Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Detract'

English Word: detract

Key Russian Translations:

• отнимать [ɐtʲˈnʲætʲ] - [Neutral, Used in contexts of taking away value or quality]
• уменьшать [ʊmʲɪnʲˈʂætʲ] - [Neutral, Often used for diminishing importance or worth]
• отвлекать [ɐtvʲlʲɪˈkatʲ] - [Neutral, Used in contexts of diverting attention]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate, varies slightly by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

отнимать: [ɐtʲˈnʲætʲ]

Note on отнимать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The initial 'о' is pronounced as a reduced 'a' sound in unstressed position.

уменьшать: [ʊmʲɪnʲˈʂætʲ]

Note on уменьшать: Stress on the third syllable. The 'ш' sound is a distinct Russian retroflex fricative.

отвлекать: [ɐtvʲlʲɪˈkatʲ]

Note on отвлекать: Stress on the third syllable. Pay attention to the soft 'л' sound before 'е'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To reduce the value, importance, or quality of something

Translation(s) & Context:

• отнимать - Often used when something actively takes away value or quality.
• уменьшать - Used for a more general sense of diminishing worth or significance.

Usage Examples:

• Эти ошибки отнимают ценность у твоей работы.

  These mistakes detract from the value of your work.

• Критика может уменьшать значимость его достижений.

  Criticism can detract from the significance of his achievements.

• Ничего не должно отнимать у красоты этого момента.

  Nothing should detract from the beauty of this moment.

2. To divert attention or focus

Translation(s) & Context:

• отвлекать - Commonly used when referring to diverting attention or focus from something.

Usage Examples:

• Шум на улице отвлекает меня от работы.

  The noise outside detracts me from my work.

• Не позволяй мелочам отвлекать тебя от цели.

  Don’t let trivial things detract you from your goal.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

отнимать (Verb, Imperfective): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs in Russian. It requires an object in the accusative case.

уменьшать (Verb, Imperfective): Similar to отнимать, follows regular conjugation for imperfective verbs.

отвлекать (Verb, Imperfective): Regular conjugation, often used with the preposition 'от' + genitive case to indicate what attention is diverted from.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for отнимать/уменьшать (diminish value):

• убавлять
• снижать

Note: 'убавлять' is more colloquial, while 'снижать' is often used in formal or technical contexts.

Synonyms for отвлекать (divert attention):

• отводить
• развлекать

Antonyms for отнимать/уменьшать:

• прибавлять
• увеличивать

Related Phrases:

• отнимать время - to take up time (often used for wasting time)
• уменьшать значение - to diminish the importance (used in formal discussions)
• отвлекать внимание - to distract attention (common in everyday speech)

Usage Notes:

• The choice between 'отнимать' and 'уменьшать' depends on the context. Use 'отнимать' when emphasizing an active removal of value, and 'уменьшать' for a more passive or general reduction.
• 'отвлекать' is specifically used for diverting attention and does not overlap with the other translations in meaning.
• Be mindful of prepositions and case usage, especially with 'отвлекать', which often pairs with 'от' + genitive to indicate the source of distraction.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing up translations: English learners often confuse 'отнимать' and 'отвлекать', using them interchangeably. For example, saying 'Шум отнимает меня от работы' (incorrect) instead of 'Шум отвлекает меня от работы' (correct). Remember that 'отнимать' is for value/quality, while 'отвлекать' is for attention.

2. Incorrect case usage: Using the wrong case after 'отвлекать'. It should be followed by 'от' + genitive, not accusative. Example: 'отвлекать от работы' (correct) vs. 'отвлекать работу' (incorrect).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the concept of 'отнимать' can sometimes carry a stronger emotional weight, especially when used in personal contexts like 'отнимать время' (taking up time), which may imply frustration or annoyance. Be aware of the tone when using this verb in interpersonal communication.

Related Concepts:

• снижение (reduction)
• отвлечение (distraction)
• потеря (loss)