Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'flunk'

English Word: flunk

Key Russian Translations:

• завалить [zəˈvalʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, commonly used in everyday student conversations]
• провалить [prəvɐˈlʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, suitable for written reports or official contexts]

Frequency: Medium (This term and its translations are moderately common in educational contexts, especially among younger speakers or in informal discussions about exams.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage. For 'завалить', it may be slightly easier due to its informal nature, while 'провалить' could edge towards B2 for more nuanced applications.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

завалить: [zəˈvalʲɪtʲ]

Note on завалить: The stress is on the second syllable; be mindful of the soft 'л' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers used to harder consonants.

провалить: [prəvɐˈlʲɪtʲ]

Note on провалить: Pronunciation varies slightly by region; in standard Russian, the 'р' is rolled, and the stress falls on the third syllable. This verb often has a more emphatic tone in speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To fail (an exam or course)

Translation(s) & Context:

• завалить - Informal context, such as casual conversations among students; implies a complete failure without much formality.
• провалить - Formal context, like academic reports or professional discussions; suggests a more systemic or significant failure.

Usage Examples:

• Я завалил экзамен по математике из-за плохой подготовки.

  I flunked the math exam because of poor preparation. (This example shows the verb in a simple past tense, highlighting personal responsibility in an informal setting.)

• Студент провалил тест, но решил пересдать его на следующей неделе.

  The student flunked the test but decided to retake it next week. (Illustrates the verb in a neutral context, emphasizing consequences and potential recovery.)

• Она всегда заваливает контрольные, но в итоге получает хорошие оценки за семестр.

  She always flunks the quizzes but ends up getting good grades for the semester. (Demonstrates repeated action and contrast, common in informal narratives.)

• Команда провалила проект из-за нехватки времени и ресурсов.

  The team flunked the project due to lack of time and resources. (Extends the usage to non-academic contexts, showing versatility in formal language.)

• Если ты завалишь этот экзамен, то придется начинать курс заново.

  If you flunk this exam, you'll have to start the course over. (Uses conditional structure to show future implications in everyday advice.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'завалить' and 'провалить' are imperfective verbs in Russian, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions. They follow standard Russian verb conjugation patterns for the first conjugation group. Below is a table outlining key inflections for each verb in the present tense (as an example; full conjugation includes past, future, and imperative forms).

These verbs are regular in their inflections, but 'провалить' can sometimes be used in perfective forms like 'провалить' (as a perfective verb meaning to completely fail). No irregular changes occur, making them straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • не сдать (ne sdat') - More neutral, literally "not to pass"; often used interchangeably in exam contexts.
  • провалиться (povralit'sya) - Similar to провалить but reflexive, implying self-failure; subtle difference in personal agency.
• Antonyms:
  • сдать (sdat') - To pass or submit successfully.
  • успешно завершить (uspeshno zavershit') - To complete successfully, more formal.

Related Phrases:

• завалить экзамен - To flunk an exam; used in casual student talk to describe academic failure.
• провалить тест - To fail a test; implies a more comprehensive assessment in formal settings.
• завалиться на сессии - To flunk a session or term; a common phrase highlighting repeated failures in education.

Usage Notes:

'Flunk' in English is primarily an informal Americanism for failing an exam or course, and its Russian equivalents 'завалить' and 'провалить' mirror this closely. Choose 'завалить' for everyday, conversational contexts to sound natural among peers, while 'провалить' is better for written or professional scenarios. Be aware of aspect in Russian: these are imperfective, so pair with perfective forms like 'провалить' for completed actions. Grammatically, both verbs require agreement with the subject in person and number, and they can take direct objects (e.g., "экзамен"). English learners should note that Russian often emphasizes the reason for failure, so including details like "из-за" (because of) enriches sentences.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'завалить' in formal writing, e.g., saying "Я завалил важный проект" in a professional report. Correct: Use 'провалить' for formality. Explanation: 'Завалить' sounds too colloquial and may undermine seriousness.
• Mistake: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying "Я завалить" instead of "Я завалил". Correct: "Я завалил экзамен". Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject; this error stems from English's simpler verb system.
• Mistake: Confusing with synonyms, e.g., using 'сдать' (to pass) when meaning 'flunk'. Correct: Stick to 'завалить' or 'провалить' for failure. Explanation: This mix-up can reverse the intended meaning, leading to confusion in communication.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, failing exams ('завалить экзамен') is often tied to the high-stakes education system, influenced by Soviet-era traditions where retakes and rigorous standards are common. This can carry a stigma of personal shortcomings, unlike in some Western contexts, and phrases like these are frequently used in youth culture to cope with academic pressure through humor or commiseration.

Related Concepts:

• экзамен (ekzamen) - Exam
• сессия (sessiya) - Academic session or term
• провал (povral) - Failure (noun form)