Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'divulge'

English Word: divulge

Key Russian Translations:

• раскрывать [rɐˈskrɨvətʲ] - [Formal, Verb; used in contexts involving revealing secrets or information]
• разглашать [rɐzˈɡlaʂɨtʲ] - [Formal, Verb; specifically for divulging confidential or sensitive information]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in formal writing, journalism, and everyday conversations involving secrets)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and formal language, with раскрывать being slightly easier for beginners than разглашать)

Pronunciation (Russian):

раскрывать: [rɐˈskrɨvətʲ]

Note on раскрывать: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the 'ы' sound, which is a distinct Russian vowel not found in English. Pronounce it as a short, centralized 'i'.

разглашать: [rɐzˈɡlaʂɨtʲ]

Note on разглашать: The 'ш' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh'; this verb often has a more emphatic pronunciation in spoken Russian to convey secrecy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To reveal or make known private or secret information

Translation(s) & Context:

• раскрывать - Used in formal or neutral contexts, such as in legal or investigative scenarios, to describe the act of exposing hidden facts.
• разглашать - Applied in situations involving breaches of confidentiality, like leaking classified information, often with a negative connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Он не хотел раскрывать тайну, но под давлением пришлось. (He didn't want to divulge the secret, but under pressure, he had to.)

  English: He didn't want to divulge the secret, but under pressure, he had to.

• Журналист разглашает конфиденциальные данные, что может привести к проблемам. (The journalist is divulging confidential data, which could lead to problems.)

  English: The journalist is divulging confidential data, which could lead to problems.

• В романе героиня раскрывает правду о прошлом, шокируя читателей. (In the novel, the heroine divulges the truth about the past, shocking the readers.)

  English: In the novel, the heroine divulges the truth about the past, shocking the readers.

• Никогда не разглашай личные секреты в общественных местах. (Never divulge personal secrets in public places.)

  English: Never divulge personal secrets in public places.

• Под следствием подозреваемый раскрывает детали преступления. (Under investigation, the suspect divulges details of the crime.)

  English: Under investigation, the suspect divulges details of the crime.

Meaning 2: To disclose information unintentionally or carelessly

Translation(s) & Context:

• раскрывать - In informal contexts, implying accidental revelation, such as in casual conversations.

Usage Examples:

• Друг случайно раскрывает сюрприз на вечеринке. (The friend accidentally divulges the surprise at the party.)

  English: The friend accidentally divulges the surprise at the party.

• В разговоре она раскрывает слишком много о своей работе. (In conversation, she divulges too much about her job.)

  English: In conversation, she divulges too much about her job.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both раскрывать and разглашать are verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. They are imperfective verbs, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions. раскрывать is a first-conjugation verb, while разглашать follows similar patterns but with irregularities in some forms.

Note: These verbs do not change for gender in the past tense but do inflect for person, number, and tense as shown.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • оглашать (to announce publicly; similar to разглашать but more neutral)
  • выдавать (to give away or betray; often used in emotional contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • скрывать (to hide)
  • умалчивать (to keep silent about)

Related Phrases:

• раскрыть тайну - (To reveal a secret; used in contexts of confessions or disclosures)
• разглашать конфиденциальную информацию - (To divulge confidential information; common in legal or professional settings)
• не раскрывать карты - (Not to divulge one's plans; a idiomatic expression meaning "not to show one's hand")

Usage Notes:

• раскрывать is a more general term for "divulge" and can be used in both formal and informal settings, while разглашать implies a breach of trust and is typically formal. Choose раскрывать for everyday revelations and разглашать for sensitive or legal contexts.
• These verbs often require an object, such as a secret or fact, and must agree with the subject in person and number.
• In Russian culture, divulging information can carry strong social implications, so use these words carefully in conversational contexts to avoid offense.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using the infinitive form in places where a conjugated verb is needed, e.g., saying "Я раскрывать секрет" instead of "Я раскрываю секрет."
  Correct: Я раскрываю секрет (I divulge the secret). Explanation: Russian verbs must be conjugated based on subject and tense.
• Error: Confusing раскрывать with разглашать, leading to misuse in context, e.g., using разглашать for a harmless reveal.
  Correct: Use раскрывать for neutral revelations. Explanation: разглашать has a more negative connotation and should be reserved for breaches of confidentiality.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, divulging personal or family secrets (as with разглашать) is often seen as a serious betrayal, influenced by historical emphasis on privacy during Soviet times. This can add emotional weight to words like раскрывать in literature or media, reflecting themes of trust and loyalty.

Related Concepts:

• тайна (secret)
• конфиденциальность (confidentiality)
• измена (betrayal)