Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'hinder'

English Word: hinder

Key Russian Translations:

• Мешать /mʲɪˈʂatʲ/ - [Informal, commonly used in everyday conversations]
• Препятствовать /prʲɪˈpʲatstvəvətʲ/ - [Formal, used in official or written contexts]
• Затруднять /zətʊˈdnjatʲ/ - [Semi-formal, emphasizes making something more difficult]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations appear regularly in both spoken and written Russian, especially in contexts involving obstacles or delays.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and context-specific usage. For 'Мешать', it's B1; for 'Препятствовать', it may reach B2 due to its formal nature.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Мешать: /mʲɪˈʂatʲ/

Note on Мешать: The 'ш' sound is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, similar to 'sh' in English 'shoe'. Pay attention to the soft 'тʲ' at the end, which adds a palatalized quality.

Препятствовать: /prʲɪˈpʲatstvəvətʲ/

Note on Препятствовать: This word has multiple syllables with soft consonants; the 'пʲ' and 'тʲ' indicate palatalization, which can be challenging for beginners. Practice stressing the third syllable.

Затруднять: /zətʊˈdnjatʲ/

Note on Затруднять: The 'дн' cluster is pronounced smoothly, with stress on the second syllable; avoid over-emphasizing the 'я' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To obstruct or impede progress, movement, or action.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Мешать - Used in informal, everyday situations, such as interrupting a conversation or blocking a path.
• Препятствовать - Applied in formal contexts, like legal or bureaucratic settings, to denote systematic obstruction.
• Затруднять - Often used when something complicates a process, such as in technical or problem-solving scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Его действия мешают прогрессу проекта. (Yego deystviya meshayut progressu proyekta.)

  His actions are hindering the progress of the project. (This example shows 'Мешать' in a professional context with a direct object.)

• Бюрократия препятствует развитию бизнеса. (Byurokratiya prepyatstvuet razvitiyu biznesa.)

  Bureaucracy is hindering the development of business. (Illustrates 'Препятствовать' in a formal, abstract setting.)

• Плохая погода затрудняет поездку. (Plokhaya pogoda zatudnyayet poezdku.)

  Bad weather is hindering the trip. (Demonstrates 'Затруднять' with environmental factors, emphasizing complication.)

• Не мешай мне, я сосредоточен на работе. (Ne meshay mne, ya sosredotochen na rabote.)

  Don't hinder me; I'm focused on work. (Shows 'Мешать' in an imperative form for interpersonal communication.)

• Эти правила препятствуют инновациям. (Eti pravila prepyatstvuyut innovatsiyam.)

  These rules are hindering innovations. (Highlights 'Препятствовать' in a policy-related context.)

To create difficulties that delay something.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Мешать - Informal, often in personal or casual delays.
• Затруднять - When the hindrance involves complexity or effort.

Usage Examples:

• Твои вопросы мешают мне закончить задание вовремя. (Tvoyi voprosy meshayut mne zakonchit' zadanie vovremya.)

  Your questions are hindering me from finishing the task on time. (Example of 'Мешать' with questions as the obstructing element.)

• Сложные инструкции затрудняют выполнение задачи. (Slozhnye instruktsii zatudnyayut vypolnenie zadachi.)

  Complicated instructions are hindering the completion of the task. (Shows 'Затруднять' in an instructional context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations ('Мешать', 'Препятствовать', 'Затруднять') are verbs, which undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number in Russian. Russian verbs have imperfective and perfective aspects; these are imperfective forms. Below is a conjugation table for 'Мешать' as an example; others follow similar patterns but with irregularities.

For 'Препятствовать': Similar conjugation, but it's more formal and less common in speech. Past tense: 'Препятствовал'. Note: It has irregularities in perfective forms like 'Препятствовать' vs. 'Пре-пятствовать' in some dialects.

For 'Затруднять': Conjugates regularly; e.g., Present: 'Затрудняю', Past: 'Затруднял'. These verbs do not change based on gender in the past tense, unlike some Russian verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Препятствовать - Similar to 'мешать' but more formal.
  • Затруднять - Often interchangeable with 'мешать' in contexts of complication.
  • Вмешиваться (Vmeshivatsya) - Interfering, with a nuance of unwanted involvement.
• Antonyms:
  • Помогать (Pomogat') - To help or assist.
  • Содействовать (Sodeystvovat') - To facilitate or promote.

Related Phrases:

• Не мешай! (Ne meshay!) - Don't hinder! (Used as a command to stop interfering in casual conversations.)
• Препятствия на пути (Prepyatstviya na puti) - Obstacles in the way (A common phrase for hindrances in journeys or goals.)
• Затруднения в работе (Zatudneniya v rabote) - Difficulties in work (Refers to factors hindering professional tasks.)

Usage Notes:

Choose 'Мешать' for everyday, informal situations where the hindrance is immediate and personal, as it directly mirrors the English 'hinder' in casual speech. 'Препятствовать' is better for formal or abstract contexts, such as legal documents, to convey a more structured obstruction. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: 'Мешать' is imperfective, implying ongoing action, while its perfective counterpart 'Помешать' (Pomeshat') means a completed hindrance. Grammatically, these verbs require the dative case for the object being hindered, e.g., 'Мне' (to me). When translating 'hinder', consider the context's formality to avoid awkward phrasing.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'Мешать' with 'Вмешиваться': Learners often use 'Вмешиваться' when 'Мешать' is needed, as the former implies active meddling. Error: "Я вмешиваюсь в проект" (instead of "Я мешаю проекту"). Correct: "Я мешаю проекту" – This is more accurate for simple obstruction without emotional involvement.

• Overusing the formal 'Препятствовать' in casual speech: Non-native speakers might say "Ты препятствуешь мне" in an informal chat, which sounds overly stiff. Correct: Use 'Ты мешаешь мне' for natural conversation.

• Ignoring case agreement: Forgetting the dative case, e.g., saying "Мешает проект" instead of "Мешает мне в проекте". Explanation: The verb needs to agree with the indirect object for proper syntax.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts of hindrance like 'мешать' often reflect the value placed on personal space and efficiency in a collectivistic society. For instance, phrases involving 'Препятствовать' might appear in historical contexts, such as bureaucratic obstacles in Soviet-era narratives, symbolizing resistance to progress and emphasizing resilience in everyday life.

Related Concepts:

• Задерживать (Zaderzhivat') - To delay
• Воспринимать (Vosprinimat') - To perceive (in contexts of mental hindrances)
• Препятствие (Prepyatstvie) - Obstacle