Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Bewilder'

English Word: bewilder

Key Russian Translations:

• смущать [smuˈʂːatʲ] - [Formal, Often used for emotional confusion]
• озадачивать [ɐzɐˈdatʂɨvɐtʲ] - [Neutral, Often used for intellectual puzzlement]
• ставить в тупик [ˈstavʲɪtʲ v tuˈpʲik] - [Informal, Idiomatic expression for complete bewilderment]

Frequency: Medium (These terms are moderately common in spoken and written Russian)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate - смущать and озадачивать); B2-C1 (Intermediate to Advanced - ставить в тупик due to idiomatic nature)

Pronunciation (Russian):

смущать: [smuˈʂːatʲ]

Note on смущать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'щ' sound is a soft, hissing sound unique to Russian, similar to 'shch'.

озадачивать: [ɐzɐˈdatʂɨvɐtʲ]

Note on озадачивать: Stress on the third syllable. The initial 'о' is reduced to a schwa sound [ɐ] in unstressed position.

ставить в тупик: [ˈstavʲɪtʲ v tuˈpʲik]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To confuse or perplex emotionally

Translation(s) & Context:

• смущать - Used when someone is emotionally unsettled or embarrassed by a situation.

Usage Examples:

• Его неожиданный вопрос смутил меня.

  His unexpected question bewildered me.

• Она смутила всех своим странным поведением.

  She bewildered everyone with her strange behavior.

• Этот взгляд всегда смущает меня.

  That look always bewilders me.

2. To puzzle or baffle intellectually

Translation(s) & Context:

• озадачивать - Used for situations involving intellectual confusion or a problem that is hard to solve.
• ставить в тупик - Stronger expression, often implying complete bafflement or being at a loss.

Usage Examples:

• Эта задача озадачила даже опытных специалистов.

  This problem bewildered even experienced specialists.

• Его объяснение только озадачило нас ещё больше.

  His explanation only bewildered us further.

• Этот вопрос поставил меня в тупик.

  This question completely bewildered me.

• Её слова поставили всех в тупик.

  Her words bewildered everyone.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

смущать (Verb, Imperfective Aspect):

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter/Plural)
1st Singular	смущаю	смущал / смущала / смущало / смущали
2nd Singular	смущаешь	смущал / смущала / смущало / смущали
3rd Singular	смущает	смущал / смущала / смущало / смущали

Note: Perfective form is "смути́ть".

озадачивать (Verb, Imperfective Aspect): Follows similar conjugation patterns to смущать. Perfective form is "озадачить".

ставить в тупик: Idiomatic expression, based on the verb "ставить" (to put/place). Conjugates as a regular verb but always used with "в тупик".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for смущать:

• сбивать с толку (to throw off balance)
• конфузить (to embarrass)

Synonyms for озадачивать:

• удивлять (to surprise)
• поражать (to amaze)

Antonyms:

• успокаивать (to calm)
• объяснять (to explain)

Related Phrases:

• смущать покой - to disturb peace (used in formal or poetic contexts)
• озадачить вопросом - to puzzle with a question (common in conversational Russian)
• поставить в тупик своим поведением - to bewilder with one’s behavior (idiomatic and expressive)

Usage Notes:

• Choosing the right translation: Use "смущать" when referring to emotional confusion or embarrassment. Use "озадачивать" for intellectual puzzlement or mild confusion. Use "ставить в тупик" for stronger, often dramatic bewilderment.
• Aspectual pairs: Russian verbs like "смущать" and "озадачивать" have imperfective and perfective forms. Use imperfective for ongoing or repeated actions and perfective for completed actions.
• Register: "ставить в тупик" is more colloquial and expressive, while "озадачивать" can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Common Errors:

• Mixing up emotional and intellectual confusion: English learners often use "смущать" in contexts where "озадачивать" is more appropriate. For example, saying "Эта задача смущает меня" (This task embarrasses me) is incorrect; use "Эта задача озадачивает меня" (This task puzzles me).
• Misusing idiomatic expressions: Learners might say "ставить в тупике" instead of "ставить в тупик". The correct preposition is "в тупик" (into a dead end).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions of bewilderment like "ставить в тупик" often carry a dramatic or expressive tone, reflecting a cultural tendency to emphasize emotional reactions in storytelling or conversation. This phrase is often used in literature or personal anecdotes to highlight a surprising or baffling situation.

Related Concepts:

• удивление (surprise)
• недоумение (perplexity)
• растерянность (confusion)