake only years later.

2. To Arrest or Seize (Legal Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• задерживать - Used in legal or formal contexts to mean detaining or arresting someone.

Usage Examples:

• Полиция задержала подозреваемого вчера вечером.

  The police apprehended the suspect last night.

• Его задержали за нарушение общественного порядка.

  He was apprehended for disturbing public order.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

понимать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation in present, past, and future tenses. Key forms:

задерживать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation, often used with accusative case for the object (person being detained).

осознавать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation, similar to "понимать", with a focus on abstract objects.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for понимать (understand):

• уразумевать
• схватывать

Note: "схватывать" is more colloquial and implies quick understanding.

Synonyms for задерживать (arrest):

• арестовывать
• хватать

Antonyms for понимать:

• не понимать
• игнорировать

Related Phrases:

• понимать с полуслова - To understand someone instantly or with minimal explanation (lit. "to understand from half a word").
• задерживать без причины - To detain without reason, often used in legal or critical contexts.
• осознавать последствия - To realize the consequences, often used in serious or reflective discussions.

Usage Notes:

• "понимать" is the most versatile and common translation for "apprehend" in the sense of understanding. Use it in most everyday contexts.
• "задерживать" is strictly used in legal or formal contexts for physical detention or arrest. It does not carry the meaning of understanding.
• "осознавать" implies a deeper, often emotional or philosophical realization. It is less common in casual speech.
• Be mindful of aspect: all verbs listed are imperfective. For completed actions (e.g., "understood" or "apprehended"), perfective forms like "понять" or "задержать" are used.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "задерживать" to mean "understand". This is incorrect as it only refers to physical detention.

Incorrect: Я задерживаю эту идею. (I apprehend this idea.)

Correct: Я понимаю эту идею. (I understand this idea.)

Error 2: Confusing "понимать" and "осознавать". "осознавать" is not typically used for simple comprehension.

Incorrect: Я осознаю этот текст. (I realize this text.)

Correct: Я понимаю этот текст. (I understand this text.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the term "задерживать" often carries a strong association with law enforcement and Soviet-era connotations of state control. It may evoke a more serious or negative tone compared to the English "apprehend". Meanwhile, "понимать" is neutral and widely used in educational and interpersonal contexts, reflecting the value placed on mutual understanding in Russian communication.

Related Concepts:

• понять (perfective form of понимать)
• задержание (noun form of задерживать, meaning "detention")
• осознание (noun form of осознавать, meaning "realization")