Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'encumber'

English Word: encumber

Key Russian Translations:

• обременять [ɐˈbrʲemʲɪnʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, used in contexts involving burdens or hindrances]
• замедлять [zɐˈmʲedlʲɪtʲ] - [Neutral, often for slowing down or obstructing processes]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in formal writing and discussions about obstacles, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and formal language; for 'замедлять', also B2)

Pronunciation (Russian):

обременять: [ɐˈbrʲemʲɪnʲɪtʲ]

Note on обременять: The stress falls on the second syllable ('bre-'), and the 'р' is rolled, which can be challenging for English speakers. Variations in fast speech may soften the 'м' sound.

замедлять: [zɐˈmʲedlʲɪtʲ]

Note on замедлять: The initial 'з' is pronounced as a soft 'z', and the word ends with a palatalized 't', common in Russian verbs.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To burden or hinder someone/something

Translation(s) & Context:

• обременять - Used in formal or legal contexts to describe adding weight, obligations, or obstacles, e.g., in financial or administrative settings.
• замедлять - Applied in everyday or technical contexts to mean slowing down processes, such as in technology or daily life.

Usage Examples:

• Эта налоговая система обременяет малый бизнес, делая его менее конкурентоспособным.

  This tax system encumbers small businesses, making them less competitive.

• Слишком много правил замедляет прогресс проекта.

  Too many rules encumber the progress of the project.

• Долги обременяют семью, не давая им инвестировать в будущее.

  Debts encumber the family, preventing them from investing in the future.

• Бюрократия замедляет инновации в государственной сфере.

  Bureaucracy encumbers innovation in the public sector.

• Эти ограничения обременяют свободу слова в обществе.

  These restrictions encumber freedom of speech in society.

To obstruct or make difficult

Translation(s) & Context:

• обременять - In metaphorical senses, such as emotional or physical burdens, often in literary or psychological discussions.
• замедлять - For literal slowdowns, like in traffic or workflows.

Usage Examples:

• Тяжелый рюкзак обременяет путешественника во время длительного похода.

  A heavy backpack encumbers the traveler during a long hike.

• Плохая погода замедляет поездку, заставляя нас задерживаться.

  Bad weather encumbers the trip, causing us to delay.

• Эмоциональные проблемы обременяют его решение повседневных задач.

  Emotional issues encumber his ability to handle daily tasks.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'обременять' and 'замедлять' are Russian verbs of the first conjugation, which means they follow regular patterns but have specific inflections based on tense, aspect, and person. 'Обременять' is imperfective, while 'замедлять' can be used in both imperfective and perfective forms (e.g., 'замедлить' as perfective).

Note: These verbs do not have irregular inflections, but aspect changes (e.g., 'замедлить' for perfective) must be learned separately.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: затруднять (to complicate, with a focus on creating difficulties), мешать (to interfere, more casual)
• Antonyms: облегчать (to ease or lighten), ускорять (to speed up, specifically for 'замедлять')

Related Phrases:

• Обременительное бремя - A burdensome load; refers to something that weighs heavily on a person, often metaphorically.
• Замедлять процесс - To slow down a process; used in professional contexts like business or technology.
• Обременять обязательствами - To encumber with obligations; common in legal or contractual language.

Usage Notes:

'Обременять' is the most direct equivalent to 'encumber' in formal English contexts, emphasizing long-term burdens, while 'замедлять' is better for temporary obstructions. Choose 'обременять' for emotional or legal scenarios and 'замедлять' for physical or procedural ones. Be mindful of Russian's aspect system: use imperfective for ongoing actions. In informal speech, native speakers might prefer simpler synonyms like 'мешать' to avoid sounding overly formal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'обременять' interchangeably with 'замедлять' without considering context. For example, learners might say "Это замедляет мою жизнь" when meaning emotional burden, but should use "Это обременяет мою жизнь" for accuracy.

  Correct: Это обременяет мою жизнь. (This encumbers my life.)

• Error: Incorrect verb conjugation, such as saying "обременяетс" instead of "обременяет". This often happens due to confusion with reflexive verbs.

  Correct: Он обременяет себя работой. (He encumbers himself with work.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'обременять' often carry connotations from literature and history, such as in works by Tolstoy, where burdens symbolize societal pressures. This reflects a cultural emphasis on endurance and the weight of obligations in Russian society, influenced by historical events like serfdom.

Related Concepts:

• Затруднение
• Мешанина
• Облегчение