Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'exceed'

English Word: exceed

Key Russian Translations:

• превышать [prʲɪˈvɨʂɐtʲ] - [Formal, commonly used in numerical or limit-related contexts]
• превосходить [prʲɪvɐˈʂodʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, often for surpassing in quality, achievement, or excellence]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in formal writing, business, and scientific contexts, but less frequent in everyday informal speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage, with some translations like "превосходить" potentially reaching C1 for nuanced applications)

Pronunciation (Russian):

превышать: [prʲɪˈvɨʂɐtʲ]

превосходить: [prʲɪvɐˈʂodʲɪtʲ]

Note on превышать: The "ш" sound is a soft fricative, similar to "sh" in "she," but pay attention to the stressed syllable for accurate emphasis. Variations in regional accents may soften the vowels.

Note on превосходить: This word has a more emphatic stress on the third syllable; it's often pronounced with a slight aspiration in formal settings.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To go beyond a limit or quantity

Translation(s) & Context:

• превышать - Used in contexts involving numbers, budgets, or physical limits, such as in finance or measurements.

Usage Examples:

• Цены на продукты могут превышать ожидаемый бюджет в период инфляции.

  Prices for products may exceed the expected budget during periods of inflation.

• Если скорость превышает лимит, водитель рискует получить штраф.

  If the speed exceeds the limit, the driver risks getting a fine.

• В этом году производство превысило прошлогодние показатели на 20%.

  This year, production exceeded last year's figures by 20%.

• Температура в пустыне часто превышает 40 градусов Цельсия летом.

  Temperatures in the desert often exceed 40 degrees Celsius in the summer.

To surpass in quality or achievement

Translation(s) & Context:

• превосходить - Applied in comparative contexts, such as skills, performance, or excellence, often in literary or motivational language.

Usage Examples:

• Его навыки в музыке превосходят таланты большинства его сверстников.

  His skills in music exceed those of most of his peers.

• Эта книга превосходит ожидания читателей своей глубиной и оригинальностью.

  This book exceeds readers' expectations with its depth and originality.

• В спорте атлеты часто стремятся превосходить свои предыдущие рекорды.

  In sports, athletes often strive to exceed their previous records.

• Технологии нового смартфона превосходят конкурентов по скорости обработки данных.

  The new smartphone's technology exceeds that of competitors in data processing speed.

• Её лидерские качества превосходят те, что были у предыдущих менеджеров.

  Her leadership qualities exceed those of previous managers.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both key translations are verbs and follow standard Russian conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs. "Превышать" is imperfective, while "превосходить" can be used in both imperfective and perfective forms depending on context. Russian verbs inflect based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender.

Note: These verbs do not have irregular inflections but follow the first conjugation pattern. For perfective aspects (e.g., превысить for превышать), consult specific contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • превышать: превосходить, перешагивать (in casual limits), выходить за рамки
  • превосходить: опережать (to outpace), затмевать (to overshadow in quality)
• Antonyms:
  • не достигать (not to reach), уступать (to yield or fall short)
  • равняться (to equal)

Related Phrases:

• Превышать лимит - Exceeds the limit (e.g., in banking or traffic rules).
• Превосходить ожидания - To exceed expectations (common in reviews or performance evaluations).
• Выходить за рамки - To go beyond boundaries (similar to exceed in figurative senses, with a connotation of overstepping norms).

Usage Notes:

"Превышать" is the most direct equivalent for "exceed" in quantitative contexts, such as numbers or measurements, and is preferred in formal or technical writing. "Превосходить" is better for qualitative surpassing, like in achievements or comparisons. Be mindful of aspect: use imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective (e.g., превысить) for completed ones. In everyday speech, Russians might opt for simpler phrases if the context is informal. When choosing between translations, consider the nuance—use "превосходить" for excellence to avoid sounding overly literal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "превышать" with "превзойти" and using it incorrectly in tense. For example, learners might say "Я превысил лимит" when meaning a future action, which is incorrect because "превысил" is past tense.

  Correct: "Я превышу лимит" (I will exceed the limit). Explanation: Always match the verb tense to the sentence context to avoid temporal mismatches.

• Error: Overusing "превосходить" in simple numerical contexts, e.g., saying "Эта сумма превосходит 100 долларов" instead of "Эта сумма превышает 100 долларов."

  Correct: Use "превышать" for quantities. Explanation: "Превосходить" implies superiority, not just numerical excess, which can make the sentence sound exaggerated or inappropriate.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "превосходить ожидания" are often used in educational or professional settings to emphasize personal growth or national pride, reflecting a cultural value on excellence and surpassing historical challenges, such as in literature or sports achievements during the Soviet era.

Related Concepts:

• достигать (to achieve)
• преодолевать (to overcome)
• ограничение (limitation)