Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'irk'

English Word: irk

Key Russian Translations:

• Доставлять раздражение [dəstɐˈvlʲætʲ rəzdrɐˈʐɛnʲɪje] - [Informal, Verb Phrase]
• Раздражать [rɐzdrɐˈʐætʲ] - [Formal, Verb]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations but not as ubiquitous as basic greetings or common actions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and emotional vocabulary, varying by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Доставлять раздражение: [dəstɐˈvlʲætʲ rəzdrɐˈʐɛnʲɪje]

Note on Доставлять раздражение: The stress falls on the second syllable of "доставлять" [dəstɐˈvlʲætʲ], which can be tricky for learners due to the soft 'л' sound. Pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Раздражать: [rɐzdrɐˈʐætʲ]

Note on Раздражать: The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in "measure," and the verb conjugates regularly.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To annoy or irritate someone or something

Translation(s) & Context:

• Раздражать - Used in contexts where something causes ongoing annoyance, such as in daily life or work settings.
• Доставлять раздражение - More emphatic phrase for situations involving persistent irritation, often in informal or descriptive narratives.

Usage Examples:

• Эта музыка раздражает меня весь день. (Eta muzyka razdrazhaet menya ves' den'.)

  This music irritates me all day.

• Его привычка опаздывать доставляет раздражение коллегам. (Yego privychka opazdyvat' dostavlyayet razdrazheniye kollegam.)

  His habit of being late irks his colleagues.

• Шум от стройки раздражает жителей соседнего дома. (Shum ot stroyki razdrazhaet zhiteley sosednego doma.)

  The noise from the construction irks the residents of the neighboring house.

• Постоянные звонки по телефону раздражают меня во время работы. (Postoyannye zvonki po telefonu razdrazhayut menya vo vremya raboty.)

  Constant phone calls irk me during work.

• Эта погода доставляет раздражение, потому что она слишком переменчивая. (Eta pogoda dostavlyayet razdrazheniye, potomu chto ona slishkom peremenchivaya.)

  This weather irks me because it's too changeable.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For Раздражать (a verb), it follows the standard first conjugation pattern in Russian. Here is a conjugation table for present tense:

For Доставлять раздражение, it is a phrase where "доставлять" is a verb that conjugates, while "раздражение" is a neuter noun that declines. "Раздражение" in nominative singular is used here, but it can change: e.g., accusative - раздражение, genitive - раздражения.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Беспокоить (Bespokoit' - to bother, with a milder connotation)
  • Надоедать (Nadoedat' - to be tedious or annoying, often for repetitive actions)
• Antonyms:
  • Удовлетворять (Udobletvorjat' - to satisfy)
  • Радовать (Radovat' - to please)

Related Phrases:

• Доставлять неудобства (Dostavlyat' neudobstva) - To cause inconvenience; often used in formal complaints.
• Раздражать нервы (Razdrazhat' nervy) - To get on one's nerves; implies deeper emotional impact.
• Вызывать раздражение (Vyzvyvat' razdrazheniye) - To provoke irritation; common in medical or psychological contexts.

Usage Notes:

"Irk" in English often implies a mild, persistent annoyance, which aligns closely with "раздражать" in Russian. However, choose "доставлять раздражение" for more emphatic or narrative contexts. Be mindful of the verb's aspect: "раздражать" is imperfective, indicating ongoing action, while its perfective counterpart "раздразнить" might be used for a sudden irritation. In formal writing, opt for phrases over single verbs for clarity.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "раздражать" in the wrong tense, e.g., saying "Я раздражает" instead of "Я раздражаю".
  Correct: "Я раздражаю" (I irritate). Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject in person and number.
• Error: Confusing with synonyms, e.g., using "беспокоить" when "раздражать" is needed for stronger annoyance.
  Correct: Use "раздражать" for irritation; "беспокоить" for worry. Explanation: These words have overlapping but distinct nuances.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing irritation like "irk" is often done indirectly to maintain politeness, especially in social settings. For instance, phrases involving "раздражать" might be softened with qualifiers in conversations to avoid confrontation, reflecting the value placed on harmony in interpersonal relations.

Related Concepts:

• Нервозность (Nervoznost' - nervousness)
• Раздражение (Razdrazheniye - irritation, as a noun)
• Беспокойство (Bespokoystvo - anxiety)