Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'encroach'

English Word: encroach

Key Russian Translations:

• нарушать [nɐ.ru.'ʂatʲ] - [Formal, often used in legal or official contexts]
• посягать [pə.'sʲa.gətʲ] - [Formal, implies an attempt to infringe or seize unlawfully]

Frequency: Medium (These verbs are commonly encountered in formal writing, legal discussions, or news, but not in everyday casual speech.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, as it involves understanding verb conjugations and formal contexts; for "нарушать," it's straightforward, but "посягать" may require more nuanced comprehension.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

нарушать: [nɐ.ru.'ʂatʲ]

посягать: [pə.'sʲa.gətʲ]

Note on нарушать: The "ʂ" sound is a retroflex fricative, similar to the "sh" in "shoe" but with a rolled tongue tip; be cautious with stress on the second syllable. For посягать, the "sʲ" is a palatalized s, which can be tricky for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To intrude or trespass on someone else's rights, territory, or boundaries, often gradually or unlawfully.

Translation(s) & Context:

• нарушать - Used in contexts involving legal violations, such as encroaching on property or rights, typically in formal or official settings.
• посягать - Applied when there's an attempt to encroach on something intangible, like personal freedoms or sovereignty, often in more dramatic or legal narratives.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство не должно нарушать права граждан.

  The government should not encroach on citizens' rights.

• Эта компания посягает на рынок конкурентов, нарушая антимонопольные законы.

  This company is encroaching on competitors' market, violating antitrust laws.

• Если соседи продолжают нарушать нашу территорию, нам придется обратиться в суд.

  If the neighbors keep encroaching on our territory, we'll have to go to court.

• Посягать на чужие границы – это не только юридическая, но и этическая проблема.

  Encroaching on foreign borders is not just a legal but also an ethical issue.

• Войска начали посягать на пограничные земли, что вызвало международный конфликт.

  Troops began encroaching on border lands, sparking an international conflict.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "нарушать" and "посягать" are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, number, and mood. These verbs follow the first conjugation pattern with some irregularities.

Note: These verbs do not have perfective counterparts in every context, but related perfective forms like "нарушить" (to violate once) exist for "нарушать." They are conjugated irregularly in some aspects, especially in the imperative.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • вторгаться (vtorchatsya) - More forceful, implying invasion; often used for physical encroachment.
  • вмешиваться (vmesivat'sya) - Interfering subtly, with less legal connotation.
• Antonyms:
  • уважать (uvazhat') - To respect boundaries.
  • не трогать (ne trogat') - To not touch or interfere.

Related Phrases:

• Нарушать границу (Narushat' granitsu) - To encroach on a border; used in geopolitical contexts.
• Посягать на права (Posyagat' na prava) - To encroach on rights; common in human rights discussions.
• Нарушать личное пространство (Narushat' lichnoye prostranstvo) - To invade personal space; implies social encroachment.

Usage Notes:

"Encroach" translates most accurately to "нарушать" in everyday legal or territorial contexts, while "посягать" is better for attempts at infringement with a sense of audacity. Both are formal and rarely used in informal speech; opt for "нарушать" when describing ongoing actions and "посягать" for intentional violations. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: use imperfective for descriptions and perfective (e.g., "нарушить") for completed actions. English learners should note that Russian verbs require agreement with subject in person and number, which can affect sentence structure.

Common Errors:

• Confusing aspect: English learners often use the imperfective "нарушать" when a perfective form like "нарушить" is needed for a completed action. For example, incorrect: "Я нарушать закон вчера" (should be "Я нарушил закон вчера" – I encroached on the law yesterday). Correct usage emphasizes the completed event with perfective verbs.

• Misusing in informal contexts: Beginners might overuse these formal verbs in casual talk, e.g., saying "Ты посягаешь на мой обед" instead of a simpler phrase like "Ты трогаешь мой обед." This sounds overly dramatic; stick to formal settings.

• Neglecting conjugation: Forgetting to change endings, such as saying "Он нарушать" instead of "Он нарушает." Always conjugate based on the subject for grammatical accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and history, terms like "нарушать" and "посягать" often relate to territorial integrity, as seen in discussions of borders during events like the Cold War or modern geopolitical tensions. They carry a strong connotation of violation against sovereignty, reflecting Russia's emphasis on national security and historical invasions, which can make these words emotionally charged in conversations about international relations.

Related Concepts:

• граница (granitsa) - Border
• право (pravo) - Right
• вторжение (vtorzheniye) - Invasion