Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'deform'

English Word: deform

Key Russian Translations:

• деформировать [dʲɪfɐrˈmʲirəvətʲ] - [Formal, Verb]
• искажать [ɪsˈkaʐatʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Verb, Often figurative]
• уродовать [ʊrɐˈdovətʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Negative connotation]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "деформировать" and "искажать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "уродовать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

деформировать: [dʲɪfɐrˈmʲirəvətʲ]

Note on деформировать: Stress falls on the third syllable. The "р" sound is rolled slightly.

искажать: [ɪsˈkaʐatʲ]

Note on искажать: The "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, unique to Russian.

уродовать: [ʊrɐˈdovətʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To change the shape or structure physically

Translation(s) & Context:

• деформировать - Used in technical or formal contexts for physical deformation (e.g., of materials or objects).

Usage Examples:

• Металл деформировался под давлением.

  The metal deformed under pressure.

• Эта машина может деформировать пластик.

  This machine can deform plastic.

• Стена деформировалась после землетрясения.

  The wall deformed after the earthquake.

2. To distort or misrepresent (figurative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• искажать - Commonly used for distorting facts, images, or sounds in both formal and informal settings.

Usage Examples:

• Он искажает правду в своих рассказах.

  He distorts the truth in his stories.

• Зеркало искажает изображение.

  The mirror deforms the image.

• Шум искажает звук записи.

  Noise deforms the sound of the recording.

3. To disfigure or make ugly (negative connotation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• уродовать - Informal, often used negatively to imply disfigurement or ruining appearance.

Usage Examples:

• Шрам уродовал его лицо.

  The scar deformed his face.

• Они уродовали старое здание ужасным ремонтом.

  They deformed the old building with terrible renovations.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

деформировать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation in the first conjugation group. Below is the present tense conjugation:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	деформирую	деформируем
2nd	деформируешь	деформируете
3rd	деформирует	деформируют

искажать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation in the first group, similar structure as above.

уродовать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation, but often used with emotional tone.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for деформировать:

• изменять форму
• повреждать

Note: "изменять форму" is more neutral, while "повреждать" implies damage.

Synonyms for искажать:

• перекручивать
• фальсифицировать

Antonyms for деформировать:

• восстанавливать
• исправлять

Related Phrases:

• деформировать материал - To deform a material (technical context).
• искажать факты - To distort facts (common in media or discussions).
• уродовать внешность - To disfigure appearance (negative tone).

Usage Notes:

• "деформировать" is the most direct and neutral translation for physical deformation, often used in scientific or technical contexts.
• "искажать" is more versatile, covering both physical and figurative distortion, and is more common in everyday speech for non-physical contexts.
• "уродовать" carries a strong negative connotation and should be used cautiously, as it often implies intentional or undesirable disfigurement.
• Aspect matters in Russian verbs: all listed verbs are imperfective, focusing on the process of deformation. Perfective forms like "деформировать" → "сдеформировать" exist for completed actions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "уродовать" in formal or neutral contexts. Incorrect: "Металл уродовали под давлением." Correct: "Металл деформировали под давлением." (Explanation: "уродовать" is emotionally charged and inappropriate for inanimate objects in formal settings.)
• Error: Confusing "искажать" with "деформировать" in physical contexts. Incorrect: "Стена искажалась после землетрясения." Correct: "Стена деформировалась после землетрясения." (Explanation: "искажать" is more figurative and less fitting for structural changes.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the word "уродовать" can be particularly strong and may carry emotional weight, often tied to cultural sensitivity around appearance and aesthetics. It’s advisable to avoid it unless the negative tone is intentional.

Related Concepts:

• повреждение
• искажение
• разрушение