Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Confer'

English Word: confer

Key Russian Translations:

• совещаться [sɐˈvʲeʂːɐtʲsə] - [Formal, Often used in meetings or discussions]
• давать [dɐˈvatʲ] - [Neutral, Used in the context of conferring a title or honor]
• обсуждать [ɐbˈsuʐdɐtʲ] - [Neutral, Used for discussing or conferring ideas]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "совещаться" and "обсуждать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "давать" in specific contexts

Pronunciation (Russian):

совещаться: [sɐˈvʲeʂːɐtʲsə]

Note on совещаться: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "щ" sound is a soft, hissing sound unique to Russian, often challenging for English speakers.

давать: [dɐˈvatʲ]

Note on давать: Stress on the second syllable. The final "ть" indicates an infinitive verb form.

обсуждать: [ɐbˈsuʐdɐtʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To discuss or consult with someone

Translation(s) & Context:

• совещаться - Used in formal or professional settings, often implying a group discussion or consultation.
• обсуждать - More general, can be used in both formal and informal contexts for discussing ideas or plans.

Usage Examples:

• Мы должны совещаться с коллегами перед принятием решения.

  We need to confer with colleagues before making a decision.

• Они совещались несколько часов, чтобы найти решение.

  They conferred for several hours to find a solution.

• Давайте обсудим этот вопрос на встрече.

  Let’s confer about this issue at the meeting.

2. To grant or bestow (a title, honor, etc.)

Translation(s) & Context:

• давать - Used specifically in formal contexts for conferring titles, rights, or privileges.

Usage Examples:

• Президент дал ему звание героя.

  The president conferred upon him the title of hero.

• Университет дал ей почетную степень.

  The university conferred an honorary degree on her.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

совещаться (verb, reflexive, imperfective): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for reflexive verbs in Russian. It is used with the preposition "с" (with) when referring to consulting someone.

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine)
1st Singular	совещаюсь	совещался / совещалась
3rd Plural	совещаются	совещались

давать (verb, imperfective): A common irregular verb with unique stem changes in conjugation.

обсуждать (verb, imperfective): Follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in "-ать".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for совещаться (to discuss/consult):

• консультироваться
• обмениваться мнениями

Note: "консультироваться" often implies seeking expert advice, while "обмениваться мнениями" is more about exchanging opinions.

Antonyms for совещаться:

• игнорировать

Related Phrases:

• совещаться с экспертами - To confer with experts.
• давать право - To confer a right.
• обсуждать планы - To confer about plans.

Usage Notes:

• "Совещаться" is typically used in formal or professional contexts and often implies a collaborative discussion. It is less common in casual conversation.
• "Давать" in the sense of "confer" is restricted to formal contexts like granting titles or honors. It does not mean "to give" in everyday situations (where "дать" in perfective form is more common).
• "Обсуждать" is the most versatile of the three translations and can be used for both formal and informal discussions.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "давать" in casual contexts to mean "confer" as in discussion. For example, saying "Я дал с другом" instead of "Я обсудил с другом" (I conferred with a friend).

Correction: Use "обсуждать" or "совещаться" for discussions. Reserve "давать" for formal bestowal of honors or rights.

Error 2: Mispronouncing "совещаться" by stressing the wrong syllable or mispronouncing "щ".

Correction: Stress the second syllable [sɐˈvʲeʂːɐtʲsə] and practice the soft "щ" sound.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, formal discussions or conferring in professional settings (using "совещаться") often carry a sense of hierarchy or protocol, especially in business or governmental contexts. Understanding this nuance is important when choosing the appropriate term.

Related Concepts:

• конференция (conference)
• переговоры (negotiations)
• дискуссия (discussion)