Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'convoke'

English Word: convoke

Key Russian Translations:

• созывать [sɐˈzɨvatʲ] - [Formal, Imperfective]
• созвать [sɐˈzvatʲ] - [Formal, Perfective, Used for completed actions]

Frequency: Medium - This verb is commonly used in formal, official, or administrative contexts but less so in everyday conversation.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Learners need to understand Russian verb aspects; for 'созывать', it's straightforward for intermediate users, but 'созвать' may require additional practice with perfective forms.

Pronunciation (Russian):

созывать: [sɐˈzɨvatʲ]

созвать: [sɐˈzvatʲ]

Note on созывать: The stress falls on the second syllable ('zɨ'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft 'ы' sound; pronounce it with a neutral, unrounded vowel similar to the 'i' in "bit".

Note on созвать: This is a perfective form, and the pronunciation is similar but without the trailing 'ы'; watch for the hard 'a' sound in 'zvat'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To formally summon or call together people for a meeting or assembly

Translation(s) & Context:

• созывать - Used in ongoing or repeated actions, such as in official announcements or planning sessions (e.g., in government or organizational settings).
• созвать - Used for a single, completed action, ideal for describing the act of gathering people immediately (e.g., in urgent situations).

Usage Examples:

• Председатель созывает собрание акционеров ежегодно. (Predsedatel' sozyvaet sobranie aktsionerov ezhegodno.)

  The chairman convokes a shareholders' meeting annually.

• В случае чрезвычайной ситуации мэр может созвать экстренное совещание. (V sluchae chrezvychainoi situatsii mer mozhet sozvat' ekstrennoe soveshchanie.)

  In case of an emergency, the mayor can convoke an urgent meeting.

• Организаторы часто созывают конференции для обсуждения глобальных проблем. (Organizatory chasto sozyvayut konferentsii dlya obsuzhdeniya global'nykh problem.)

  Organizers often convoke conferences to discuss global issues.

• Партия решила созвать съезд для избрания нового лидера. (Partiya reshila sozvat' s'ezd dlya izbraniya novogo lidera.)

  The party decided to convoke a congress to elect a new leader.

• Директор созывает еженедельные встречи, чтобы координировать проекты. (Direktor sozyvaet ezhenedel'nye vstrechi, chtoby koordinírovat' proekty.)

  The director convokes weekly meetings to coordinate projects.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'созывать' (imperfective) and 'созвать' (perfective) are verbs, and Russian verbs inflect based on tense, aspect, person, number, and mood. 'Созывать' follows a standard first-conjugation pattern, while 'созвать' is its perfective counterpart. Below is a table for key inflections:

Note: These verbs do not change irregularly, but always pair the imperfective with ongoing actions and perfective with completed ones.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • собирать [sɐˈbiraʲtʲ] - More general, often used for physical gathering; differs slightly by implying collection.
  • скликать [sklʲiˈkatʲ] - Used in urgent or informal contexts, like rallying people quickly.
• Antonyms:
  • распускать [rɐˈspuskətʲ] - To disband or dissolve a group.
  • расформировывать [rɐsˈformirovyvatʲ] - To break up an organization formally.

Related Phrases:

• созвать собрание - To convoke a meeting; used in formal contexts for organizing groups.
• созывать конференцию - To convoke a conference; implies a larger, professional gathering.
• экстренно созвать совет - To urgently convoke a council; highlights emergency situations in governance.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'convoke' is best translated using verb pairs like 'созывать' (for ongoing processes) and 'созвать' (for results). English speakers should note the aspect system: use imperfective for habitual actions and perfective for one-time events. This verb is typically formal, so avoid it in casual speech. When choosing between translations, opt for 'созывать' in descriptions and 'созвать' in narratives. Grammatically, it requires agreement with the subject in person and number.

Common Errors:

• Using the perfective 'созвать' for ongoing actions: Error - "Я созвал собрание каждый месяц" (incorrect for habitual). Correct: "Я созываю собрание каждый месяц" (Я созываю собрание каждый месяц). Explanation: Perfective implies completion, so use imperfective for routines.
• Confusing with synonyms: Error - Using 'собирать' interchangeably, e.g., "Я собираю конференцию" to mean convoke, which might imply physical gathering. Correct: "Я созываю конференцию". Explanation: 'Собирать' focuses on assembly, not formal summoning.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, convoking meetings or assemblies often reflects hierarchical structures, as seen in historical contexts like Soviet-era party congresses. Words like 'созывать' carry a sense of authority and formality, emphasizing collective decision-making in governmental or organizational settings, which aligns with Russia's tradition of communal gatherings in both politics and daily life.

Related Concepts:

• собрание [sɐˈbranie] - Meeting or assembly.
• совещание [sɐvʲɪˈʂanʲe] - Consultation or council.
• конференция [kɐnfʲeˈrentsʲiə] - Conference.