Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'harass'

English Word: harass

Key Russian Translations:

• преследовать [prʲɪsʲɪˈslʲedəvətʲ] - [Formal, often used in legal or serious contexts]
• докучать [dəkuˈt͡ɕatʲ] - [Informal, everyday annoyance]
• харассировать [xɐrəˈsʲirəvətʲ] - [Formal, Legal, borrowed term for modern contexts like workplace harassment]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in daily conversations, media, and legal discussions, but not as frequent as basic verbs)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, as it requires understanding contextual nuances and verb conjugations; for 'харассировать', it may be C1 due to its specialized usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

преследовать: [prʲɪsʲɪˈslʲedəvətʲ]

докучать: [dəkuˈt͡ɕatʲ] (Note on докучать: The stress is on the second syllable, and the 'ч' sound is soft, which can be tricky for beginners.)

харассировать: [xɐrəˈsʲirəvətʲ] (Note on харассировать: This is a loanword, so pronunciation closely follows English; the 'х' is a guttural sound, similar to Scottish 'ch' in 'loch'.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To subject someone to aggressive pressure or intimidation

Translation(s) & Context:

• преследовать - Used in contexts involving persistent pursuit or stalking, such as in criminal or personal scenarios.
• докучать - Applied to minor, repeated annoyances in informal settings, like pestering a friend.
• харассировать - Specifically for systematic harassment, often in professional or legal environments, such as sexual harassment.

Usage Examples:

• Он постоянно преследует её звонками, что делает её жизнь невыносимой.

  He constantly harasses her with calls, making her life unbearable.

• Дети докучали соседскому псу, бросая в него камни.

  The children harassed the neighbor's dog by throwing stones at it.

• В офисе её харассировали коллеги, что вынудило её обратиться в суд.

  She was harassed by colleagues at the office, which forced her to go to court.

• Преследовать кого-то в интернете стало серьёзной проблемой в наше время.

  Harassing someone online has become a serious issue in our time.

• Он не переставал докучать ей вопросами, несмотря на её просьбы остановиться.

  He didn't stop harassing her with questions, despite her requests to stop.

To persistently annoy or bother

Translation(s) & Context:

• докучать - Common in casual, everyday situations, like nagging or pestering.
• харассировать - In more intense contexts, such as repeated unwanted advances.

Usage Examples:

• Её младший брат всегда докучал ей, прося поиграть с ним.

  Her younger brother always harassed her by asking to play with him.

• Харассировать кого-то на работе может привести к юридическим последствиям.

  Harassing someone at work can lead to legal consequences.

• Докучать друзьям шутками иногда весело, но не стоит переусердствовать.

  Harassing friends with jokes can be fun sometimes, but don't overdo it.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Преследовать' and 'харассировать' are imperfective verbs, while 'докучать' is also imperfective. Russian verbs have imperfective and perfective aspects; for these, the perfective forms are 'преследовать' (no direct perfective, often paired with 'пресledовать' in context) and 'докучать' (perfective: надокучить).

Note: These verbs are regular in most forms but follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. They do not change in gender or number in the infinitive form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • изводить (to torment; more intense than докучать)
  • мучать (to torture; used for severe harassment)
  • надоедать (to be a nuisance; similar to докучать but with a focus on repetition)
• Antonyms:
  • оставлять в покое (to leave alone)
  • не трогать (not to touch or bother)

Related Phrases:

• Сексуальное харассмент - Sexual harassment; a common phrase in legal and social contexts.
• Преследовать в интернете - To cyberstalk or harass online; refers to digital forms of harassment.
• Докучать вопросами - To pester with questions; used in everyday informal situations.

Usage Notes:

The English word 'harass' translates variably in Russian based on context: use 'преследовать' for persistent pursuit, 'докучать' for casual annoyance, and 'харассировать' for formal or legal scenarios like workplace issues. Be mindful of the aspect in Russian verbs; for example, 'преследовать' is imperfective, implying ongoing action. In formal writing, 'харассировать' is preferred due to its direct link to English, but in spoken language, 'докучать' might feel more natural. Always consider the audience: informal settings suit 'докучать', while professional ones require 'харассировать'.

• Grammar note: These verbs take the dative case for the object (e.g., преследовать кого-то - harass someone).
• Choose based on intensity: 'Докучать' is lighter, while 'преследовать' implies danger.

Common Errors:

One common mistake is confusing 'преследовать' with 'преследовать' in the sense of 'pursue positively' (e.g., goals), but in harassment contexts, it's negative. Incorrect: "Он преследует её с любовью" (might imply romantic pursuit, leading to misunderstanding). Correct: Use 'докучать' for non-threatening annoyance. Another error is overusing 'харассировать' in casual talk; it's formal, so in everyday speech, say "Он мне докучал" instead of "Он меня харассировал" to avoid sounding overly legalistic.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, harassment, especially in forms like 'харассировать', has gained prominence with Western influences, particularly in discussions around gender equality and workplace rights. However, traditional Russian society might downplay minor 'докучать' as 'normal banter', highlighting a cultural nuance where personal boundaries are sometimes less emphasized compared to Western norms.

Related Concepts:

• дискриминация (discrimination)
• травля (bullying)
• нападение (assault)