Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'dawdle'

English Word: dawdle

Key Russian Translations:

• мешкать [ˈmʲeʂkətʲ] - [Informal, Often used in everyday speech]
• медлить [ˈmʲedlʲɪtʲ] - [Neutral, Slightly more formal]
• тянуть время [tʲɪˈnutʲ vrʲeˈmʲa] - [Colloquial, Idiomatic expression]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in casual and some formal contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "мешкать" and "медлить"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "тянуть время" due to its idiomatic nature

Pronunciation (Russian):

мешкать: [ˈmʲeʂkətʲ]

Note on мешкать: Pay attention to the soft "ш" sound and the stress on the first syllable.

медлить: [ˈmʲedlʲɪtʲ]

Note on медлить: Stress falls on the first syllable; the "дл" cluster can be tricky for non-native speakers.

тянуть время: [tʲɪˈnutʲ vrʲeˈmʲa]

Note on тянуть время: Two-word phrase with stress on the second syllable of "тянуть" and the second syllable of "время".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To waste time or delay unnecessarily (General sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• мешкать - Often used when someone is slow to act or hesitates in everyday situations.
• медлить - Used in slightly more serious or formal contexts to imply hesitation or delay.

Usage Examples:

• Не меш凯, мы опаздываем!

  Don't dawdle, we're late!

• Он всегда мешкает перед важным решением.

  He always dawdles before making an important decision.

• Почему ты медлишь с ответом?

  Why are you dawdling with your reply?

2. To procrastinate or drag out a task (Idiomatic sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• тянуть время - Used when someone deliberately delays or prolongs something, often strategically.

Usage Examples:

• Он тянет время, чтобы избежать разговора.

  He's dawdling to avoid the conversation.

• Перестань тянуть время и сделай это сейчас!

  Stop dawdling and do it now!

Russian Forms/Inflections:

мешкать (verb, imperfective): Regular conjugation in the present, past, and future tenses. Below is the present tense conjugation:

медлить (verb, imperfective): Similar to "мешкать", follows regular conjugation patterns.

тянуть время (idiomatic phrase): The verb "тянуть" conjugates, while "время" remains unchanged as a neuter noun in accusative case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• затягивать (to delay, often in a more formal sense)
• колебаться (to hesitate, often implying indecision)

Note: "затягивать" is often used for delaying processes or events, while "колебаться" implies emotional or mental hesitation.

Antonyms:

• спешить (to hurry)
• торопиться (to rush)

Related Phrases:

• мешкать с ответом - to dawdle in responding (used for hesitation in replying)
• медлить с решением - to dawdle over a decision (used for delaying important choices)
• тянуть резину - to drag things out (colloquial, similar to "тянуть время")

Usage Notes:

• "мешкать" is the most common and versatile translation for "dawdle", suitable for informal contexts where someone is simply slow or hesitant.
• "медлить" carries a slightly more serious tone and is often used when the delay has consequences or is intentional.
• "тянуть время" is idiomatic and implies a deliberate attempt to procrastinate or stall, often with a strategic motive.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations, as they are not always interchangeable.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "тянуть время" in non-idiomatic contexts. For example, saying "Я тяну время с уборкой" might sound unnatural.
  Correct: Use "мешкать" or "медлить" instead, e.g., "Я мешкаю с уборкой" (I’m dawdling with cleaning).
• Error: Misplacing stress in "мешкать" as [meʂˈkatʲ] instead of [ˈmʲeʂkətʲ].
  Explanation: Incorrect stress changes the word's natural flow and can confuse native speakers.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, dawdling or delaying ("мешкать" or "медлить") can sometimes be associated with a stereotype of procrastination or indecisiveness, often humorously criticized in everyday interactions. However, "тянуть время" may imply a tactical delay, which can be seen as clever in negotiations or discussions.

Related Concepts:

• лень (laziness)
• промедление (procrastination)
• задержка (delay)