Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'avoid'

English Word: avoid

Key Russian Translations:

• избегать [ɪzˈbʲeɡətʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Verb, Imperfective]
• избежать [ɪzˈbʲeʒatʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Verb, Perfective]
• уклоняться [ʊklɐˈnʲatʲsə] - [Formal, Verb, Imperfective, Often used for evading or dodging]

Frequency: High (commonly used in various contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "избегать" and "избежать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "уклоняться" due to nuanced usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

избегать: [ɪzˈbʲeɡətʲ]

Note on избегать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The soft 'г' sound can be tricky for non-native speakers.

избежать: [ɪzˈbʲeʒatʲ]

Note on избежать: Stress on the second syllable. Note the shift from 'г' to 'ж' in the perfective form.

уклоняться: [ʊklɐˈnʲatʲsə]

Note on уклоняться: Stress on the third syllable. Pay attention to the reflexive ending '-ся'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To stay away from something or someone (physical or abstract avoidance)

Translation(s) & Context:

• избегать - Used for ongoing or habitual avoidance, e.g., avoiding a person or situation.
• избежать - Used for a one-time successful avoidance, e.g., avoiding a specific danger or event.

Usage Examples:

• Я стараюсь избегать конфликтов.

  I try to avoid conflicts.

• Нам удалось избежать аварии.

  We managed to avoid an accident.

• Она избегает встреч с бывшими друзьями.

  She avoids meeting with former friends.

2. To evade or dodge (often responsibility or duty)

Translation(s) & Context:

• уклоняться - Often used in formal contexts for evading responsibility, questions, or obligations.

Usage Examples:

• Он уклоняется от уплаты налогов.

  He evades paying taxes.

• Она уклоняется от прямого ответа.

  She dodges giving a direct answer.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

избегать (Imperfective Verb): Regular conjugation in the present, past, and future tenses. Follows the first conjugation pattern.

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter/Plural)
Я (I)	избегаю	избегал / избегала / избегало / избегали
Ты (You, informal)	избегаешь	избегал / избегала / избегало / избегали
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	избегает	избегал / избегала / избегало / избегали

избежать (Perfective Verb): Used only in past and future tenses as it denotes a completed action.

уклоняться (Imperfective Verb, Reflexive): Reflexive verb with '-ся'. Follows similar conjugation patterns but always includes the reflexive particle.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for избегать/избежать:

• обходить (to bypass or go around)
• сторониться (to keep away, often from people)

Note: "обходить" often implies a physical detour, while "сторониться" is more emotional or social.

Antonyms for избегать/избежать:

• стремиться (to strive for)
• искать (to seek)

Related Phrases:

• избегать опасности - to avoid danger
• избежать наказания - to escape punishment
• уклоняться от ответственности - to shirk responsibility

Usage Notes:

• "избегать" (imperfective) is used for habitual or ongoing avoidance, while "избежать" (perfective) indicates a specific, completed act of avoidance.
• "уклоняться" often carries a negative connotation, implying evasion of duty or responsibility, and is more formal.
• These verbs typically take the genitive case for the object being avoided (e.g., "избегать конфликта" - avoiding conflict).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "избегать" when a one-time action is implied. Incorrect: "Я избегал аварии." Correct: "Я избежал аварии." (I avoided the accident.)
• Error: Forgetting the genitive case after these verbs. Incorrect: "Я избегаю его." Correct: "Я избегаю его." (This is correct, but ensure genitive for nouns: "Я избегаю конфликта.")

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "уклоняться" can carry a stronger negative connotation than "avoid" in English, often implying cowardice or irresponsibility when used in contexts like avoiding duty or military service.

Related Concepts:

• обход (bypass, detour)
• укрытие (shelter, hiding)
• бегство (escape, flight)