Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'chasten'

English Word: chasten

Key Russian Translations:

• наказать [nə.kɐˈzatʲ] - [Formal, Verb]
• смирить [smʲɪˈrʲitʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used in contexts of moral or emotional discipline]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literary and educational contexts, less frequent in everyday spoken Russian)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuanced usage, varying by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

наказать: [nə.kɐˈzatʲ]

Note on наказать: The stress is on the third syllable; common mispronunciation involves softening the 'z' sound excessively. Pay attention to the palatalized 't' at the end.

смирить: [smʲɪˈrʲitʲ]

Note on смирить: The initial 's' is palatalized; this verb often has a soft, introspective tone in speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To punish or discipline someone to correct behavior

Translation(s) & Context:

• наказать - Used in formal or educational settings, such as disciplining a child or imposing penalties.

Usage Examples:

• Родители наказали сына за плохое поведение в школе. (Parents chided their son for bad behavior at school.)

  English Translation: The parents punished their son for bad behavior at school.

• Учитель решил наказать ученика, чтобы он усвоил урок. (The teacher decided to chasten the student so he would learn the lesson.)

  English Translation: The teacher decided to punish the student so he would learn the lesson.

• В истории часто наказывают героев, чтобы показать последствия их действий. (In history, characters are often chastened to show the consequences of their actions.)

  English Translation: In history, characters are often punished to show the consequences of their actions.

• Суд наказал преступника строгим приговором. (The court chastened the criminal with a severe sentence.)

  English Translation: The court punished the criminal with a severe sentence.

Meaning 2: To humble or make someone less arrogant through experience

Translation(s) & Context:

• смирить - Applied in emotional or personal growth contexts, such as overcoming pride.

Usage Examples:

• Поражение в бою смирило гордого воина. (Defeat in battle chastened the proud warrior.)

  English Translation: Defeat in battle humbled the proud warrior.

• Жизненные трудности смирили её амбиции. (Life's hardships chastened her ambitions.)

  English Translation: Life's hardships humbled her ambitions.

• Мудрый совет смирил его чрезмерное самомнение. (Wise advice chastened his excessive self-confidence.)

  English Translation: Wise advice humbled his excessive self-confidence.

• Время смирило его желания, сделав их более реалистичными. (Time chastened his desires, making them more realistic.)

  English Translation: Time humbled his desires, making them more realistic.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are verbs and follow standard Russian conjugation patterns for imperfective and perfective aspects. "Наказать" is a perfective verb, while related forms might include imperfective "наказывать". "Смирить" is also perfective, with imperfective "смирять".

These verbs are regular in most aspects but require attention to stem changes and aspect usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • наказать: покарать (pokarat') - More severe, divine punishment
  • смирить: укротить (ukrotit') - Taming or subduing wildness
• Antonyms:
  • поощрить (pooshchrit') - To encourage or reward
  • возвеличить (vozvelichit') - To exalt or praise

Related Phrases:

• Наказать по заслугам - (To punish according to one's deserts; used in justice contexts)
• Смирить гордость - (To humble pride; common in self-reflection or literature)

Usage Notes:

"Chasten" corresponds closely to "наказать" in punitive contexts and "смирить" in emotional ones. In Russian, choose based on aspect: perfective for completed actions. Be mindful of formal register; these verbs are less common in casual speech. For beginners, note that Russian verbs require agreement in person, number, and gender in past tense.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "наказать" interchangeably with "смирить" without considering nuance. Correct: Use "наказать" for physical or legal punishment, e.g., "Суд наказал" (The court punished). Incorrect: "Суд смирил" (implies emotional humbling, which is inaccurate).
• Error: Forgetting aspect in sentences. Correct: "Я наказываю" (I am punishing - imperfective). Incorrect: "Я наказать" (grammatically wrong; must conjugate properly).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts like "наказать" often tie into historical themes of authority and moral education, as seen in literature by authors like Tolstoy, where chastening leads to character growth. This reflects a cultural emphasis on collective responsibility and personal redemption.

Related Concepts:

• воспитание (vospitanie) - Upbringing or education
• самоконтроль (samokontrol') - Self-control