Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'forgive'

English Word: forgive

Key Russian Translations:

• прощать (/prɐˈʂʂatʲ/) - [Formal, Verb; Used in general contexts to express pardon or letting go of resentment]
• извинить (/ɪzʲvʲɪˈnʲitʲ/) - [Informal; Used specifically when excusing minor faults, often in everyday interactions]

Frequency: High (Commonly used in everyday conversations, literature, and media in Russian-speaking contexts).

Difficulty: Intermediate (B1; Requires understanding of verb conjugations and context, but not overly complex for learners past beginner level. For 'прощать', it's B1; for 'извинить', it's A2 due to its simpler usage.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

прощать: /prɐˈʂʂatʲ/ (The 'щ' sound is a soft, voiceless palatal fricative, similar to 'sh' in 'she' but more sibilant; stress on the second syllable.)

Note on прощать: Be careful with the soft sign 'ь' at the end, which affects pronunciation by palatalizing the preceding consonant; common mistake for English speakers is to pronounce it as a hard 't'.

извинить: /ɪzʲvʲɪˈnʲitʲ/ (Stress on the third syllable; the 'з' is voiced, like 'z' in 'zoo', and the 'й' indicates a palatal glide.)

Note on извинить: This word often has a quicker pronunciation in informal speech, with the initial 'и' sounding more like a short 'i'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To pardon or excuse someone for an offense, often implying emotional release.

Translation(s) & Context:

• прощать - Used in formal or serious contexts, such as personal relationships or moral discussions, to convey deep forgiveness.
• извинить - Applied in lighter, everyday situations, like apologizing for small mistakes, but can imply forgiveness when directed at others.

Usage Examples:

• Я прощаю тебе эту ошибку, но постарайся не повторять её. (I forgive you for this mistake, but try not to repeat it.)

  Translation: I forgive you for this mistake, but try not to repeat it. (Shows 'прощать' in a personal, emotional context.)

• Он прощает своих друзей, потому что ценит их искренность. (He forgives his friends because he values their sincerity.)

  Translation: He forgives his friends because he values their sincerity. (Illustrates use in interpersonal relationships.)

• Извини меня, пожалуйста, я не хотел обидеть. (Forgive me, please; I didn't mean to offend.)

  Translation: Forgive me, please; I didn't mean to offend. (Demonstrates 'извинить' in an informal, apologetic scenario.)

• Родители прощают детям мелкие проказы, но учат их ответственности. (Parents forgive children minor mischiefs but teach them responsibility.)

  Translation: Parents forgive children minor mischiefs but teach them responsibility. (Highlights 'прощать' with familial context and conditional structures.)

Meaning 2: To cease feeling resentment or to overlook a wrongdoing.

Translation(s) & Context:

• прощать - Emphasizes emotional healing, often in reflective or therapeutic contexts.
• извинить - Less common here, but used when the act is mutual, like in social etiquette.

Usage Examples:

• Время помогает прощать старые обиды и двигаться дальше. (Time helps in forgiving old grudges and moving on.)

  Translation: Time helps in forgiving old grudges and moving on. (Shows 'прощать' in a philosophical context.)

• Извини, если мои слова прозвучали грубо; я не имел в виду ничего плохого. (Forgive if my words sounded harsh; I didn't mean anything bad.)

  Translation: Forgive if my words sounded harsh; I didn't mean anything bad. (Uses 'извинить' to seek quick resolution.)

• Прощать — это не слабость, а сила характера. (To forgive is not a weakness, but a strength of character.)

  Translation: To forgive is not a weakness, but a strength of character. (Abstract use of 'прощать' in proverbs or advice.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'прощать' and 'извинить' are verbs, so they follow Russian conjugation patterns. 'Прощать' is a first-conjugation verb with regular patterns, while 'извинить' is also regular but belongs to the second conjugation. Below is a table for infinitive, present tense, and past tense forms.

Note: These verbs do not have irregular forms, but aspect (imperfective for 'прощать' and perfective for 'извинить') affects their usage in sentences.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • простить (prostit') - Similar to 'прощать' but perfective, implying a completed act; often used interchangeably in casual speech.
  • отпускать (otpuskat') - Means 'to let go', with a nuance of releasing emotionally.
• Antonyms:
  • обижаться (obidet'sya) - To take offense.
  • ненавидеть (nenavidet') - To hate.

Related Phrases:

• Прощать и забывать (Proshchat' i zabyt') - Meaning: To forgive and forget; used in contexts of moving past conflicts.
• Извини, но... (Izvini, no...) - Meaning: Excuse me, but...; a polite way to introduce a correction or disagreement in conversation.
• Прощение грехов (Proshcheniye grekhov) - Meaning: Forgiveness of sins; often in religious or moral discussions.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'прощать' is the more direct equivalent to 'forgive' in emotional or serious contexts, while 'извинить' is closer to 'excuse' but can overlap. Always consider the aspect: use imperfective 'прощать' for ongoing processes and perfective forms for completed actions. In formal writing or speech, 'прощать' is preferred; in informal settings, 'извинить' might be chosen for its brevity. English learners should note that Russian verbs require agreement with subject gender and number, which has no direct parallel in English.

• Choose 'прощать' for deeper emotional forgiveness, e.g., in therapy or literature.
• Avoid direct word-for-word translation; context dictates the best fit.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse the aspects: for example, using 'прощать' when a perfective verb like 'простить' is needed, such as saying "Я прощать тебя" instead of the correct "Я прощаю тебя" for present tense. Error: "Я прощать за ошибку" (incorrect infinitive use). Correct: "Я прощаю за ошибку" (I forgive for the mistake). This stems from not conjugating verbs properly, leading to unnatural speech; always conjugate based on tense and subject.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, forgiveness ('прощение') is deeply tied to Orthodox Christian traditions, such as Forgiveness Sunday before Lent, where people seek mutual pardon. This reflects a cultural emphasis on communal harmony and emotional resilience, differing from more individualistic Western approaches to forgiveness.

Related Concepts:

• сострадание (sostradaniye) - Compassion
• примирение (primireniye) - Reconciliation
• терпение (terpeniye) - Patience