Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'eschew'

English Word: eschew

Key Russian Translations:

• избегать /izˈbʲeɡətʲ/ - [Informal, Common in everyday speech]
• уклоняться /uˈklonʲjətʲsə/ - [Formal, Used in official or written contexts]

Frequency: Medium (This verb is moderately common in Russian literature and conversation, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "делать".)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage. For 'избегать', it's B2; for 'уклоняться', it may edge toward C1 due to its formal nuances.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

избегать: /izˈbʲeɡətʲ/

уклоняться: /uˈklonʲjətʲsə/

Note on избегать: The stress falls on the second syllable ('bʲe'), and the soft sign (ʲ) indicates a palatalized consonant, which can be tricky for English speakers. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Note on уклоняться: This word has a reflexive ending (-ся), which affects pronunciation; practice the 'я' sound as a soft 'ya'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To deliberately avoid or abstain from something, often for moral or practical reasons.

Translation(s) & Context:

• избегать - Used in informal contexts, such as everyday decisions to avoid harm or discomfort (e.g., avoiding unhealthy food).
• уклоняться - Applied in more formal or evasive contexts, like avoiding responsibilities in professional settings.

Usage Examples:

• Я стараюсь избегать конфет, чтобы поддерживать здоровый образ жизни.

  I try to eschew sweets to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

• Он всегда уклоняется от прямых ответов на сложные вопросы.

  He always eschews direct answers to difficult questions.

• Многие люди избегают употребления алкоголя по религиозным причинам.

  Many people eschew alcohol for religious reasons.

• В работе она уклоняется от проектов, которые могут привести к конфликту.

  In her work, she eschews projects that might lead to conflict.

• Дети часто избегают домашних заданий, предпочитая играть на улице.

  Children often eschew homework, preferring to play outside.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'избегать' and 'уклоняться' are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they express ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs inflect based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender. 'Избегать' is a first-conjugation verb with regular patterns, while 'уклоняться' is reflexive and follows similar rules but includes the reflexive particle '-ся'.

For 'избегать' (to avoid):

For 'уклоняться' (to evade), it follows a similar pattern but adds '-ся' in all forms, e.g., Present: уклоняюсь, уклоняешься; Past: уклонялся / уклонялась.

These verbs do not change irregularly, making them relatively straightforward once the patterns are learned.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • избегать (similar to 'eschew' in casual avoidance)
  • уклоняться (more formal, implying evasion)
  • предотвращать (to prevent, with a proactive connotation)
• Antonyms:
  • искать (to seek, directly opposite in meaning)
  • стремиться (to strive for, emphasizing pursuit)

Note: 'Избегать' and 'уклоняться' differ subtly; the former is neutral, while the latter often implies deceit.

Related Phrases:

• Избегать конфликтов - Avoid conflicts (Common in interpersonal or professional contexts to maintain harmony.)
• Уклоняться от ответственности - Evade responsibility (Used when someone avoids duties, often with negative implications.)
• Избегать риска - Eschew risk (Refers to avoiding uncertain situations, e.g., in business or personal decisions.)

Usage Notes:

'Eschew' corresponds most closely to 'избегать' in informal English-to-Russian translation, as both imply a deliberate choice to avoid something. However, 'уклоняться' is better for contexts involving evasion or formality. Be mindful of the reflexive form in 'уклоняться', which is common in Russian but may not have a direct English equivalent. In Russian, these verbs are often used with genitive objects (e.g., избегать чего-то), so ensure proper case agreement when constructing sentences. Choose 'избегать' for everyday speech and 'уклоняться' for legal or official writing to match the appropriate register.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'избегать' interchangeably with 'уклоняться' without considering context. For example, an English learner might say "Я уклоняюсь еды" instead of "Я избегаю еды" for "I eschew food," which sounds overly formal and incorrect in casual settings. Correct: Я избегаю еды. Explanation: 'Уклоняться' implies dodging, not simple avoidance.
• Mistake: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying "Я избегаюс" instead of "Я избегаю." Correct: Я избегаю. Explanation: 'Избегать' is not reflexive, so don't add '-ся' unless it's 'уклоняться'.
• Mistake: Incorrect stress or pronunciation, like stressing the wrong syllable in /izˈbʲeɡətʲ/, leading to miscommunication. Explanation: Practice with native audio to master the palatalized sounds.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'избегать' often reflect a pragmatic approach to life, such as avoiding conflicts to preserve social harmony, which is highly valued in communal settings. Historically, during the Soviet era, 'уклоняться' was used in contexts of evading state duties, carrying a connotation of rebellion or caution in authoritarian environments.

Related Concepts:

• предпочитать (to prefer)
• отказываться (to refuse)
• изолировать (to isolate)