Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Defer'

English Word: defer

Key Russian Translations:

• откладывать [ɐtˈkladɨvətʲ] - [Informal, General Use]
• отсрочивать [ɐtˈsroʧɨvətʲ] - [Formal, Legal or Official Contexts]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

откладывать: [ɐtˈkladɨvətʲ]

Note on откладывать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ы' sound is a unique Russian vowel, pronounced as a short, unrounded 'i'.

отсрочивать: [ɐtˈsroʧɨvətʲ]

Note on отсрочивать: Stress on the second syllable. The 'ч' is a soft sound, similar to 'ch' in "church."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To Postpone or Delay (an Action or Event)

Translation(s) & Context:

• откладывать - Commonly used in everyday speech for delaying tasks or plans.
• отсрочивать - Used in formal or legal contexts, often for official postponements.

Usage Examples:

• Я решил отложить поездку до следующего месяца.

  I decided to defer the trip until next month.

• Мы не можем постоянно откладывать это решение.

  We can't keep deferring this decision.

• Суд отсрочил рассмотрение дела на две недели.

  The court deferred the hearing for two weeks.

• Правительство решило отсрочить введение нового налога.

  The government decided to defer the introduction of the new tax.

• Не откладывай на завтра то, что можно сделать сегодня.

  Don't defer to tomorrow what you can do today.

2. To Submit to Another's Judgment or Decision (Less Common)

Translation(s) & Context:

• доверять - Used in the sense of deferring to someone’s opinion or authority, though less common for this meaning of "defer."

Usage Examples:

• Я доверяю твоему мнению в этом вопросе.

  I defer to your opinion on this matter.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

откладывать (Imperfective Verb): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in -ывать. Below is the present tense conjugation:

отсрочивать (Imperfective Verb): Follows similar regular conjugation patterns. Perfective form is отсрочить.

доверять (Imperfective Verb): Regular conjugation, often used with the dative case for the object of trust.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for откладывать/отсрочивать (to postpone):

• переносить
• отодвигать

Note: "переносить" often implies rescheduling, while "отодвигать" can suggest pushing something further away in time or priority.

Antonyms for откладывать/отсрочивать (to postpone):

• ускорять
• выполнять

Related Phrases:

• отложить на потом - "to put off until later"
• отложить в долгий ящик - "to shelve indefinitely" (idiomatic expression)
• отсрочить платеж - "to defer payment"

Usage Notes:

• "откладывать" is the more versatile and commonly used term for deferring or postponing in casual and general contexts. It can apply to tasks, plans, or decisions.
• "отсрочивать" is more formal and often appears in legal, administrative, or official contexts, such as deferring a court case or payment.
• For the less common meaning of "defer" (to yield to another's opinion), "доверять" is used, but it more directly translates to "trust" or "rely on." Context must be clear to avoid ambiguity.
• Both "откладывать" and "отсрочивать" are imperfective verbs, indicating an ongoing or repeated action. Their perfective counterparts ("отложить" and "отсрочить") imply a completed action.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "отсрочивать" in casual conversation. Incorrect: Я отсрочил встречу с друзьями. Correct: Я отложил встречу с друзьями. Explanation: "отсрочивать" sounds overly formal for personal contexts; "откладывать" is more natural.
• Error: Confusing "отложить" (perfective) with "откладывать" (imperfective). Incorrect: Я откладываю это каждый день вчера. Correct: Я отложил это вчера. Explanation: Use the perfective form for a one-time completed action in the past.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of postponing or deferring (especially with "откладывать") is often tied to proverbs and sayings, such as "Не откладывай на завтра то, что можно сделать сегодня" ("Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today"). This reflects a cultural emphasis on timeliness, even if procrastination is a common human trait.

Related Concepts:

• перенос
• задержка
• промедление