Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'desideratum'

English Word: desideratum

Key Russian Translations:

• желание (IPA: ʐɨˈlanʲɪje) - [Formal, Singular]
• потребность (IPA: pɐtʂɨbˈnɔsʲtʲ) - [Informal, Used in everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literary and philosophical discussions but less frequent in casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun inflections and abstract concepts; for 'желание', it's B1, while 'потребность' is B2 due to more complex usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

желание: ʐɨˈlanʲɪje

Note on желание: The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'; stress falls on the second syllable, and it may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

потребность: pɐtʂɨbˈnɔsʲtʲ

Note on потребность: The 'т' in the middle can soften to 'тʲ' in some dialects; emphasize the third syllable for natural flow.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Something desired or needed (Abstract desire or goal)

Translation(s) & Context:

• желание - Used in formal or philosophical contexts to express a personal longing or aspiration.
• потребность - Applied in everyday situations to denote a practical necessity, often with emotional undertones.

Usage Examples:

• Его желание путешествовать по миру никогда не угасло. (His desire to travel the world never faded.)

  Translation: His desideratum of traveling the world never faded.

• В этой книге автор описывает основные желания человеческой природы. (In this book, the author describes the fundamental desiderata of human nature.)

  Translation: In this book, the author describes the fundamental desires of human nature.

• Её потребность в стабильности помогла ей принять правильное решение. (Her desideratum for stability helped her make the right decision.)

  Translation: Her need for stability helped her make the right decision.

• Общество должно учитывать потребности каждого индивида. (Society must consider the desiderata of every individual.)

  Translation: Society must consider the needs of every individual.

• Желание успеха часто приводит к неожиданным открытиям. (The desideratum of success often leads to unexpected discoveries.)

  Translation: The desire for success often leads to unexpected discoveries.

Meaning 2: A specific requirement or essential item

Translation(s) & Context:

• потребность - In practical or economic contexts, emphasizing urgency or necessity.
• желание - Less common here, but used when the requirement is driven by personal motivation.

Usage Examples:

• Эта технология удовлетворяет потребность в быстром доступе к информации. (This technology fulfills the desideratum for quick access to information.)

  Translation: This technology fulfills the need for quick access to information.

• Желание лучшего образования стало её основной потребностью. (The desideratum of better education became her primary need.)

  Translation: The desire for better education became her primary need.

• В кризисные времена потребность в солидарности возрастает. (In times of crisis, the desideratum for solidarity increases.)

  Translation: In times of crisis, the need for solidarity increases.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'желание' (a neuter noun):

It follows the standard third-declension pattern for neuter nouns.

For 'потребность' (a feminine noun):

This noun has regular first-declension inflections with no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • желание - стремление (striving; more action-oriented)
  • потребность - нужда (need; used for basic necessities)
• Antonyms:
  • нежелание (unwillingness)
  • избыток (excess)

Related Phrases:

• Желание жить - (Desire to live; a phrase emphasizing life's aspirations.)
• Потребность в изменениях - (Need for changes; often used in social or political contexts.)
• Основные желания человека - (Fundamental desiderata of a person; common in psychological discussions.)

Usage Notes:

'Желание' aligns closely with the abstract, emotional aspect of 'desideratum', making it ideal for formal or literary use, while 'потребность' emphasizes practical needs and is more versatile in everyday Russian. Be cautious with context: in formal writing, prefer 'желание' for personal goals, but in spoken language, 'потребность' avoids sounding overly poetic. Grammatically, both nouns require appropriate case agreement with prepositions, e.g., 'в желании' (in the desire).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'желание' interchangeably with 'потребность' without considering context. For example, learners might say "Моя потребность путешествовать" when 'желание' is more appropriate for desires.

  Correct: "Мое желание путешествовать" (My desire to travel). Explanation: 'Потребность' implies a critical need, not just a want, which can alter the sentence's nuance.

• Error: Forgetting noun inflections, e.g., saying "в желание" instead of "в желании".

  Correct: "В желании" (In the desire). Explanation: Prepositional case requires the correct ending to maintain grammatical accuracy in Russian sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'желание' often carry a philosophical weight, influenced by literary figures like Tolstoy, who explored human desires in works such as 'Anna Karenina'. This reflects a broader tradition in Russian literature where personal desiderata are tied to existential themes, contrasting with more pragmatic Western interpretations.

Related Concepts:

• стремление (aspiration)
• нужда (necessity)
• мотивация (motivation)