Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'inhibit'

English Word: inhibit

Key Russian Translations:

• сдерживать /sdʲɪrˈʐɨvətʲ/ - [Informal, commonly used in everyday contexts to describe restraining emotions or actions]
• подавлять /pɐˈdavlʲɪtʲ/ - [Formal, often in psychological or scientific contexts]
• ингибировать /ɪnɡʲɪˈbʲirəvətʲ/ - [Technical, specialized in biology or medicine]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations appear regularly in literature, psychology, and daily conversation, but not as common as basic verbs like "to do" or "to go").

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

Pronunciation (Russian):

сдерживать: /sdʲɪrˈʐɨvətʲ/

подавлять: /pɐˈdavlʲɪtʲ/

ингибировать: /ɪnɡʲɪˈbʲirəvətʲ/

Note on сдерживать: The pronunciation emphasizes the soft 'дʲ' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers; it sounds like "sder-zhi-vat'". Be mindful of the stress on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To prevent, suppress, or restrain something, such as an action, emotion, or process.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сдерживать - Used in informal or everyday situations, like controlling impulses in personal relationships.
• подавлять - Applied in formal contexts, such as suppressing thoughts in therapy or emotions in professional settings.
• ингибировать - Reserved for scientific or technical contexts, like inhibiting chemical reactions.

Usage Examples:

• Он старается сдерживать свой гнев, чтобы не сорваться на коллег. (He tries to inhibit his anger so as not to lash out at his colleagues.)

  English: He tries to inhibit his anger so as not to lash out at his colleagues.

• В психологии подавлять эмоции может привести к стрессу. (In psychology, inhibiting emotions can lead to stress.)

  English: In psychology, inhibiting emotions can lead to stress.

• Лекарство ингибирует рост бактерий в организме. (The medicine inhibits the growth of bacteria in the body.)

  English: The medicine inhibits the growth of bacteria in the body.

• Она училась сдерживать импульсы, чтобы улучшить свои отношения. (She learned to inhibit her impulses to improve her relationships.)

  English: She learned to inhibit her impulses to improve her relationships.

• Подавлять творческий потенциал в детстве опасно для развития. (Inhibiting creative potential in childhood can be dangerous for development.)

  English: Inhibiting creative potential in childhood can be dangerous for development.

Secondary Meaning: To hinder or slow down a process.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сдерживать - In contexts like delaying progress in a project.
• ингибировать - In scientific processes, such as in chemistry.

Usage Examples:

• Этот фактор может сдерживать экономический рост страны. (This factor can inhibit the country's economic growth.)

  English: This factor can inhibit the country's economic growth.

• Ингибировать реакцию помогает специальный катализатор. (Inhibiting the reaction is helped by a special catalyst.)

  English: Inhibiting the reaction is helped by a special catalyst.

• Подавлять инновации в компании приводит к застою. (Inhibiting innovations in a company leads to stagnation.)

  English: Inhibiting innovations in a company leads to stagnation.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'сдерживать' and 'подавлять' are imperfective verbs, while 'ингибировать' is often used in perfective forms in technical contexts.

Note: These verbs follow regular conjugation patterns for Russian imperfective verbs. There are no irregular forms here.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • тормозить (to brake or hinder) - Often used in literal or metaphorical senses, similar to 'inhibit' in motion contexts.
  • угнетать (to oppress) - Carries a stronger emotional connotation.
  • смирять (to subdue) - Used for controlling or humbling.
• Antonyms:
  • стимулировать (to stimulate)
  • поощрять (to encourage)
  • освобождать (to release)

Related Phrases:

• сдерживать эмоции - (To inhibit emotions; used in psychological discussions to describe emotional control.)
• подавлять инстинкты - (To inhibit instincts; common in behavioral science contexts.)
• ингибировать рост - (To inhibit growth; refers to biological or economic processes.)

Usage Notes:

The English word 'inhibit' corresponds most directly to 'сдерживать' in casual conversation, but choose 'подавлять' for formal or psychological contexts to convey suppression. Be aware of aspect in Russian: use imperfective forms like these for ongoing actions. In sentences, 'inhibit' often pairs with abstract nouns (e.g., emotions), so ensure the Russian verb agrees with the subject. If multiple translations apply, 'ингибировать' is best for scientific English equivalents.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'сдерживать' with 'стопить' (a non-existent word; learners might misuse 'stop' translations). Correct: Use 'сдерживать' for inhibition, as in "Он сдерживает страх" instead of inventing a direct cognate. Explanation: Russian doesn't have a one-to-one verb for 'inhibit', so avoid literal translations from English.

• Error: Overusing 'ингибировать' in everyday speech. Correct: Reserve it for technical contexts; say 'сдерживать' for daily use, e.g., "Я сдерживаю гнев" not "Я ингибирую гнев". Explanation: This maintains naturalness and avoids sounding overly formal.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts like 'сдерживать эмоции' (inhibiting emotions) are often linked to traditional values of stoicism and restraint, influenced by historical events like the Soviet era, where emotional suppression was sometimes necessary for survival. This can add depth to understanding psychological terms in literature or modern therapy.

Related Concepts:

• контролировать (to control)
• ограничивать (to limit)
• эмоциональный баланс (emotional balance)