Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'dwindle'

English Word: dwindle

Key Russian Translations:

• уменьшаться /u.mʲɪnʲ.ˈʂa.t͡sə/ - [Informal, commonly used in everyday contexts]
• сокращаться /sɐ.ˈkraʂːə.t͡sə/ - [Formal, often in professional or statistical contexts]

Frequency: Medium - The verb is encountered in general discussions about decline or reduction but not as frequently as basic daily vocabulary.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Involves understanding reflexive verbs and basic conjugations; for 'уменьшаться', it's moderately challenging due to imperfective aspect, while 'сокращаться' is similar but may vary slightly in nuance.

Pronunciation (Russian):

уменьшаться: /u.mʲɪnʲ.ˈʂa.t͡sə/

Note on уменьшаться: The stress is on the third syllable ('ʂa'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized 'n' sound; it often softens in rapid speech.

сокращаться: /sɐ.ˈkraʂːə.t͡sə/

Note on сокращаться: Pay attention to the rolled 'r' and the soft 'sh' sound; this word may have regional variations in pronunciation across Russian dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To become smaller or fewer gradually (primary meaning)

Translation(s) & Context:

• уменьшаться - Used in informal, everyday situations to describe a slow decline, such as in resources or numbers.
• сокращаться - Applied in more formal contexts, like economics or reports, to indicate reduction in size or quantity.

Usage Examples:

• Мои сбережения постепенно уменьшаются из-за растущих расходов.

  My savings are gradually dwindling due to rising expenses.

• Популяция редких животных сокращается из-за изменения климата.

  The population of rare animals is dwindling because of climate change.

• Интерес к этой теме уменьшается с каждым годом, что приводит к меньшему количеству исследований.

  Interest in this topic is dwindling year by year, leading to fewer studies.

• В городе сокращается число жителей, так как молодые люди уезжают в мегаполисы.

  The number of residents in the city is dwindling as young people move to metropolises.

• Энергия у меня уменьшается к концу дня, и я чувствую усталость.

  My energy is dwindling by the end of the day, and I feel tired.

To diminish in importance or influence (secondary meaning)

Translation(s) & Context:

• уменьшаться - In metaphorical contexts, such as fading influence in social or political scenarios.
• сокращаться - Often used in formal writing to describe the decline of power or relevance.

Usage Examples:

• Влияние этой политической партии уменьшается по сравнению с предыдущими выборами.

  The influence of this political party is dwindling compared to previous elections.

• Роль традиционных СМИ сокращается с развитием интернета.

  The role of traditional media is dwindling with the development of the internet.

• Его авторитет в компании уменьшается из-за недавних ошибок.

  His authority in the company is dwindling due to recent mistakes.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'уменьшаться' and 'сокращаться' are imperfective reflexive verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing actions and require the reflexive particle '-ся'. They follow standard verb conjugation patterns, but as reflexive verbs, they do not change as drastically as non-reflexive ones.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • уменьшиться (to decrease suddenly) - More abrupt than gradual.
  • снижаться (to go down, e.g., prices) - Often used in economic contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • увеличиваться (to increase)
  • расти (to grow)

Related Phrases:

• уменьшаться в размерах - To dwindle in size; used for physical objects or quantities.
• сокращаться из-за кризиса - To dwindle due to a crisis; common in discussions of economic downturns.
• постепенно уменьшаться - To gradually dwindle; emphasizes the slow process.

Usage Notes:

'Dwindle' corresponds closely to 'уменьшаться' in informal settings and 'сокращаться' in formal ones, but always implies a gradual process rather than an immediate change. Choose 'уменьшаться' for everyday conversation to sound natural, while 'сокращаться' is better for written reports. Be mindful of the reflexive '-ся' ending, which indicates the action happens to the subject. In Russian, aspect is key: use imperfective forms like these for ongoing actions, and pair with time expressions like 'постепенно' (gradually) for accuracy.

Common Errors:

• Confusing the reflexive form: English learners might forget the '-ся' particle, saying 'уменьшать' instead of 'уменьшаться', which changes the meaning to 'to diminish something' (transitive). Correct: Use 'уменьшаться' for intransitive use.
• Mixing up synonyms: Learners may overuse 'снижаться' when 'сокращаться' is more precise for population or influence decline. Example of error: *Популяция снижается* (implies a downward trend like prices), vs. Correct: Популяция сокращается (emphasizes reduction in numbers).
• Neglecting aspect: Using perfective forms incorrectly, e.g., saying 'уменьшился' for an ongoing process. Correct: Stick to imperfective for 'dwindle', as it denotes continuation.

Cultural Notes:

Words like 'уменьшаться' and 'сокращаться' often appear in Russian discussions of historical events, such as the decline of the Soviet economy or rural populations, reflecting themes of loss and change in Russian culture. They carry a subtle connotation of inevitability, aligning with Russia's literary tradition of portraying gradual decay in works by authors like Chekhov.

Related Concepts:

• увеличиваться (to increase)
• спад (decline)
• рост (growth)