Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Decline'

English Word: decline

Key Russian Translations:

• отказываться [ˌotkəˈzɨvətʲsə] - [Informal, Verb]
• отклонить [ˌotklɐˈnʲitʲ] - [Formal, Verb]
• спад [spat] - [Noun, Refers to decrease or downturn]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "отказываться" and "спад"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "отклонить"

Pronunciation (Russian):

отказываться: [ˌotkəˈzɨvətʲsə]

Note on отказываться: Stress falls on the third syllable. The "ы" sound is unique to Russian and can be challenging for English speakers.

отклонить: [ˌotklɐˈnʲitʲ]

Note on отклонить: Pay attention to the soft "нь" sound before the final syllable.

спад: [spat]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To refuse or reject (an offer, invitation, etc.)

Translation(s) & Context:

• отказываться - Commonly used in everyday speech for declining invitations or offers.
• отклонить - Used in formal contexts, such as rejecting a proposal or application.

Usage Examples:

• Я вынужден отказаться от вашего предложения.

  I have to decline your offer.

• Она отказалась идти на вечеринку.

  She declined to go to the party.

• Комитет отклонил его заявку.

  The committee declined his application.

2. A decrease or downturn (e.g., in numbers, quality)

Translation(s) & Context:

• спад - Refers to a decline in economic terms, health, or other measurable factors.

Usage Examples:

• В экономике наблюдается спад.

  There is a decline in the economy.

• После болезни у него был спад сил.

  After the illness, he experienced a decline in strength.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

отказываться (Verb, Imperfective): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for reflexive verbs in Russian. It is often used with the preposition "от" + Genitive case.

Person	Present Tense
Я (I)	отказываюсь
Ты (You, informal)	отказываешься
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	отказывается

отклонить (Verb, Perfective): This verb indicates a completed action and is conjugated regularly.

спад (Noun, Masculine): Declines according to the second declension pattern for masculine nouns.

Case	Singular
Nominative	спад
Genitive	спада
Dative	спаду

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for отказываться:

• отвергать
• не соглашаться

Note: "отвергать" is stronger and implies rejection with disdain, while "не соглашаться" is more neutral.

Antonyms for отказываться:

• соглашаться
• принимать

Synonyms for спад:

• снижение
• упадок

Antonyms for спад:

• рост
• подъём

Related Phrases:

• отказаться от идеи - To decline or abandon an idea.
• отклонить предложение - To decline a proposal (formal).
• экономический спад - Economic decline.

Usage Notes:

• "отказываться" is more colloquial and versatile, suitable for declining invitations or offers in everyday situations. It often pairs with the preposition "от" and the Genitive case.
• "отклонить" is reserved for formal or official contexts, such as rejecting a request or proposal in writing or business settings.
• "спад" is a noun and should be used when referring to a measurable or observable decline, often in economic or physical contexts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "отклонить" in casual conversation. For example, saying "Я отклонил приглашение" sounds overly formal and unnatural.
  Correct Usage: Use "отказался" instead: "Я отказался от приглашения."
• Error: Confusing "спад" with verbs. English speakers might mistakenly use it as a verb.
  Correct Usage: "спад" is a noun. To express "to decline" as a verb, use "отказываться" or "отклонить."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, declining an invitation or offer (using "отказываться") can sometimes be seen as impolite unless done tactfully. It’s common to provide a reason or express regret when declining, e.g., "К сожалению, я вынужден отказаться."

Related Concepts:

• снижение
• упадок
• отказ