Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'invalidate'

English Word: invalidate

Key Russian Translations:

• аннулировать [ɐ.nʊˈlʲi.rə.vatʲ] - [Formal, Legal contexts]
• отменить [ɐtˈmʲe.nʲitʲ] - [Informal, General use]
• сделать недействительным [sdʲeˈlatʲ nʲɪˈdʲeɪst.vʲi.tʲe.lʲnɨm] - [Neutral, Descriptive phrasing]

Frequency: Medium (Common in formal, legal, or administrative contexts, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and formal language structures. For 'аннулировать', it may be C1 due to its legal specificity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

аннулировать: [ɐ.nʊˈlʲi.rə.vatʲ]

отменить: [ɐtˈmʲe.nʲitʲ]

сделать недействительным: [sdʲeˈlatʲ nʲɪˈdʲeɪst.vʲi.tʲe.lʲnɨm]

Note on аннулировать: The stress falls on the fourth syllable; be cautious with the palatalized 'л' sound, which can be tricky for non-native speakers. Variations may occur in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To make something legally or officially invalid, such as a document or agreement.

Translation(s) & Context:

• аннулировать - Used in formal or legal settings, e.g., when canceling a contract.
• отменить - Applied in everyday contexts, like revoking a decision, but less formal than аннулировать.

Usage Examples:

• Суд аннулировал договор из-за нарушения условий. (The court invalidated the contract due to breach of terms.)

  English Translation: The court invalidated the contract due to breach of terms.

• Мы решили отменить встречу, так как погода плохая. (We decided to invalidate the meeting because of the bad weather.)

  English Translation: We decided to cancel the meeting because of the bad weather. (Note: Here, 'отменить' is used for a less formal invalidation.)

• Чтобы сделать билет недействительным, нужно обратиться в кассу. (To invalidate the ticket, you need to go to the ticket office.)

  English Translation: To invalidate the ticket, you need to go to the ticket office.

• Власти аннулировали лицензию компании за нарушения. (The authorities invalidated the company's license for violations.)

  English Translation: The authorities invalidated the company's license for violations.

• Он попытался отменить свое заявление, но было слишком поздно. (He tried to invalidate his statement, but it was too late.)

  English Translation: He tried to withdraw his statement, but it was too late. (Shows 'отменить' in a personal context.)

Meaning 2: To prove something false or without value, in a non-legal sense.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сделать недействительным - Used metaphorically, e.g., disproving an argument.
• отменить - Less common, but applicable in debates or discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Его аргументы сделали мою теорию недействительной. (His arguments invalidated my theory.)

  English Translation: His arguments invalidated my theory.

• Новые данные отменили предыдущие выводы. (The new data invalidated the previous conclusions.)

  English Translation: The new data invalidated the previous conclusions.

• Эксперт сделал отчет недействительным, найдя ошибки. (The expert invalidated the report by finding errors.)

  English Translation: The expert invalidated the report by finding errors.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily verbs, which follow Russian conjugation patterns. 'Аннулировать' and 'отменить' are imperfective verbs, while 'сделать' is perfective. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a table for 'аннулировать' as an example:

For 'отменить', it follows a similar pattern but is more irregular in some aspects. 'Сделать недействительным' is a phrase and does not inflect as a single word; 'сделать' conjugates as above, while 'недействительным' is an adjective that changes by case and gender (e.g., недействительный for masculine nominative).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отменить (similar to invalidate, but more general; often used interchangeably in casual contexts)
  • упразднить (to abolish, with a connotation of complete removal)
• Antonyms:
  • подтвердить (to confirm)
  • утвердить (to affirm)

Related Phrases:

• Аннулировать договор - (To invalidate a contract; used in legal agreements)
• Отменить решение - (To invalidate a decision; common in administrative or personal contexts)
• Сделать паспорт недействительным - (To invalidate a passport; refers to official invalidation processes)

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'invalidate' doesn't have a direct one-to-one equivalent, so choose based on context: use 'аннулировать' for formal/legal scenarios, 'отменить' for everyday situations. Be mindful of aspect—Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective forms, so 'аннулировать' is imperfective (ongoing process), while 'аннулировать' in perfective might be 'аннулировать' with prefixes. English speakers often confuse this with simple cancellation; always consider the register to avoid sounding overly formal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'инвалидировать' directly, assuming it's a cognate of 'invalidate' (from English 'invalid'). Correct: This is not standard Russian; use 'аннулировать' instead. Example of error: *Инвалидировать документ* (Wrong). Correct: Аннулировать документ. Explanation: 'Инвалидировать' is rarely used and may imply something related to disabilities due to the root 'инвалид'.

• Error: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying 'аннулировать' in all forms. Correct: Match the subject, as in 'я аннулирую' vs. 'он аннулирует'. Explanation: This can make sentences grammatically incorrect and confusing in Russian, where agreement is strict.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and legal systems, terms like 'аннулировать' often appear in bureaucratic contexts, reflecting a history of formal administrative processes from the Soviet era. It carries a sense of official permanence, so using it lightly in conversation might seem overly dramatic or pedantic.

Related Concepts:

• недействительный (invalid)
• отмена (cancellation)
• аннуляция (annulment)