Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fail'

English Word: fail

Key Russian Translations:

• Неудача [nʲɪˈudətɕə] - [Noun, Formal, Singular]
• Провалить [prɐˈvalʲɪtʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Used in everyday contexts]
• Потерпеть неудачу [pətʲɛrʲˈpʲɛtʲ nʲɪˈudətɕə] - [Verb Phrase, Formal, Used in written or professional settings]

Frequency: Medium - The word and its translations are commonly encountered in everyday Russian conversations, literature, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary.

Difficulty: B1 - Intermediate level according to CEFR; learners should understand basic conjugations and declensions, though irregular forms may pose challenges for beginners. For "Провалить," difficulty is B1; for "Неудача," it's A2 due to its straightforward declension.

Pronunciation (Russian):

Неудача: [nʲɪˈudətɕə]

Провалить: [prɐˈvalʲɪtʲ]

Потерпеть неудачу: [pətʲɛrʲˈpʲɛtʲ nʲɪˈudətɕə]

Note on Провалить: The stress falls on the second syllable; be careful with the palatalized 'л' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may soften the 'р'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To not succeed in an attempt or task (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Провалить - Used in informal contexts for failing a test, project, or personal endeavor, often implying a complete letdown.
• Потерпеть неудачу - Applied in formal or narrative contexts, such as business failures or historical events, emphasizing endurance through failure.

Usage Examples:

• Он провалил экзамен по математике. (He failed the math exam.)

  Translation: He failed the math exam. This example shows the verb in a simple past tense, common in educational contexts.

• Компания потерпела неудачу из-за плохого управления. (The company suffered a failure due to poor management.)

  Translation: The company suffered a failure due to poor management. Here, it demonstrates the phrase in a corporate setting, highlighting cause and effect.

• Я всегда проваливаю попытки заговорить на публике. (I always fail in my attempts to speak in public.)

  Translation: I always fail in my attempts to speak in public. This illustrates habitual failure with the verb in present tense.

• Потерпев неудачу, он решил попробовать снова. (After suffering a failure, he decided to try again.)

  Translation: After suffering a failure, he decided to try again. This shows the phrase in a motivational context with perfective aspect.

Meaning 2: A lack of success or an unsuccessful outcome (Noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Неудача - Used broadly for any type of failure, from personal mishaps to major setbacks, in both spoken and written Russian.

Usage Examples:

• Эта неудача не сломила его дух. (This failure did not break his spirit.)

  Translation: This failure did not break his spirit. This example uses the noun in a nominative case, emphasizing resilience.

• Неудача в бизнесе научила его важным урокам. (Failure in business taught him important lessons.)

  Translation: Failure in business taught him important lessons. Here, it's in a prepositional phrase, showing reflective contexts.

• После неудачи проекта команда переработала план. (After the failure of the project, the team reworked the plan.)

  Translation: After the failure of the project, the team reworked the plan. This demonstrates the noun in a genitive case for possession.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "Неудача" (a feminine noun, 1st declension), it follows standard Russian noun declension patterns. It is inflected based on case, number, and gender:

For "Провалить" (a verb, perfective aspect), it conjugates irregularly in the present tense but follows standard patterns for past and future:

"Потерпеть неудачу" is a phrase and does not inflect as a single word; "Потерпеть" is a verb that conjugates normally.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: Провал [prɐˈval] (more emphatic, often for complete failure); Фиаско [fʲɪˈaskə] (used for spectacular failures, with a dramatic connotation, especially in media contexts).
• Antonyms: Успех [ˈusʲpʲɛx] (success, direct opposite in achievement-oriented scenarios).

Related Phrases:

• Потерпеть поражение [pətʲɛrʲˈpʲɛtʲ pərɐˈʐɛnʲɪjə] - Meaning: To suffer defeat; often used in competitive or military contexts.
• Неудача на старте [nʲɪˈudətɕə na ˈstartʲɛ] - Meaning: Failure at the outset; common in business or project discussions to describe early setbacks.
• Провалиться с треском [prɐˈvalʲɪt͡sə s ˈtrʲɛskəm] - Meaning: To fail miserably; an idiomatic expression implying a noisy or public failure.

Usage Notes:

"Fail" corresponds most directly to "Неудача" as a noun and "Провалить" as a verb in Russian. However, Russian often emphasizes context: use "Потерпеть неудачу" for formal or reflective situations to convey endurance, while "Провалить" is better for informal, everyday failures. Be mindful of aspect in verbs—Russian distinguishes perfective (completed action) and imperfective (ongoing). For English learners, choose translations based on register: "Провалить" is neutral but can sound blunt, so opt for "Потерпеть неудачу" in professional writing.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "Неудача" without proper declension, e.g., saying "Из-за неудача" instead of "Из-за неудачи." Correct: "Из-за неудачи" (genitive case). Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, which English speakers often overlook, leading to grammatical errors.
• Mistake: Confusing verb aspects, e.g., using "Проваливать" (imperfective) when "Провалить" (perfective) is needed for a completed failure. Correct: In "Я провалил тест" (I failed the test). Explanation: This can alter the meaning, making it seem like an ongoing process rather than a finished event.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, failure (e.g., "неудача") is often viewed through the lens of resilience and learning, influenced by historical events like the Soviet era's emphasis on perseverance. Phrases like "Провалиться с треском" reflect a cultural humor in acknowledging spectacular failures, similar to English idioms, but with a stoic undertone that values redemption over avoidance.

Related Concepts:

• Успех [ˈusʲpʲɛx]
• Кризис [krʲɪˈzʲis]
• Преодоление [prʲɪədɐˈlʲenʲɪjə]