Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'disintegrate'

English Word: disintegrate

Key Russian Translations:

• распадаться /rɐˈspadət͡sə/ - [Intransitive verb, Formal, often used in scientific or metaphorical contexts]
• разрушаться /rɐˈzruʂət͡sə/ - [Intransitive verb, Informal or Neutral, commonly used for physical breakdown]
• разлагаться /rɐzˈɫaɡət͡sə/ - [Intransitive verb, Formal, specifically for decomposition processes]

Frequency: Medium - This verb is not used in everyday casual conversation but appears frequently in academic, scientific, or news contexts.

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for 'распадаться' and 'разрушаться'; C1 (Advanced) for 'разлагаться', as it involves understanding reflexive verbs and context-specific nuances in Russian grammar.

Pronunciation (Russian):

распадаться: /rɐˈspadət͡sə/

разрушаться: /rɐˈzruʂət͡sə/

разлагаться: /rɐzˈɫaɡət͡sə/

Note on распадаться: The stress falls on the second syllable; be cautious with the palatalized 't' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. This verb often has slight variations in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To break up into parts or lose structural integrity (physical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• распадаться - Used in formal or scientific contexts, such as describing the disintegration of matter or objects.
• разрушаться - Applied in everyday or neutral contexts for buildings, materials, or systems breaking down.

Usage Examples:

• Металл начинает распадаться под воздействием кислоты.

  The metal begins to disintegrate under the influence of acid.

• Старый мост разрушается из-за постоянных дождей.

  The old bridge is disintegrating due to constant rains.

• При нагревании, вещество может распадаться на отдельные элементы.

  Upon heating, the substance can disintegrate into separate elements.

Meaning 2: To lose unity or cohesion (metaphorical sense, e.g., social or organizational)

Translation(s) & Context:

• распадаться - Common in formal discussions of societies, relationships, or groups falling apart.
• разлагаться - Used metaphorically for moral or internal decay, often in literary contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Семья начала распадаться после смерти главы.

  The family started to disintegrate after the death of the head.

• Партия разрушается из-за внутренних конфликтов.

  The party is disintegrating due to internal conflicts.

• Общество разлагается, когда игнорируются базовые ценности.

  Society disintegrates when basic values are ignored.

• Экономика страны распадается под давлением санкций.

  The country's economy is disintegrating under the pressure of sanctions.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily intransitive reflexive verbs in Russian, which means they end in '-ся' and follow standard conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs. Russian verbs like these conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'распадаться' and 'разрушаться' are imperfective, indicating ongoing actions, while related perfective forms exist (e.g., 'распасться').

Note: These verbs do not change in a highly irregular way but follow standard patterns for first-conjugation verbs in Russian.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • разваливаться (razvalivat'sya) - Similar to 'разрушаться', but implies a more gradual collapse; often used informally.
  • крушиться (krushit'sya) - For sudden disintegration, like a structure collapsing.
  • распыляться (raspylyat'sya) - Emphasizes scattering into particles.
• Antonyms:
  • собираться (sobirat'sya) - To come together or assemble.
  • укрепляться (ukreplyat'sya) - To strengthen or solidify.

Related Phrases:

• распадаться на части - To break down into pieces; used for physical objects (e.g., "The rock disintegrates into pieces").
• разрушаться под влиянием времени - To disintegrate under the influence of time; common in discussions of aging or erosion.
• разлагаться в土壤 - To decompose in the soil; specific to organic matter (e.g., "Waste disintegrates in the soil naturally").

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'disintegrate' translations like 'распадаться' are reflexive verbs, always ending in '-ся', which indicates the action happens to the subject itself. Choose 'распадаться' for formal or scientific contexts to match the precise English meaning, while 'разрушаться' works better in everyday scenarios. Be mindful of aspect: use imperfective forms for ongoing processes. English speakers often overlook the need for agreement with gender and number in past tense conjugations.

• Context matters: 'разлагаться' implies biological decay, so avoid it for non-organic disintegration.
• Grammar tip: Always pair with appropriate prepositions, like 'под воздействием' (under the influence of), to sound natural.

Common Errors:

English learners often forget the reflexive '-ся' ending, saying 'распадать' instead of 'распадаться', which changes the verb to a transitive form and alters the meaning entirely (e.g., incorrect: 'Я распадать дом' meaning nothing; correct: 'Дом распадается'). Another error is mixing up synonyms, using 'разрушаться' in a scientific context where 'распадаться' is more precise, leading to confusion in formality. To avoid this, always check the context and practice conjugations.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian literature and media, verbs like 'распадаться' often carry deeper connotations of societal or personal breakdown, as seen in works by authors like Tolstoy or in discussions of historical events like the Soviet Union's disintegration. This reflects Russia's cultural emphasis on resilience and the fragility of structures, helping users understand the emotional weight beyond literal meanings.

Related Concepts:

• распад (raspad) - Disintegration (noun form).
• разрушение (razrusheniye) - Destruction or breakdown.
• декомпозиция (dekompozitsiya) - Decomposition, often in scientific contexts.