Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'irritate'

English Word: irritate

Key Russian Translations:

• раздражать [rɐzˈdraʐətʲ] - [Informal/Neutral, Verb, Used in everyday conversations to express annoyance]
• бесить [ˈbʲesʲɪtʲ] - [Informal/Slang, Verb, Used in casual or emotional contexts, often with stronger intensity]

Frequency: Medium (Common in daily Russian speech, especially in interpersonal or emotional discussions, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "говорить").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Learners at this level can grasp basic conjugations, but mastering nuances and inflections requires practice. For "раздражать", it's B1; for "бесить", it's also B1 due to its informal nature.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

раздражать: [rɐzˈdraʐətʲ]

Note on раздражать: The stress is on the second syllable ("dra"), and the 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, which can be tricky for English speakers; it's similar to the 's' in "measure".

бесить: [ˈbʲesʲɪtʲ]

Note on бесить: The initial 'б' is a bilabial stop, and the 'е' is pronounced as a short 'ye' sound; this word often varies in informal speech with emphasis on the first syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To cause annoyance or irritation, often emotionally.

Translation(s) & Context:

• раздражать - Used in neutral or everyday contexts to describe mild irritation, such as from noise or behavior.
• бесить - Applied in informal settings for stronger, more intense annoyance, like frustration with people or situations.

Usage Examples:

• Этот постоянный шум раздражает меня по утрам. (This constant noise irritates me in the mornings.)

  English Translation: This constant noise irritates me in the mornings.

• Его привычка опаздывать бесит всех в команде. (His habit of being late drives everyone in the team crazy.)

  English Translation: His habit of being late drives everyone in the team crazy.

• Громкая музыка из соседней квартиры раздражает жителей. (The loud music from the neighboring apartment irritates the residents.)

  English Translation: The loud music from the neighboring apartment irritates the residents.

• Это кино бесит меня своей предсказуемостью. (This movie annoys me with its predictability.)

  English Translation: This movie annoys me with its predictability.

• Дети часто раздражают родителей своими вопросами. (Children often irritate parents with their questions.)

  English Translation: Children often irritate parents with their questions.

Secondary Meaning: To provoke a physical reaction, like skin irritation (less common in everyday use).

Translation(s) & Context:

• раздражать - Used metaphorically or literally for physical irritation, e.g., in medical contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Эта ткань раздражает кожу аллергиков. (This fabric irritates the skin of people with allergies.)

  English Translation: This fabric irritates the skin of people with allergies.

• Химикаты в воде могут раздражать глаза. (Chemicals in the water can irritate the eyes.)

  English Translation: Chemicals in the water can irritate the eyes.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs and follow Russian conjugation patterns. "Раздражать" and "бесить" are imperfective verbs, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. They conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Here's a table for "раздражать" as an example:

For "бесить", the conjugation is similar but more irregular in informal use: e.g., Present: бесит, бесишь, бесим. Both verbs do not change in infinitive form and are aspectually imperfective, meaning they can pair with perfective counterparts like "раздосадовать" for completion.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • нервировать (nervirovat') - Similar to "раздражать" but implies more nervous tension; often used in professional contexts.
  • доставать (dostavat') - Informal, means to bother persistently.
• Antonyms:
  • успокаивать (uspokaivat') - To calm or soothe.
  • радовать (radovat') - To please or delight.

Related Phrases:

• раздражать нервы - (To get on one's nerves; a common expression for ongoing annoyance.)
• бесить до безумия - (To drive someone crazy; used for extreme irritation in emotional situations.)
• раздражать внимание - (To irritate attention; refers to distractions that annoy focus.)

Usage Notes:

"Раздражать" is the most direct equivalent to "irritate" in Russian and is versatile for both emotional and physical contexts, but it's often neutral. Opt for "бесить" in informal conversations to convey stronger emotion, as it's more colloquial and can sound rude in formal settings. Be mindful of subject-verb agreement in conjugations, and remember that Russian verbs change based on gender in the past tense. When choosing between translations, use "раздражать" for everyday irritation and "бесить" for intensified annoyance to match the English word's tone accurately.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "раздражать" in formal writing without proper conjugation, 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; this error stems from not learning basic conjugation rules.
• Mistake: Confusing "бесить" with "раздражать" in formal contexts, leading to overly casual language.
  Correct: Use "раздражать" in professional emails; e.g., avoid "Это бесит меня" and say "Это раздражает меня". Explanation: "Бесить" is slang and can come across as unprofessional, while "раздражать" is more appropriate for varied audiences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions of irritation like "раздражать" often reflect the value placed on emotional restraint. Russians might use these words in contexts where direct confrontation is avoided, such as in family or social settings, highlighting a cultural nuance of indirect communication to maintain harmony.

Related Concepts:

• нервы (nervy) - Nerves, often related to stress and annoyance.
• раздражение (razdrazhenie) - Irritation, as a noun form.
• эмоции (emotsii) - Emotions, broader concept linked to expressions of annoyance.