Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'inactivate'

English Word: inactivate

Key Russian Translations:

• деактивировать [dʲɪ.ɐk.tʲɪ.vʲɪˈrovatʲ] - [Formal, Technical]
• обезвредить [ɐ.bʲɪzˈvrʲɛ.dʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often used in scientific contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in technical, scientific, and digital contexts, but less frequent in everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; Requires familiarity with borrowed words and verb conjugations, though the core concept is straightforward for learners at this level)

Pronunciation (Russian):

деактивировать: [dʲɪ.ɐk.tʲɪ.vʲɪˈrovatʲ]

обезвредить: [ɐ.bʲɪzˈvrʲɛ.dʲɪtʲ]

Note on обезвредить: The stress falls on the third syllable, which can be tricky for English speakers due to the consonant clusters; pronounce it smoothly without pausing.

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Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To make something inactive or deactivate (e.g., in technology or biology)

Translation(s) & Context:

• деактивировать - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as deactivating an account or a device.
• обезвредить - Applied in scientific or medical scenarios, like inactivating a virus or toxin, emphasizing neutralization.

Usage Examples:

• Вы можете деактивировать свой аккаунт в настройках приложения.

  You can deactivate your account in the app settings. (This example shows the verb in a digital context, imperative form.)

• Ученые деактивировали вирус для создания вакцины.

  Scientists inactivated the virus to create a vaccine. (Illustrates use in a biological context, past tense.)

• Чтобы обезвредить химическое вещество, его необходимо деактивировать.

  To neutralize the chemical substance, it needs to be inactivated. (Demonstrates combination with another verb in a procedural context.)

• Обезвредьте устройство, прежде чем его утилизировать.

  Inactivate the device before disposing of it. (Shows imperative form in a safety-related context.)

To render something ineffective or non-functional (e.g., in a metaphorical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• деактивировать - Informal or metaphorical use, such as deactivating a feature in software.
• обезвредить - Less common here, but possible in contexts like disabling a threat.

Usage Examples:

• Эта опция позволяет деактивировать уведомления на время.

  This option allows you to inactivate notifications temporarily. (Example in a tech support context, infinitive form.)

• Врачи смогли обезвредить токсин в организме пациента.

  Doctors were able to inactivate the toxin in the patient's body. (Medical context, perfective aspect.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs and follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. "Деактивировать" is a first-conjugation verb (borrowed from English), while "обезвредить" is a perfective verb with irregular aspects in some forms.

Note: These verbs do not change based on gender or number in their infinitive forms, but past tense forms do vary by gender and number.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отключить (otklyuchit' - more general, for turning off devices)
  • блокировать (blokirovat' - often used for locking or blocking access)
• Antonyms:
  • активировать (aktivirovat' - to activate or turn on)
  • восстановить (vosstanovit' - to restore or reactivate)

Related Phrases:

• Деактивировать аккаунт - Deactivate an account (Common in digital security contexts)
• Обезвредить вирус - Inactivate a virus (Used in medical or cybersecurity scenarios)
• Деактивировать функцию - Disable a function (Technical phrase for software settings)

Usage Notes:

"Деактивировать" is the most direct equivalent to "inactivate" in English, especially in technical fields like IT or biology, and is preferred in formal writing. "Обезвредить" implies a stronger sense of neutralization, often with safety implications. Choose based on context: use "деактивировать" for reversible actions (e.g., deactivating an account) and "обезвредить" for permanent inactivation (e.g., toxins). Be mindful of aspect in Russian verbs; pair with appropriate adverbs like "временно" (temporarily) for imperfective forms.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "деактивировать" with "отключить": Learners might use "отключить" interchangeably, but it implies a simple power-off, not deactivation. Correct: "Деактивируйте аккаунт" instead of "Отключите аккаунт" for account management. Error example: "Отключить вирус" (implies just turning off, not inactivating).
• Misapplying verb aspects: Using the perfective "обезвредить" where an ongoing action is needed, e.g., saying "Я обезврежу вирус сейчас" when "deactivating" is temporary. Correct: Use imperfective forms like "деактивировать" for processes.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and language, words like "деактивировать" and "обезвредить" often appear in contexts influenced by global technology and science, reflecting Russia's emphasis on engineering and medical advancements. For instance, during public health discussions, "обезвредить" might evoke historical references to Soviet-era vaccine development, highlighting a cultural pride in scientific resilience.

Related Concepts:

• активация
• блокировка
• восстановление