Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Attain'

English Word: attain

Key Russian Translations:

• достичь [dɐˈstʲitʲ] - [Formal, Often used for goals or achievements]
• добиться [dɐˈbʲitʲsə] - [Formal/Informal, Often implies effort or struggle]
• достигнуть [dɐˈstʲiɡnʊtʲ] - [Formal, Slightly archaic or literary]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in formal and written contexts)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate, due to verb conjugation and nuances in usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

достичь: [dɐˈstʲitʲ]

Note on достичь: Stress falls on the second syllable. The soft 'т' sound may be challenging for non-native speakers.

добиться: [dɐˈbʲitʲsə]

Note on добиться: The reflexive suffix '-ся' is often reduced in speech to '-сə'.

достигнуть: [dɐˈstʲiɡnʊtʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To achieve a goal or success

Translation(s) & Context:

• достичь - Used for reaching goals, often in formal or neutral contexts (e.g., personal or professional achievements).
• добиться - Implies overcoming obstacles or putting in significant effort to achieve something.

Usage Examples:

• Она достигла своей мечты стать врачом.

  She attained her dream of becoming a doctor.

• Он добился успеха после долгих лет работы.

  He attained success after many years of hard work.

• Мы достигли вершины горы к полудню.

  We attained the summit of the mountain by noon.

2. To reach a level or state

Translation(s) & Context:

• достигнуть - Often used in literary or formal contexts to describe reaching a certain level or state.
• достичь - Can also be used in this sense, especially for measurable levels (e.g., age, height).

Usage Examples:

• Ребёнок достиг возраста пяти лет.

  The child attained the age of five.

• Температура достигла рекордного уровня.

  The temperature attained a record level.

• Он достигнул высот в своей карьере.

  He attained great heights in his career.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

достичь (perfective verb): This verb is perfective, meaning it denotes a completed action. It follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs of the second conjugation.

добиться (perfective verb): Similar to достичь, this is a perfective verb with a reflexive suffix '-ся'. Conjugation follows regular patterns but includes the reflexive particle.

достигнуть (perfective verb): Less commonly used, follows similar conjugation to достичь but is often perceived as more formal or literary.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• добыть (to obtain, often through effort)
• завоевать (to conquer or win, often in a competitive sense)

Note: 'добыть' is closer to acquiring something tangible, while 'завоевать' often implies winning recognition or territory.

Antonyms:

• потерять (to lose)
• упустить (to miss out on)

Related Phrases:

• достичь цели - to attain a goal
• добиться справедливости - to attain justice (through effort or struggle)
• достигнуть совершенства - to attain perfection (often in a formal or literary sense)

Usage Notes:

• 'достичь' is the most neutral and versatile translation for 'attain', suitable for most contexts involving achieving goals or reaching levels.
• 'добиться' often carries a connotation of overcoming challenges or resistance, so it is best used when effort or struggle is implied.
• 'достигнуть' is more formal and less common in everyday speech; it is often found in written or historical texts.
• All three verbs are perfective, meaning they describe completed actions. For ongoing or habitual actions, use their imperfective counterparts like 'достигать'.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'добиться' in contexts where no effort or struggle is implied.
  Incorrect: Температура добилась 30 градусов. (The temperature attained 30 degrees.)
  Correct: Температура достигла 30 градусов.
  Explanation: 'добиться' implies personal effort, which does not apply to inanimate subjects like temperature.
• Error: Confusing perfective and imperfective forms.
  Incorrect: Я достигаю цели каждый день. (I attain the goal every day.)
  Correct: Я достигаю цели каждый раз. (I attain the goal each time.) or use imperfective 'достигаю' for habitual actions.
  Explanation: Perfective verbs like 'достичь' are not used for habitual actions.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of attaining something (especially success or goals) often carries a sense of perseverance and overcoming obstacles, which is why 'добиться' is frequently used in personal achievement contexts. This reflects a cultural value placed on effort and determination.

Related Concepts:

• успех (success)
• цель (goal)
• достижение (achievement)