Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Dedicate'

English Word: dedicate

Key Russian Translations:

• посвящать [pɐsʲvʲɪˈʃːatʲ] - [Formal, Imperfective Verb]
• посвятить [pɐsʲvʲɪˈtʲitʲ] - [Formal, Perfective Verb]
• отдавать [ɐtːɐˈdavatʲ] - [Informal, Imperfective, Often for time or effort]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

посвящать: [pɐsʲvʲɪˈʃːatʲ]

Note on посвящать: Pay attention to the stress on the second syllable and the soft 'щ' sound, which is distinct in Russian.

посвятить: [pɐsʲvʲɪˈtʲitʲ]

отдавать: [ɐtːɐˈdavatʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To commit or devote (time, effort, or oneself)

Translation(s) & Context:

• посвящать - Often used for dedicating time or effort to a cause or person (ongoing action).
• посвятить - Used for a completed act of dedication, often in formal or significant contexts.
• отдавать - Commonly used in informal contexts to mean giving time or energy.

Usage Examples:

• Она посвящает всё своё время детям.

  She dedicates all her time to her children.

• Он посвятил свою жизнь науке.

  He dedicated his life to science.

• Я отдаю много сил этой работе.

  I dedicate a lot of effort to this job.

• Мы посвятили вечер обсуждению планов.

  We dedicated the evening to discussing plans.

• Она отдаёт себя полностью семье.

  She dedicates herself entirely to her family.

2. To inscribe or address (a work) to someone

Translation(s) & Context:

• посвятить - Used specifically for dedicating a book, song, or work to someone.

Usage Examples:

• Автор посвятил эту книгу своей жене.

  The author dedicated this book to his wife.

• Эта песня посвящена всем любящим сердцам.

  This song is dedicated to all loving hearts.

• Он посвятил стихотворение своей родине.

  He dedicated the poem to his homeland.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

посвящать / посвятить (Verb, Imperfective/Perfective pair):

These verbs follow regular conjugation patterns for Russian verbs of the first conjugation. Below is a sample conjugation table for the present (for посвящать) and past (for посвятить) tenses.

отдавать (Verb, Imperfective): Follows a similar regular conjugation pattern. Note that it often pairs with the perfective "отдать".

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for посвящать/посвятить:

• дарить (to gift, in specific contexts)
• предназначать (to designate or intend for)

Note: "дарить" is more specific to gifting or dedicating something tangible, while "предназначать" implies a purpose or destiny.

Antonyms for посвящать/посвятить:

• игнорировать (to ignore)
• пренебрегать (to neglect)

Related Phrases:

• посвятить жизнь чему-либо - To dedicate one’s life to something.
• отдать сердце кому-либо - To dedicate/give one’s heart to someone (romantic context).
• посвятить время обсуждению - To dedicate time to a discussion.

Usage Notes:

• The choice between "посвящать" (imperfective) and "посвятить" (perfective) depends on whether the action is ongoing or completed. Use "посвящать" for habitual or ongoing dedication, and "посвятить" for a one-time or completed act.
• "отдавать" is more colloquial and often implies a sense of sacrifice or giving up something (like time or energy) for a purpose.
• Be mindful of the object case: "посвящать/посвятить" often takes the accusative case for the object of dedication and the dative for the person or cause dedicated to.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "посвящать" with "посвятить" in terms of aspect. Example of incorrect usage: "Я посвящаю свою жизнь науке вчера" (wrong aspect for a completed past action).
  Correct: "Я посвятил свою жизнь науке." (I dedicated my life to science.)
  Explanation: Use the perfective "посвятить" for past completed actions.
• Error: Using "отдавать" in formal contexts where "посвятить" is more appropriate. Example: "Книга отдаётся моему другу" (sounds too informal).
  Correct: "Книга посвящена моему другу." (The book is dedicated to my friend.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, dedicating something (like a book or a piece of art) to someone is often seen as a significant gesture of respect or affection. The verb "посвятить" carries a formal and heartfelt connotation in such contexts, often used in literature and public speeches.

Related Concepts:

• жертвовать (to sacrifice)
• вкладывать (to invest, as in effort or resources)
• служить (to serve, often in the sense of dedicating oneself to a cause)