Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'curb'

English Word: curb

Key Russian Translations:

• бордюр [bɐrˈdʲur] - [Noun, Masculine, Used for physical curb like on a sidewalk]
• ограничивать [ɐɡrəˈnʲitɕɪvətʲ] - [Verb, Used for restricting or controlling something]
• сдерживать [sdʲɪrˈʐɨvətʲ] - [Verb, Used for holding back emotions or actions]

Frequency: Medium (varies by context; "бордюр" is common in urban settings, while verbs are frequent in formal and informal speech)

Difficulty: - бордюр: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate) - ограничивать: B1 (Intermediate) - сдерживать: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

бордюр: [bɐrˈdʲur]

Note on бордюр: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "р" is rolled slightly, typical of Russian phonetics.

ограничивать: [ɐɡrəˈnʲitɕɪvətʲ]

Note on ограничивать: Stress on the third syllable. The soft "ч" sound is a common challenge for non-native speakers.

сдерживать: [sdʲɪrˈʐɨvətʲ]

Note on сдерживать: Stress on the second syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, unique to Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Physical curb (edge of a sidewalk or road)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бордюр - Refers to the physical structure, often made of stone or concrete, separating a road from a sidewalk.

Usage Examples:

• Я споткнулся о бордюр на улице.

  I tripped over the curb on the street.

• Машина задела бордюр и повредила колесо.

  The car hit the curb and damaged the wheel.

• Дети сидели на бордюре и ели мороженое.

  The children were sitting on the curb eating ice cream.

2. To restrict or limit (actions, behaviors, or resources)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ограничивать - Used for imposing limits or restrictions, often in formal or official contexts.
• сдерживать - Used for controlling or holding back, often emotions or impulses, in both formal and informal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство решило ограничить доступ к интернету.

  The government decided to curb access to the internet.

• Мы должны ограничить расходы на этот проект.

  We need to curb spending on this project.

• Он едва сдерживал свой гнев во время спора.

  He could barely curb his anger during the argument.

• Ей удалось сдерживать слёзы, пока она говорила.

  She managed to curb her tears while speaking.

• Нам нужно сдерживать рост цен на продукты.

  We need to curb the rise in food prices.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

бордюр (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	бордюр	бордюры
Genitive	бордюра	бордюров
Dative	бордюру	бордюрам
Accusative	бордюр	бордюры
Instrumental	бордюром	бордюрами
Prepositional	о бордюре	о бордюрах

ограничивать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular verb of the first conjugation. Forms follow standard patterns (e.g., ограничиваю, ограничиваешь, ограничивает in present tense).

сдерживать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular verb of the first conjugation with a stem change in some forms (e.g., сдерживаю, сдерживаешь, сдерживает in present tense).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for бордюр:

• поребрик (regional variation, especially in St. Petersburg)
• кайма (less common, broader meaning of "border")

Synonyms for ограничивать/сдерживать:

• урезать (to cut back, often resources)
• стеснять (to restrict, often movement or freedom)
• удерживать (to hold back, often physically or emotionally)

Antonyms for ограничивать/сдерживать:

• разрешать (to allow)
• поощрять (to encourage)

Related Phrases:

• сдерживать эмоции - To curb emotions; used when someone controls their feelings.
• ограничивать свободу - To curb freedom; often used in political or social contexts.
• бордюр дороги - Road curb; refers to the physical curb along a street.

Usage Notes:

• "бордюр" is strictly a physical object and does not carry metaphorical meanings like "curb" in English.
• "ограничивать" is more formal and often used in written language or official contexts, while "сдерживать" is versatile and can apply to emotions or actions in everyday speech.
• Choosing between "ограничивать" and "сдерживать" depends on the context: use "ограничивать" for tangible restrictions (e.g., laws, budgets) and "сдерживать" for intangible control (e.g., emotions, impulses).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "бордюр" to mean "curb" in the sense of restricting something.
  Incorrect: Я должен бордюр свои расходы.
  Correct: Я должен ограничить свои расходы.
  Explanation: "бордюр" only refers to the physical curb, not the act of limiting.
• Error: Confusing "ограничивать" and "сдерживать" in emotional contexts.
  Incorrect: Она ограничивала слёзы.
  Correct: Она сдерживала слёзы.
  Explanation: "сдерживать" is appropriate for emotions, while "ограничивать" sounds unnatural in this context.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of "curb" as a physical object ("бордюр") may carry regional variations in naming, such as "поребрик" in St. Petersburg. This reflects local linguistic diversity within Russia. Additionally, the verb "сдерживать" often implies a cultural value of emotional restraint, which is historically significant in Russian communication styles.

Related Concepts:

• тротуар (sidewalk)
• дорога (road)
• контроль (control)
• ограничение (restriction)