Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'entertain'

English Word: entertain

Key Russian Translations:

• развлекать [rɐzvlʲɪˈkatʲ] - [Informal, commonly used for amusing or providing entertainment]
• принимать [prʲɪˈnʲimatʲ] - [Formal, specifically for hosting or receiving guests]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in everyday conversations, literature, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugations and context, with развлекать being slightly more challenging due to its imperfective aspect, while принимать is more straightforward for beginners).

Pronunciation (Russian):

развлекать: [rɐzvlʲɪˈkatʲ]

принимать: [prʲɪˈnʲimatʲ]

Note on развлекать: The stress is on the second syllable ("le"), and the 'лʲ' sound is a soft 'l', which can be tricky for English speakers. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Note on принимать: Stress falls on the third syllable ("ni"), with a soft 'нʲ'. It's a regular verb pronunciation in Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To amuse or provide pleasure (e.g., entertain guests at a party)

Translation(s) & Context:

• развлекать - Used in informal or casual settings, such as parties or events, to describe amusing others.
• принимать - Applied in more formal contexts, like social gatherings, emphasizing hospitality.

Usage Examples:

• Мы решили развлекать гостей историями из нашей поездки. (We decided to entertain the guests with stories from our trip.)

  English: We decided to entertain the guests with stories from our trip.

• Вечером родители развлекали детей играми на свежем воздухе. (In the evening, the parents entertained the children with games outdoors.)

  English: In the evening, the parents entertained the children with games outdoors.

• Она любит принимать друзей дома, чтобы развлекать их музыкой. (She enjoys hosting friends at home to entertain them with music.)

  English: She enjoys hosting friends at home to entertain them with music. (Here, 'принимать' is used for hosting, combined with 'развлекать' for amusement.)

• Фильм развлекал зрителей на протяжении всего вечера. (The film entertained the audience throughout the entire evening.)

  English: The film entertained the audience throughout the entire evening.

To consider or maintain an idea (e.g., entertain a thought)

Translation(s) & Context:

• развлекать - Less common in this sense; typically used metaphorically for pondering ideas in informal contexts.
• принимать - Not ideal; instead, use обдумывать (obdumyvat') for this meaning, but sticking to key translations, развлекать can imply in creative contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он не хотел развлекать мысли о переменах в жизни. (He didn't want to entertain thoughts about changes in his life.)

  English: He didn't want to entertain thoughts about changes in his life. (Note: This usage is more idiomatic and less literal.)

• В раздумьях она начала развлекать идею переезда в другой город. (In her reflections, she began to entertain the idea of moving to another city.)

  English: In her reflections, she began to entertain the idea of moving to another city.

• Бизнесмен развлекал предложения от конкурентов, но решил не принимать их. (The businessman entertained proposals from competitors but decided not to accept them.)

  English: The businessman entertained proposals from competitors but decided not to accept them.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both key translations are verbs and follow Russian conjugation patterns. Развлекать is an imperfective verb, while принимать is also imperfective but more regular.

Развлекать has irregular aspects in some forms due to its prefix, but it follows general first-conjugation patterns. Принимать is more regular and doesn't change in most cases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • развлекать: забавлять (zabavlyat' - to amuse, often for children); увлекать (uvlekat' - to captivate)
  • принимать: встречать (vstrechat' - to meet/greet, with a focus on initial hospitality); угощать (ugoshchat' - to treat/guests)
• Antonyms:
  • Надоедать (nadoedat' - to bore/annoy)
  • Отвергать (otvergat' - to reject, especially for ideas)

Related Phrases:

• Развлекать публику - To entertain the audience (used in performance contexts, e.g., shows or speeches).
• Принимать гостей - To host guests (common in social or formal settings, implying preparation and warmth).
• Развлекательный центр - Entertainment center (a place for amusement, like an amusement park).

Usage Notes:

Развлекать is the most direct translation for 'entertain' in the sense of amusement and is versatile in informal contexts, but it emphasizes ongoing action (imperfective aspect). Принимать is better for formal hosting scenarios and doesn't carry the amusement connotation. English users should note that Russian verbs often require aspectual pairs (e.g., развлекать vs. развлечь for completed action). Choose based on context: use развлекать for leisure activities and принимать for social obligations. Be mindful of gender and number agreements in sentences.

Common Errors:

• Confusing развлекать with развлечь: English learners might use развлечь (perfective) incorrectly for ongoing actions. Error: "Я развлек ребенка вчера весь день" (incorrect if implying completion). Correct: "Я развлекал ребенка вчера весь день." Explanation: Use the imperfective form for continuous actions.
• Overusing принимать for all meanings: Mistake: "Я принимаю эту идею" for "I entertain this idea." Correct: "Я обдумываю эту идею." Explanation: Принимать implies acceptance, not just consideration.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, entertaining guests (принимать гостей) often involves traditional hospitality, such as offering tea, food, or stories, reflecting the value of 'гостеприимство' (hospitability). This stems from historical communal living and is evident in festivals like Maslenitsa, where entertainment (развлекать) plays a key role in community bonding.

Related Concepts:

• Забава (zabava - amusement)
• Гостеприимство (gostepriimstvo - hospitality)
• Увлечение (uvlechenie - fascination or hobby)