Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Compel'

English Word: Compel

Key Russian Translations:

• заставлять [zəstɐˈvlʲætʲ] - [Informal, Commonly Used]
• принуждать [prʲɪnʊʐˈdætʲ] - [Formal, Often in Legal or Official Contexts]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

заставлять: [zəstɐˈvlʲætʲ]

Note on заставлять: Stress falls on the second syllable; the 'в' is pronounced softly due to the following 'лʲ'.

принуждать: [prʲɪnʊʐˈdætʲ]

Note on принуждать: Stress on the third syllable; the 'ж' sound is a voiced fricative, distinct from English 'zh'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To Force Someone to Do Something

Translation(s) & Context:

• заставлять - Used in everyday situations to imply making someone do something, often with a sense of insistence.
• принуждать - Used in formal or serious contexts, often implying coercion or obligation.

Usage Examples:

• Он заставил меня сделать это.

  He compelled me to do it. (He made me do it.)

• Я не хочу заставлять тебя ждать.

  I don’t want to compel you to wait. (I don’t want to make you wait.)

• Закон принуждает нас соблюдать правила.

  The law compels us to follow the rules.

• Его принуждали подписать документ.

  He was compelled to sign the document. (He was forced to sign.)

• Обстоятельства заставили нас уйти.

  Circumstances compelled us to leave.

2. To Evoke a Strong Feeling or Reaction (Figurative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• заставлять - Occasionally used in a figurative sense to describe evoking emotions or reactions.

Usage Examples:

• Её история заставила меня задуматься.

  Her story compelled me to think. (Her story made me think.)

• Этот фильм заставляет смеяться и плакать.

  This movie compels you to laugh and cry.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

заставлять (Imperfective Verb): Regular verb of the first conjugation. Used for ongoing or repeated actions. Below is the present tense conjugation:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	заставляю [zəstɐˈvlʲaju]	заставляем [zəstɐˈvlʲæm]
2nd	заставляешь [zəstɐˈvlʲæʂ]	заставляете [zəstɐˈvlʲætʲɪ]
3rd	заставляет [zəstɐˈvlʲæt]	заставляют [zəstɐˈvlʲajʊt]

Note: Perfective form is заставить [zəstɐˈvʲitʲ], used for completed actions.

принуждать (Imperfective Verb): Also a regular verb of the first conjugation. Below is the present tense conjugation:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	принуждаю [prʲɪnʊʐˈdaju]	принуждаем [prʲɪnʊʐˈdæm]
2nd	принуждаешь [prʲɪnʊʐˈdæʂ]	принуждаете [prʲɪnʊʐˈdætʲɪ]
3rd	принуждает [prʲɪnʊʐˈdæt]	принуждают [prʲɪnʊʐˈdajʊt]

Note: Perfective form is принудить [prʲɪnʊˈdʲitʲ], used for completed actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for заставлять:

• вынуждать
• толкать (figurative)

Note: 'вынуждать' is close in meaning but often implies a situational force, while 'толкать' is more figurative, as in pushing someone emotionally.

Synonyms for принуждать:

• обязывать
• давить (informal, "to pressure")

Antonyms for both:

• разрешать (to allow)
• освобождать (to free)

Related Phrases:

• заставлять ждать - to make someone wait
• заставлять работать - to make someone work
• принуждать к действию - to compel to action (formal)
• принуждать к подчинению - to compel to submission (formal)

Usage Notes:

• Aspectual Pair: Both 'заставлять' and 'принуждать' are imperfective verbs. Their perfective counterparts ('заставить' and 'принудить') are used when the action is completed. English speakers often struggle with choosing the correct aspect; use imperfective for ongoing compulsion and perfective for a one-time act.
• Formality: 'заставлять' is more neutral and widely used in everyday speech, while 'принуждать' is formal and often appears in written or legal contexts.
• Construction: Both verbs typically take an accusative object (the person being compelled) and an infinitive verb (the action they are compelled to do), e.g., "заставлять кого-то сделать что-то".

Common Errors:

• Incorrect Aspect Usage: English learners often use the imperfective 'заставлять' when the perfective 'заставить' is needed. For example, saying "Я заставляю его прийти" (ongoing) instead of "Я заставил его прийти" (completed action) when referring to a past event.
• Wrong Formality: Using 'принуждать' in casual conversation sounds overly formal and awkward. For example, "Я принуждаю тебя помочь" sounds unnatural; use "Я заставляю тебя помочь" instead.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of compelling or forcing someone to act can carry a negative connotation, especially with 'принуждать', which is often associated with authoritarian or coercive behavior. In contrast, 'заставлять' can sometimes imply a softer nudge or necessity, depending on tone and context.

Related Concepts:

• обязанность (obligation)
• давление (pressure)
• влияние (influence)