Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Depose'

English Word: depose

Key Russian Translations:

• свергать [ˈsvʲerɡətʲ] - [Formal, Used in political or authoritative contexts]
• смещать [smʲɪˈʂːatʲ] - [Formal, Often used for removing someone from a position]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts like politics or legal settings)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations due to formal usage and conjugation complexity

Pronunciation (Russian):

свергать: [ˈsvʲerɡətʲ]

Note on свергать: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "г" is pronounced as a voiced velar stop.

смещать: [smʲɪˈʂːatʲ]

Note on смещать: Stress on the second syllable. The "щ" sound is a soft, hissing consonant unique to Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To remove from power or position (e.g., a ruler or official)

Translation(s) & Context:

• свергать - Primarily used for overthrowing rulers or regimes, often with a sense of force or revolution.
• смещать - Used for removing someone from an official position, often in a formal or administrative context.

Usage Examples:

• Народ сверг тирана после долгих лет угнетения.

  The people deposed the tyrant after years of oppression.

• Правительство решило свергнуть коррумпированного лидера.

  The government decided to depose the corrupt leader.

• Совет директоров сместил генерального директора из-за скандала.

  The board of directors deposed the CEO due to the scandal.

• Его сместил с поста более опытный кандидат.

  He was deposed from his position by a more experienced candidate.

• Революция привела к свержению монархии.

  The revolution led to the deposition of the monarchy.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

свергать (verb, imperfective aspect): Regular conjugation in present, past, and future tenses. Often used with accusative case for the object being deposed.

смещать (verb, imperfective aspect): Similar conjugation pattern, also used with accusative case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for свергать:

• низвергать (more literary or dramatic)
• низложить (formal, often religious or historical)

Synonyms for смещать:

• увольнять (more general, "to dismiss")
• отстранять (formal, "to remove from duties")

Antonyms:

• возводить (to elevate or install in power)
• назначать (to appoint)

Related Phrases:

• свергать с трона - "to depose from the throne" (used for monarchs or rulers)
• смещать с должности - "to remove from office" (formal, administrative context)
• свержение власти - "overthrow of power" (refers to a regime or government)

Usage Notes:

• "Свергать" is more commonly associated with forceful or revolutionary removal, often of a ruler or regime, while "смещать" is used for formal or administrative removal from a position.
• Both verbs are formal and rarely used in casual conversation. They are more common in historical, political, or legal texts.
• Ensure correct aspect usage: both are imperfective. For completed actions, use perfective forms like "свергнуть" (for свергать) and "сместить" (for смещать).

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "свергать" with "смещать" in inappropriate contexts. For example, saying "свергать с должности" sounds unnatural; "смещать с должности" is correct for administrative removal.
• Error: Incorrect conjugation due to irregular stress patterns. For instance, saying "сверга́ют" instead of "све́ргают" misplaces the stress.
• Correction: Practice stress patterns and use dictionaries to confirm correct forms. Use "свергать" for dramatic overthrows and "смещать" for formal removals.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian history, the concept of "свержение" (deposition) is deeply tied to events like the 1917 Revolution, where the monarchy was overthrown. The term "свергать" often evokes imagery of dramatic political upheaval, while "смещать" is more neutral and bureaucratic, reflecting Soviet-era administrative language.

Related Concepts:

• революция (revolution)
• восстание (uprising)
• отставка (resignation)