Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'frustrate'

English Word: frustrate

Key Russian Translations:

• фрустрировать [frustrɪravatʲ] - [Formal, often used in psychological or professional contexts]
• раздражать [rəzdrɑʐatʲ] - [Informal, everyday language for general annoyance]
• срывать [srɨvatʲ] - [Informal, specifically for thwarting plans or efforts]

Frequency: Medium - This verb and its translations appear in contexts like emotional discussions, psychology, or daily frustrations, but not as commonly as basic verbs.

Difficulty: B2 - Intermediate level; requires understanding of nuanced emotional vocabulary and verb conjugations. For 'фрустрировать', it may lean towards C1 due to its specialized psychological connotation, while 'раздражать' is more B1.

Pronunciation (Russian):

фрустрировать: [frustrɪravatʲ]

Note on фрустрировать: The stress falls on the second syllable ('fru-STRIR-ovatʲ'). This word is a loanword from English/French, so pronunciation may vary slightly in regional dialects, but the standard is as above.

раздражать: [rəzdrɑʐatʲ]

Note on раздражать: The 'ж' sound is a soft fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'. Stress is on the third syllable.

срывать: [srɨvatʲ]

Note on срывать: The 'ы' vowel is a central high vowel, distinct from 'i'. Stress is on the first syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To cause someone to feel annoyed, upset, or blocked due to inability to achieve a goal (e.g., emotional frustration).

Translation(s) & Context:

• фрустрировать - Used in formal or psychological contexts, such as therapy or self-reflection, to describe deep emotional blockage.
• раздражать - Applied in everyday informal situations, like minor annoyances in daily life.

Usage Examples:

• Эта постоянная задержка фрустрирует меня, потому что я не могу завершить проект вовремя.

  This constant delay frustrates me because I can't finish the project on time.

• Его привычка опаздывать раздражает всех в команде.

  His habit of being late frustrates everyone in the team.

• Сбой в системе срывает все наши планы на сегодняшний день.

  The system glitch frustrates all our plans for today.

• Когда дети не слушают, это фрустрирует родителей, заставляя их чувствовать беспомощность.

  When children don't listen, it frustrates parents, making them feel helpless.

Meaning 2: To prevent something from succeeding or being achieved (e.g., thwarting efforts).

Translation(s) & Context:

• срывать - Common in contexts involving plans, events, or actions being interrupted.
• фрустрировать - Less common here, but used if there's an emotional component.

Usage Examples:

• Плохая погода срывает наше путешествие в горы.

  Bad weather frustrates our trip to the mountains.

• Бюрократические препятствия фрустрируют предпринимателей, пытающихся запустить бизнес.

  Bureaucratic obstacles frustrate entrepreneurs trying to launch a business.

• Его действия раздражают команду, срывая сроки проекта.

  His actions frustrate the team, thwarting the project deadlines.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. Russian verbs are conjugated based on tense, aspect, person, and number. These are imperfective verbs, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions.

For фрустрировать (imperfective):

Similar patterns apply to раздражать and срывать, with regular conjugations. These verbs do not have irregularities but must agree in aspect (e.g., perfective forms like 'срывать' can pair with 'сорвать' for completed actions).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • нервировать (to nerve, similar to irritate, but with a focus on nerves)
  • досаждать (to bother, more mild and persistent)
• Antonyms:
  • успокаивать (to calm)
  • удовлетворять (to satisfy)

Note: 'Нервировать' is often interchangeable with 'раздражать' in informal speech, but it emphasizes physical or emotional strain.

Related Phrases:

• фрустрация - A state of frustration; often used in psychological contexts. (Refers to emotional buildup from unmet needs.)
• раздражать нервы - To get on one's nerves; an idiomatic expression for ongoing irritation. (Common in casual conversations about annoyances.)
• срывать планы - To disrupt plans; used for situations where efforts are thwarted unexpectedly. (Emphasizes failure in organization.)

Usage Notes:

In English, 'frustrate' can be formal or informal, but in Russian, choose based on context: use 'фрустрировать' for psychological or professional settings to match the exact nuance, 'раздражать' for everyday irritation, and 'срывать' for action-oriented frustration. Be mindful of verb aspect—Russian often requires pairing with perfective forms for completed actions. For example, avoid direct word-for-word translation; instead, adapt to Russian idioms for natural speech.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'фрустрировать' in casual conversations where 'раздражать' is more appropriate. Incorrect: "Это фрустрирует меня каждый день." (Sounds overly formal.) Correct: "Это раздражает меня каждый день." (More natural for daily use.)
• Error: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying "Я фрустрировать" instead of "Я фрустрирую." This stems from English's lack of conjugation, so learners should practice tables.
• Error: Confusing with similar verbs like 'irritate', leading to overuse of 'раздражать' for deeper frustration—use 'фрустрировать' for psychological depth.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions of frustration like 'фрустрация' are often linked to broader societal contexts, such as bureaucratic hurdles or emotional restraint in social interactions. For instance, in literature like Dostoevsky's works, frustration reflects existential struggles, highlighting how it's not just personal but intertwined with historical resilience.

Related Concepts:

• разочарование (disappointment)
• раздражение (irritation as a noun)
• беспомощность (helplessness)