Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'flee'

English Word: flee

Key Russian Translations:

• бежать [ˈbʲeʐɨtʲ] - [Informal, commonly used in everyday contexts for quick escape]
• убегать [ʊˈbʲeɡətʲ] - [Formal, emphasizes ongoing or repeated fleeing]

Frequency: High (бежать is a very common verb in Russian literature, news, and daily conversation; убегать is medium frequency in formal writing).

Difficulty: Intermediate (B1 level for бежать due to its irregular conjugation; B2 for убегать as it involves imperfective aspect mastery).

Pronunciation (Russian):

бежать: [ˈbʲeʐɨtʲ]

Note on бежать: The initial 'б' is pronounced with a soft 'b' sound, and the 'ж' is a voiced fricative; common mispronunciation by learners is hardening the 'б'. Variations in stress occur in derivatives.

убегать: [ʊˈbʲeɡətʲ]

Note on убегать: Stress on the second syllable; the prefix 'у-' adds a sense of directionality, which can affect emphasis in speech.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To escape quickly from danger or pursuit

Translation(s) & Context:

• бежать - Used in informal, urgent situations, such as fleeing from a threat in everyday life or narratives.
• убегать - Applied in formal or descriptive contexts, like in literature or reports of repeated escapes.

Usage Examples:

• Он быстро бежит от преследователей в тёмном переулке. (He quickly flees from the pursuers in the dark alley.)

  English Translation: He quickly flees from the pursuers in the dark alley.

• Дети всегда убегают от дождя, прячась под деревьями. (The children always flee from the rain, hiding under the trees.)

  English Translation: The children always flee from the rain, hiding under the trees. This shows the imperfective aspect for ongoing action.

• Во время войны многие бежали через границу, спасая свои жизни. (During the war, many fled across the border, saving their lives.)

  English Translation: During the war, many fled across the border, saving their lives. Here, it highlights a historical or dramatic context.

• Она убегает от проблем, предпочитая игнорировать их. (She flees from problems, preferring to ignore them.)

  English Translation: She flees from problems, preferring to ignore them. This demonstrates metaphorical usage in psychological contexts.

• Бежим! Полиция приближается! (Flee! The police are approaching!)

  English Translation: Flee! The police are approaching! This is an imperative form for immediate action.

Secondary Meaning: To withdraw or avoid something metaphorically

Translation(s) & Context:

• бежать - In metaphorical senses, like fleeing from emotions or responsibilities, in informal speech.
• убегать - For habitual avoidance in formal descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Он бежит от ответственности, перекладывая вину на других. (He flees from responsibility, shifting the blame to others.)

  English Translation: He flees from responsibility, shifting the blame to others. This illustrates abstract usage.

• Люди часто убегают от реальности с помощью книг. (People often flee from reality through books.)

  English Translation: People often flee from reality through books. Shows cultural escapism.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both бежать and убегать are verbs, specifically imperfective (indicating ongoing action). Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. бежать is irregular in some forms, while убегать follows more standard patterns as a prefixed verb.

Note: бежать has stem changes in some forms (e.g., 'е' to 'и' in past tense), making it irregular. убегать is more predictable but still requires understanding of prefixes.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • спасаться (spasat'sya) - Emphasizes saving oneself, often in life-threatening situations.
  • ускользнуть (uskol'znut') - Implies slipping away stealthily; more formal.
• Antonyms:
  • оставаться (ostavat'sya) - To stay or remain, contrasting with escape.
  • сдаться (sdat'sya) - To surrender, opposite in conflict scenarios.

Related Phrases:

• бежать от опасности (bežat' ot opasnosti) - To flee from danger; used in emergency contexts.
• убегать из-под носа (ubehat' iz-pod nosa) - To slip away right under someone's nose; implies clever escape.
• бежать сломя голову (bežat' slomja golovu) - To flee headlong; conveys reckless speed in fleeing.

Usage Notes:

"Flee" corresponds most directly to бежать in informal, action-oriented contexts, while убегать is better for ongoing or habitual fleeing. In Russian, aspect is crucial: бежать is imperfective, focusing on the process. Use бежать for vivid, narrative descriptions and убегать in formal writing. Be mindful of verb prefixes, as they alter meaning (e.g., у- in убегать adds direction). For English learners, choose based on context: informal speech vs. literary analysis.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing бежать with its perfective counterpart, e.g., using "бежать" when "убежать" (to have fled) is needed for completed action. Correct: Instead of "Я бежал вчера" for a finished event, say "Я убежал вчера." Explanation: Russian verbs have aspects; imperfective like бежать describes ongoing action, while perfective like убежать denotes completion.

• Error: Overusing бежать in formal contexts. Correct: Use убегать in reports, e.g., "Он убегает от проблем" instead of "Он бежит от проблем" for habitual behavior. Explanation: This maintains appropriate register and avoids sounding too casual.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like бежать often evoke themes from literature (e.g., Tolstoy's works) or historical events like the World Wars, where fleeing symbolized survival and resilience. It carries a connotation of urgency in a vast, harsh landscape, reflecting Russia's historical narrative of escape and exile.

Related Concepts:

• спасение (salvation or rescue)
• преследование (pursuit)
• убежище (refuge)