Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'endanger'

English Word: endanger

Key Russian Translations:

• угрожать [ʊɡrɐˈʐatʲ] - [Formal, commonly used in serious contexts like environmental or legal discussions]
• ставить в опасность [staˈvʲitʲ v ɐˈpasnəsʲtʲ] - [Informal, descriptive, often used in everyday conversations or narrative writing]

Frequency: Medium - This verb and its equivalents appear regularly in news, environmental discussions, and safety contexts, but not in casual daily chit-chat.

Difficulty: B2 - Intermediate level according to CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage. For "угрожать," it's B2 due to its imperfective aspect; for "ставить в опасность," it's also B2 as it involves phrase construction.

Pronunciation (Russian):

угрожать: [ʊɡrɐˈʐatʲ]

Note on угрожать: The stress falls on the last syllable ("ʐatʲ"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft "tʲ" sound. Practice with native audio for the rolled "r" and palatalized consonants.

Audio: []

ставить в опасность: [staˈvʲitʲ v ɐˈpasnəsʲtʲ]

Note on ставить в опасность: This is a phrase, so pronounce each word clearly; the "v" in "в" is soft, and "опасность" has stress on the second syllable. Variations may occur in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To put someone or something at risk, often implying potential harm or threat

Translation(s) & Context:

• угрожать - Typically used in formal settings, such as legal, environmental, or scientific contexts, to indicate an ongoing threat.
• ставить в опасность - More versatile for informal or descriptive use, like in storytelling or personal narratives, emphasizing immediate risk.

Usage Examples:

• Загрязнение окружающей среды угрожает выживанию многих видов животных.

  Pollution endangers the survival of many animal species.

• Его действия ставят в опасность всю команду во время экспедиции.

  His actions endanger the entire team during the expedition.

• Климатические изменения угрожают глобальной продовольственной безопасности.

  Climate change endangers global food security.

• Небрежное вождение может поставить в опасность пешеходов на дороге.

  Reckless driving can endanger pedestrians on the road.

• Финансовые спекуляции угрожают стабильности экономики страны.

  Financial speculations endanger the stability of the country's economy.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "угрожать," which is an imperfective verb, it follows standard Russian verb conjugation patterns. It is irregular in some aspects due to its stem changes.

For "ставить в опасность," "ставить" is the verb and conjugates as a regular first-conjugation verb, while "опасность" is a feminine noun that declines as follows:

Note: "В опасность" is a prepositional phrase and does not inflect as a unit, but its components do.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • рисковать (riskovat') - More about taking risks voluntarily, with a subtle nuance of personal choice.
  • подвергать опасности (podvergать opasnosti) - Emphasizes exposure to danger, often in formal contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • защищать (zashchishchat') - To protect or safeguard.
  • обеспечивать безопасность (obespechivat' bezopasnost') - To ensure safety, highlighting prevention.

Related Phrases:

• угрожать жизни (ugrozhivat' zhizni) - To endanger life; used in emergency or medical contexts.
• ставить под угрозу (stavit' pod ugrozu) - To put at risk; a common phrase in political or environmental discussions, implying broader implications.
• угрожать экосистеме (ugrozhivat' ekosisteme) - To endanger an ecosystem; often in conservation talks.

Usage Notes:

Choose "угрожать" for ongoing or potential threats in formal writing, as it aligns closely with the English "endanger" in contexts like environmental protection. "Ставить в опасность" is better for immediate, actionable risks and is more flexible in informal speech. Be mindful of aspect: "угрожать" is imperfective, implying a process, while perfective forms like "угрожу" exist for completed actions. In Russian, always consider the case of the object; for example, use the dative case for the entity being endangered.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse "угрожать" with "угрожать кому-то" and forget the dative case, e.g., incorrectly saying "угрожать жизнь" instead of "угрожать жизни." Correct: Use dative for the object, as in "угрожать жизни" (to endanger life).

• Another error is overusing "ставить в опасность" in formal contexts where "угрожать" is more precise, e.g., saying "Мы ставим в опасность экосистему" when "Мы угрожаем экосистеме" is standard in reports. Explanation: "Угрожать" conveys a more abstract threat, while the other is literal.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "угрожать" often appear in discussions of environmental issues or geopolitical risks, reflecting Russia's vast natural resources and historical challenges. For instance, phrases involving "endanger" are common in media about climate change, evoking a sense of urgency tied to national pride in preserving Siberia's ecosystems.

Related Concepts:

• опасность (opasnost') - Danger
• риск (risk) - Risk
• угроза (ugroza) - Threat