Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Assume'

English Word: Assume

Key Russian Translations:

• предполагать [prʲɪdˈpoɫəɡətʲ] - [Formal/Informal]
• допускать [dəpʊˈskatʲ] - [Formal]
• брать на себя [bratʲ nə sʲɪˈbʲa] - [Informal, Often used for responsibility]

Frequency: High (especially "предполагать")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "предполагать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "допускать" and "брать на себя"

Pronunciation (Russian):

предполагать: [prʲɪdˈpoɫəɡətʲ]

Note on предполагать: Stress falls on the third syllable. The "г" is pronounced softly due to palatalization with "ə".

допускать: [dəpʊˈskatʲ]

Note on допускать: Stress on the third syllable. The "т" is softened by the following "ʲ".

брать на себя: [bratʲ nə sʲɪˈbʲa]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To think or believe something is true without proof

Translation(s) & Context:

• предполагать - Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to express a hypothesis or assumption.
• допускать - More formal, often used in written or academic contexts to suggest a possibility.

Usage Examples:

• Я предполагаю, что он придёт позже.

  I assume he will come later.

• Мы не можем допускать таких ошибок.

  We cannot assume (allow for) such mistakes.

• Предположим, что всё пойдёт по плану.

  Let’s assume everything goes according to plan.

2. To take on a role or responsibility

Translation(s) & Context:

• брать на себя - Used when assuming responsibility or a role, often in informal or conversational settings.

Usage Examples:

• Он решил взять на себя руководство проектом.

  He decided to assume leadership of the project.

• Я не могу взять на себя такую ответственность.

  I cannot assume such responsibility.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

предполагать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation in present, past, and future tenses.

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter/Plural)
Я (I)	предполагаю	предполагал / предполагала / предполагало / предполагали
Ты (You, informal)	предполагаешь	предполагал / предполагала / предполагало / предполагали
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	предполагает	предполагал / предполагала / предполагало / предполагали

допускать (Verb, Imperfective): Similar regular conjugation pattern.

брать на себя (Phrasal Verb, Imperfective): The verb "брать" conjugates regularly, while "на себя" remains unchanged.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "предполагать":

• считать
• думать

Note: "считать" often implies a stronger belief, while "думать" is more casual and broad.

Antonyms for "предполагать":

• знать
• утверждать

Related Phrases:

• предполагать худшее - To assume the worst.
• допускать возможность - To assume the possibility (of something).
• взять на себя вину - To assume the blame.

Usage Notes:

• "Предполагать" is the most versatile and commonly used translation for "assume" when referring to making a hypothesis or guess.
• "Допускать" is more formal and often used in contexts where an assumption allows for a possibility rather than a firm belief.
• "Брать на себя" is specifically used for assuming roles, duties, or responsibilities and should not be confused with the other meanings of "assume".

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "брать на себя" to mean a mental assumption. Incorrect: "Я беру на себя, что он прав." Correct: "Я предполагаю, что он прав." (I assume he is right.)

Error 2: Mixing up "предполагать" and "допускать" in formal writing. "Допускать" is preferred in academic or professional contexts when discussing possibilities.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian communication, assumptions (especially using "предполагать") are often expressed with caution to avoid sounding overly confident or presumptuous, reflecting a cultural preference for modesty in uncertain situations.

Related Concepts:

• гипотеза (hypothesis)
• догадка (guess)
• ответственность (responsibility)