Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'exasperate'

English Word: exasperate

Key Russian Translations:

• раздражать [IPA: rɐzˈdraʐɨtʲ] - [Informal, commonly used in everyday conversations]
• выводить из себя [IPA: vɨˈvodʲɪtʲ ɪz sʲeˈbja] - [Idiomatic, used for stronger emotional reactions]

Frequency: Medium (The verb 'раздражать' is encountered regularly in spoken and written Russian, but it's not among the most basic vocabulary items.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; involves understanding verb conjugations and contextual usage. For 'выводить из себя', it may be B2 due to its idiomatic nature.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

раздражать: [IPA: rɐzˈdraʐɨtʲ]

Note on раздражать: The stress falls on the second syllable ('dra'), and the 'zh' sound (as in 'measure') can be tricky for English speakers. Pronounce it with a soft 'r' at the beginning.

выводить из себя: [IPA: vɨˈvodʲɪtʲ ɪz sʲeˈbja]

Note on выводить из себя: This phrase has a rolling 'v' sound and emphasis on 'vod', with 'iz' pronounced quickly. It's often said with rising intonation to convey frustration.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To irritate or annoy someone greatly (most common meaning)

Translation(s) & Context:

• раздражать - Used in informal settings to describe ongoing annoyance, such as in daily life or relationships.
• выводить из себя - Applied in more intense, emotional contexts, like arguments or stressful situations.

Usage Examples:

• Его постоянные опоздания раздражают всю команду. (Yego postoyannye opozdaniya razdrazhayut vuyu komandu.)

  His constant lateness exasperates the entire team.

• Громкая музыка из соседней квартиры выводит меня из себя по вечерам. (Gromkaya muzika iz sosedney kvartiry vyvodit menya iz sebya po vecheram.)

  The loud music from the neighboring apartment exasperates me in the evenings.

• Эти бесконечные вопросы от детей начинают раздражать родителей. (Eti beskonechnye voprosy ot detey nachinayut razdrazhat roditeley.)

  These endless questions from the children start to exasperate the parents.

• Когда он игнорирует мои звонки, это всегда выводит меня из себя. (Kogda on ignoriрует moi zvonki, eto vsegda vyvodit menya iz sebya.)

  When he ignores my calls, it always exasperates me.

• Длительные пробки в Москве могут раздражать даже самых терпеливых водителей. (Dlitelnye probki v Moskve mogut razdrazhat dazhe samykh terpelivykh voditeley.)

  The long traffic jams in Moscow can exasperate even the most patient drivers.

To make a situation worse or more intense (less common usage)

Translation(s) & Context:

• раздражать - In contexts where something exacerbates a problem, often metaphorically.
• выводить из себя - Rarely used for this meaning; prefer 'усугублять' (usugubljat') for worsening situations.

Usage Examples:

• Его комментарии только раздражают и без того напряженную атмосферу. (Yego kommentarii tolko razdrazhayut i bez togo napryazhennuyu atmosferu.)

  His comments only exasperate an already tense atmosphere.

• Плохая погода раздражает наши планы на пикник. (Plokhaya pogoda razdrazhaet nashi plany na piknik.)

  The bad weather exasperates our plans for a picnic.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'раздражать', which is an imperfective transitive verb, it follows standard Russian verb conjugation patterns. It is conjugated based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a table for the present tense:

Note: It has imperfective aspect, so for perfective forms, use 'раздосадовать' (razdosadovat'). For 'выводить из себя', it's a phrase with 'выводить' as the verb, which conjugates regularly (e.g., вывожу, выводишь). The phrase itself does not inflect as a single unit.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • досаждать (dosazhdat') - Similar to 'annoy' but often implies minor irritation.
  • злить (zlit') - Stronger, implying anger; used in heated contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • успокаивать (uspokivat') - To calm or soothe.
  • умиротворять (umirotvoryat') - To pacify or bring peace.

Related Phrases:

• Вывести из себя окончательно - (To completely exasperate someone; used for extreme frustration in arguments.)
• Рazdражать нервы - (To get on one's nerves; a common expression for ongoing irritation.)
• Доставлять раздражение - (To cause exasperation; more formal and descriptive.)

Usage Notes:

'Раздражать' is the most direct equivalent to 'exasperate' in informal Russian and is versatile for everyday use, while 'выводить из себя' adds emotional intensity and is ideal for expressive language. Choose 'раздражать' for general annoyance and 'выводить из себя' when emphasizing loss of control. Be mindful of context: in formal writing, opt for less emotional alternatives like 'вызывать раздражение'. Grammatically, both verbs require agreement with the subject in person and number.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'раздражать' with 'злить': English learners might use 'злить' (to anger) interchangeably, but it implies deeper rage. Error: "Он злит меня опозданиями" (incorrect for mild exasperation). Correct: "Он раздражает меня опозданиями" – This better matches 'exasperate' without overstatement.
• Misconjugating verbs: Forgetting to change endings, e.g., saying "Он раздражает" for plural subjects. Error: "Они раздражает" (wrong). Correct: "Они раздражают" – Always conjugate based on subject number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions of exasperation like 'выводить из себя' often reflect a direct and passionate communication style, influenced by historical emphasis on emotional authenticity in literature (e.g., in works by Dostoevsky). This can make interactions feel more intense to Westerners, where such frustration might be suppressed.

Related Concepts:

• гнев (gnev) - Anger
• раздражение (razdrazhenie) - Irritation
• нервы (nervy) - Nerves (as in getting on one's nerves)