Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Diminish'

English Word: Diminish

Key Russian Translations:

• уменьшать [ʊmʲɪnʲˈʂatʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Imperfective]
• уменьшить [ʊmʲɪnʲˈʂɨtʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Perfective]
• снижать [snʲɪˈʐatʲ] - [Neutral, Verb, Imperfective]
• снизить [ˈsnʲizʲɪtʲ] - [Neutral, Verb, Perfective]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in formal and neutral contexts)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies slightly by aspect and usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

уменьшать: [ʊmʲɪnʲˈʂatʲ]

Note on уменьшать: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ш" sound is a retroflex fricative, distinct from English "sh."

уменьшить: [ʊmʲɪnʲˈʂɨtʲ]

снижать: [snʲɪˈʐatʲ]

снизить: [ˈsnʲizʲɪtʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To make or become smaller or less (Physical or Abstract Reduction)

Translation(s) & Context:

• уменьшать/уменьшить - Used for reducing size, quantity, or importance (e.g., budgets, influence).
• снижать/снизить - Often used for lowering levels or intensity (e.g., speed, temperature).

Usage Examples:

• Мы должны уменьшить расходы на проект.

  We must diminish the expenses on the project.

• Его влияние на команду постепенно уменьшалось.

  His influence on the team gradually diminished.

• Водитель снизил скорость на повороте.

  The driver diminished speed at the turn.

• Нужно снизить температуру в помещении.

  We need to diminish the temperature in the room.

• Эти меры уменьшат риск аварии.

  These measures will diminish the risk of an accident.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

уменьшать/уменьшить: These are verbs with aspectual pairs (imperfective/perfective). They follow regular conjugation patterns for their respective classes.

снижать/снизить: Similarly, these verbs follow regular conjugation patterns with aspectual differences.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• сократить (to reduce, often in formal contexts)
• убавить (to decrease, more colloquial)

Note: "сократить" often implies cutting down, while "убавить" can be used for minor reductions.

Antonyms:

• увеличивать (to increase)
• повышать (to raise)

Related Phrases:

• уменьшить объем работы - to diminish the workload
• снизить цены - to lower prices
• уменьшить значимость - to diminish importance

Usage Notes:

• The choice between "уменьшать/уменьшить" and "снижать/снизить" depends on context. Use "уменьшать" for general reduction (size, importance), and "снижать" for lowering levels (speed, price).
• Aspect (perfective vs. imperfective) matters in Russian: use imperfective forms for ongoing or habitual actions, and perfective for completed actions.
• These verbs are transitive and often require a direct object in accusative case.

Common Errors:

• Incorrect Aspect Usage: English speakers often confuse imperfective and perfective forms. For example, saying "Я уменьшаю это вчера" (incorrect) instead of "Я уменьшил это вчера" (correct) for a completed past action.
• Wrong Verb Choice: Using "снижать" for reducing importance (incorrect) instead of "уменьшать." Example: "Снизить значимость" (wrong) vs. "Уменьшить значимость" (correct).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, discussions about "diminishing" something (like influence or prices) can carry a formal tone, often used in business or academic contexts. Be mindful of the tone when using these verbs in casual conversations, as they might sound overly technical.

Related Concepts:

• сокращение (reduction)
• падение (fall, decline)
• убывание (decrease, waning)