Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'eliminate'

English Word: eliminate

Key Russian Translations:

• исключить [ɪsˈklʲut͡ɕɪtʲ] - [Formal, Verb]
• устранить [ʊsˈtranʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used in contexts involving removal or solving problems]

Frequency: Medium (Common in written and formal spoken Russian, especially in professional or technical contexts)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage; исключить may be slightly easier for beginners than устранить)

Pronunciation (Russian):

исключить: [ɪsˈklʲut͡ɕɪtʲ]

Note on исключить: The 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh' [ʃʲ], which can be challenging for English speakers; stress on the second syllable.

устранить: [ʊsˈtranʲɪtʲ]

Note on устранить: The initial 'у' is pronounced as a short 'oo' sound; pay attention to the soft 'н' [nʲ] for accurate pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To remove or exclude something, often in a list or context.

Translation(s) & Context:

• исключить - Used in formal or administrative contexts, such as excluding options in a decision-making process.
• устранить - Used when eliminating a problem or obstacle, often in technical or problem-solving scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Мы решили исключить ненужные элементы из плана.

  We decided to eliminate unnecessary elements from the plan.

• Чтобы устранить ошибку, нам пришлось перезагрузить систему.

  To eliminate the error, we had to restart the system.

• В переговорах они исключили все спорные пункты.

  In the negotiations, they eliminated all controversial points.

• Инженеры быстро устранили неисправность в механизме.

  The engineers quickly eliminated the malfunction in the mechanism.

• Команда исключила слабые звенья для повышения эффективности.

  The team eliminated weak links to improve efficiency.

Meaning 2: To get rid of or eradicate something completely, such as in sports or competition.

Translation(s) & Context:

• устранить - Common in competitive contexts, like eliminating a team from a tournament.
• исключить - Less common here, but used metaphorically for exclusion from a group.

Usage Examples:

• Сборная устранила соперника в финале турнира.

  The team eliminated the opponent in the tournament final.

• Чтобы выиграть, нам нужно исключить все distractions.

  To win, we need to eliminate all distractions.

• В этом раунде они устранили двух конкурентов.

  In this round, they eliminated two competitors.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both исключаить and устранить are verbs, which follow standard Russian conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs. They are imperfective verbs and can be conjugated based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a conjugation table for the present tense as an example:

Note: These verbs are regular, so they follow predictable patterns. The perfective aspects (e.g., исключить's perfective is исключить itself in some contexts) do not change form irregularly.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • удалить (remove, often used interchangeably with устранить)
  • вычеркнуть (cross out, more literal for excluding from a list)
  • ликвидировать (liquidate, stronger connotation for complete elimination)
• Antonyms:
  • добавить (add)
  • включить (include)

Related Phrases:

• исключить из рассмотрения - To eliminate from consideration; used in decision-making contexts.
• устранить проблему - To eliminate the problem; common in troubleshooting or engineering.
• полностью устранить угрозу - To completely eliminate the threat; implies thorough removal in security contexts.

Usage Notes:

When translating "eliminate" to Russian, choose исключаить for contexts involving exclusion from a group or list, as it carries a more neutral, administrative tone. Use устранить for situations requiring active removal or resolution, such as in scientific or problem-solving scenarios. Both verbs are typically formal; in informal speech, native speakers might opt for simpler alternatives like убрать (to remove). Be mindful of aspect: исключаить is often imperfective, implying ongoing action, while its perfective form might be needed for completed actions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using исключаить when устранить is more appropriate, e.g., saying "Я исключил ошибку" instead of "Я устранил ошибку" for fixing a bug. Correct: устранить is better for problem-solving. Explanation: исключаить implies exclusion rather than fixing, which can confuse the intended meaning.

• Error: Incorrect conjugation, e.g., saying "Я исключает" instead of "Я исключаю." Correct: Always conjugate based on person and number as shown in the inflections table. Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject, and beginners often overlook the endings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like устранить often appear in contexts related to efficiency and problem-solving, reflecting the historical emphasis on engineering and collective action in Soviet-era practices. For example, in literature or media, eliminating threats (e.g., in spy novels) can symbolize resilience against external challenges, drawing from Russia's complex history of conflicts and reforms.

Related Concepts:

• включить (include)
• удаление (removal)
• корректировка (adjustment)