Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Deserve'

English Word: Deserve

Key Russian Translations:

• заслуживать [zəsluˈʒɨvətʲ] - [Formal, Informal]
• быть достойным [bɨtʲ dəˈstojnɨm] - [Formal, Often used with a complement]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "заслуживать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "быть достойным"

Pronunciation (Russian):

заслуживать: [zəsluˈʒɨvətʲ]

Note on заслуживать: Stress falls on the third syllable. The "ж" sound is a voiced fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'.

быть достойным: [bɨtʲ dəˈstojnɨm]

Note on быть достойным: Stress is on "стой" in "достойным". The phrase often requires agreement in gender and number.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To be worthy of something (e.g., praise, reward)

Translation(s) & Context:

• заслуживать - Commonly used for earning something through effort or merit.
• быть достойным - Used to emphasize inherent worthiness, often with a moral or ethical connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Он заслужил похвалу за свою работу.

  He deserved praise for his work.

• Она заслужила уважение коллег.

  She earned the respect of her colleagues.

• Ты достоин лучшей жизни.

  You deserve a better life.

• Они достойны этой награды.

  They are worthy of this award.

• Мы заслужили отдых после такого труда.

  We deserve a rest after such hard work.

2. To merit something negative (e.g., punishment)

Translation(s) & Context:

• заслуживать - Used for deserving negative consequences due to actions.

Usage Examples:

• Он заслужил наказание за свой поступок.

  He deserved punishment for his actions.

• Такое поведение заслуживает критики.

  Such behavior deserves criticism.

• Они заслужили выговор от начальства.

  They deserved a reprimand from the management.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

заслуживать (Verb, Imperfective Aspect): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in -ать. It can be used in various tenses and moods.

быть достойным (Phrase with Verb + Adjective): "Быть" (to be) conjugates according to person and tense, while "достойным" (worthy) agrees in gender, number, and case with the subject or complement.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "заслуживать":

• заслужить (perfective aspect)
• иметь право (to have the right)

Note: "Заслужить" implies completion of earning something, while "иметь право" focuses on entitlement.

Antonyms for "заслуживать":

• быть недостойным (to be unworthy)

Related Phrases:

• заслужить уважение - To earn respect.
• заслужить доверие - To gain trust.
• быть достойным внимания - To be worthy of attention.

Usage Notes:

• "Заслуживать" is more versatile and can be used for both positive and negative contexts (e.g., deserving praise or punishment), while "быть достойным" often carries a positive or moral connotation.
• "Быть достойным" requires agreement in gender and number, which can be tricky for learners (e.g., "достойна" for feminine subjects).
• In spoken Russian, "заслуживать" is more commonly used than "быть достойным", especially in informal settings.

Common Errors:

• Error: Incorrect gender/number agreement with "быть достойным". Example: Saying "Она достойный" instead of "Она достойна". Explanation: "Достойный" must agree with the subject; "достойна" is the correct feminine form.
• Error: Using "заслуживать" without an object when context requires one. Example: Saying "Он заслуживает" instead of "Он заслуживает похвалы". Explanation: "Заслуживать" often requires a direct object to specify what is deserved.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "deserving" something often ties to notions of hard work and moral integrity. Saying someone "заслужил" something implies they’ve earned it through effort or sacrifice, which is highly valued in Russian societal norms.

Related Concepts:

• достоинство (dignity)
• заслуга (merit)
• награда (reward)