Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'interrogate'

English Word: interrogate

Key Russian Translations:

• допрашивать [dɐˈpraʂɨvətʲ] - [Formal, Imperfective verb, Used in official or legal interrogations]
• опросить [ɐˈprosʲitʲ] - [Formal, Perfective verb, Used for a completed act of questioning, often in investigations]

Frequency: Medium (Common in legal, journalistic, or official contexts, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; involves understanding verb aspects and formal language; for 'допрашивать', it's more challenging due to imperfective forms, while 'опросить' is slightly easier as a perfective verb)

Pronunciation (Russian):

допрашивать: [dɐˈpraʂɨvətʲ]

Note on допрашивать: The 'ш' sound is a soft, palatalized fricative, similar to 'sh' in 'she', but ensure to stress the second syllable. Common in formal speech.

опросить: [ɐˈprosʲitʲ]

Note on опросить: The 'р' is rolled, and the final 'тʲ' is palatalized; this verb often has a quicker pronunciation in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To question someone formally, especially in a legal, investigative, or official context.

Translation(s) & Context:

• допрашивать - Used in ongoing or repeated questioning, such as during police interrogations or interviews; common in formal settings like courts.
• опросить - Applied to a single, completed instance of questioning, often in surveys, investigations, or official inquiries; implies a more straightforward process.

Usage Examples:

• Полиция допрашивала свидетеля несколько часов, чтобы получить полную картину событий.

  The police interrogated the witness for several hours to get a full picture of the events.

• Журналист опросил жителей города об их мнении по поводу новых законов.

  The journalist interrogated the city's residents about their opinions on the new laws.

• В военное время агенты допрашивают пленных для сбора разведданных.

  During wartime, agents interrogate prisoners to gather intelligence data.

• Судья опросил обвиняемого, прежде чем вынести приговор.

  The judge interrogated the defendant before issuing the verdict.

• Расследователи допрашивают подозреваемого в присутствии адвоката, чтобы соблюсти все процедуры.

  Investigators interrogate the suspect in the presence of a lawyer to follow all procedures.

To question a system or device, e.g., in computing (less common direct translation).

Translation(s) & Context:

• опросить - Used metaphorically for querying systems, as in computer programming or data retrieval.

Usage Examples:

• Программа опросила сервер для обновления данных.

  The program interrogated the server to update the data.

• Специалист опросил устройство, чтобы диагностировать проблему.

  The specialist interrogated the device to diagnose the issue.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'допрашивать' and 'опросить' are verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. 'Допрашивать' is an imperfective verb, while 'опросить' is perfective. Russian verbs have aspects, tenses, and agree with subject in person and number.

Note: These verbs are irregular in some aspects due to Russian's aspect system. 'Допрашивать' remains unchanged in its base form but conjugates fully, while 'опросить' is used for completed actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • беседовать (besɛdəvətʲ) - More neutral, for general conversations; less formal than допрашивать.
  • выяснять (vɨˈjasnɨvətʲ) - To clarify or investigate; used in informal inquiries.
• Antonyms:
  • замолчать (zəmɐlʲʧʲ) - To fall silent; opposite in the context of questioning.
  • игнорировать (iɡnəˈrɪrəvətʲ) - To ignore; contrasts with actively interrogating.

Related Phrases:

• Допрос с пристрастием - A biased or intense interrogation; used in legal contexts to imply coercion.
• Провести опрос - To conduct a survey or questioning; common in research or polling.
• Допросить свидетеля - To interrogate a witness; a standard phrase in trials.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'interrogate' translations like 'допрашивать' and 'опросить' emphasize the aspect system: use imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective for completed ones. For English speakers, note that Russian often requires specifying the subject and context more explicitly. 'Допрашивать' is preferred in formal or legal scenarios, while 'опросить' suits quicker, one-off interactions. Be cautious with verb aspects to avoid confusion in tense; for example, don't use perfective verbs in present contexts.

• Choose 'допрашивать' for processes involving repetition, as in police work.
• Grammar note: Verbs must agree in person, number, and gender in past tense.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse verb aspects, e.g., using 'допрашивать' when 'опросить' is needed for a completed action. Incorrect: "Я опрашивал вчера" (implying ongoing, but should be perfective). Correct: "Я опросил вчера" for a finished interrogation. Another error is mispronouncing the palatalized sounds, like softening 'т' in 'опросить', which can make it sound unnatural. Explanation: Russian verbs require aspect precision to convey time accurately, unlike English.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, interrogation (e.g., 'допрос') often carries connotations from Soviet-era practices, where it was associated with state security and potential coercion. This can evoke historical sensitivity in modern contexts, such as in films or literature about the KGB, emphasizing the importance of human rights in questioning procedures today.

Related Concepts:

• суд (court)
• расследование (investigation)
• подозреваемый (suspect)