Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'hurry'

English Word: hurry

Key Russian Translations:

• спеши́ть /spʲɪˈʂɨtʲ/ - [Verb, Informal, Used in everyday contexts to indicate rushing]
• спе́шка /ˈspʲeʂkə/ - [Noun, Neutral, Often used to describe a state of haste]
• торопиться /tɐˈropʲɪt͡sə/ - [Verb, Formal/Informal, Synonymous but slightly more emphatic, commonly used in polite or urgent situations]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations are commonly encountered in daily Russian conversation, literature, and media, but not as basic as everyday verbs like "идти" (to go).)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate for verbs like "спеши́ть" and "торопиться" due to conjugation and aspect; A2 for nouns like "спе́шка" as they involve simpler declension under CEFR standards.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

спеши́ть: /spʲɪˈʂɨtʲ/ (The stress is on the second syllable; note the soft 'ш' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers due to the palatalized 'ш'.)

спе́шка: /ˈspʲeʂkə/ (Stress on the first syllable; the 'ш' is pronounced with a slight hiss, similar to English 'sh' in 'rush', but softer.)

торопиться: /tɐˈropʲɪt͡sə/ (Stress on the second syllable; pay attention to the rolling 'р' and the reflexive ending, which affects pronunciation in context.)

Note on спеши́ть: This verb often has imperfective aspect variations; beginners may confuse it with perfective forms like "спеши́ть" vs. "спеши́ть с чем-то". Pronunciation can vary slightly in fast speech.

Note on спе́шка: In casual speech, the final 'a' sound may soften or elide, especially in northern dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: As a verb, to move or act quickly, often due to urgency (e.g., "to hurry up").

Translation(s) & Context:

• спеши́ть - Used in informal daily contexts, such as telling someone to rush for an appointment.
• торопиться - Applied in more formal or emphatic situations, like professional settings where politeness is key.

Usage Examples:

• Не спеши́, а то опоздаешь на поезд. (Ne speshí, a to opozdaesh' na poezd.)

  Don't hurry, or you'll miss the train. (This shows the verb in an imperative form, advising against rushing in a casual context.)

• Я всегда тороплю́сь по утрам, чтобы успеть на работу. (Ya vsegda toropljútsja po utram, chtoby uspet' na rabotu.)

  I always hurry in the mornings to make it to work on time. (Illustrates the verb in first-person present tense, emphasizing routine urgency.)

• Спеши́те,会议 через пять минут начинается! (Speshíte, soveshchanie cherez pyat' minut nachinaetsja!)

  Hurry up, the meeting starts in five minutes! (Demonstrates plural imperative in a professional scenario.)

• Он торопился на вокзал, но забыл документы. (On toropilsja na vokzal, no zabyt dokumenty.)

  He was hurrying to the station but forgot his documents. (Shows past tense usage in a narrative context.)

Meaning 2: As a noun, a state of haste or rush (e.g., "in a hurry").

Translation(s) & Context:

• спе́шка - Common in everyday language for describing chaotic or rushed situations, often with a negative connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Из-за спе́шки он допустил ошибку в отчёте. (Iz-za speshki on dopustil oshibku v otchete.)

  Due to the hurry, he made a mistake in the report. (This example highlights the noun in a genitive context, showing cause and effect.)

• В спе́шке утра я забываю завтрак. (V speshke utra ja zabytaju zavtrak.)

  In the morning hurry, I forget breakfast. (Illustrates the noun in a prepositional phrase for daily routines.)

• Спе́шка в работе приводит к ошибкам. (Speshka v rabote privodit k oshibkam.)

  Hurry in work leads to mistakes. (Shows the noun as a subject in a general statement.)

• Избегайте спе́шки, если хотите добиться успеха. (Izbegajte speshki, esli khotite dostich' uspekha.)

  Avoid hurry if you want to achieve success. (Demonstrates the noun in an imperative advisory context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "спеши́ть" (imperfective verb), it follows standard first-conjugation patterns with variations by tense, aspect, and person. It is irregular in some forms due to Russian verbal aspects.

For "спе́шка" (feminine noun, third declension), it declines regularly:

• Nominative: спе́шка (rush)
• Genitive: спе́шки (of rush)
• Dative: спе́шке (to rush)
• Etc. (Unchanged in plural forms as it's often used in singular.)

"торопиться" is a reflexive verb and conjugates similarly to "спеши́ть" but adds the "-ся" suffix for reflexivity.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: торопиться (similar but more formal), гони́ть (implies speeding up, often with vehicles), мчаться (suggests rapid movement, more intense)
• Antonyms: медли́ть (to delay), ме́дленно двигаться (to move slowly)

Related Phrases:

• В спе́шке - In a hurry (Used to describe acting quickly, often leading to errors; context: everyday excuses.)
• Не торопись - Don't hurry (A common phrase for advising patience; context: parental advice or casual warnings.)
• Спешить с решением - To hurry with a decision (Implies making quick choices, potentially rash; context: business or personal dilemmas.)

Usage Notes:

Russian translations like "спеши́ть" and "торопиться" closely match the English "hurry" as verbs, but "спе́шка" is more akin to the noun form. Use "спеши́ть" in informal settings and "торопиться" for polite or formal contexts to avoid sounding abrupt. Grammatically, these verbs require attention to aspect (imperfective for ongoing actions), and nouns like "спе́шка" must agree in case and gender. When choosing between translations, opt for "торопиться" if emphasizing internal urgency, as it's reflexive and implies self-driven haste.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse "спеши́ть" with "торопиться" and use them interchangeably without considering formality; e.g., Incorrect: "Торопьтесь!" in a very casual chat (too formal). Correct: "Спеши́!" – Explanation: "торопиться" is better for polite interactions.
• Another error is improper conjugation; e.g., Incorrect: "Я спешу" as "Я спеши́т" (wrong ending). Correct: "Я спешу́" – Explanation: Follow standard verb endings to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases involving "спе́шка" often carry a negative connotation, reflecting the value placed on thoroughness over speed, as seen in proverbs like "Спе́шка годна для ловли блох" (Haste is good for catching fleas), which warns against rushing in important matters. This stems from historical contexts where meticulous planning was emphasized in literature and daily life.

Related Concepts:

• вре́мя (time)
• срочно́сть (urgency)
• опозда́ние (delay)