Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'leave'

English Word: leave

Key Russian Translations:

• уходить [uˈxodʲitʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Used for leaving a place or departing]
• отпуск [ɐtˈpusk] - [Noun, Formal, Used in contexts like vacation or leave from work]
• оставлять [ɐsˈtavʲlʲitʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Used for leaving something behind]

Frequency: Medium - The word 'leave' and its translations are commonly encountered in everyday conversations, literature, and professional settings, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like 'to go'.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - For 'уходить' and 'оставлять' as verbs; A2 (Beginner) for 'отпуск' as a noun. Learners at B1 level can grasp basic conjugations and usages, while A2 is suitable for simple noun forms.

Pronunciation (Russian):

уходить: [uˈxodʲitʲ] - The stress is on the second syllable; note the soft 'дʲ' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers due to the palatalization.

Note on уходить: This is an imperfective verb; the pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech, where the 'х' sound softens.

отпуск: [ɐtˈpusk] - Stress on the second syllable; the 'п' is unaspirated, common in Russian.

Note on отпуск: As a masculine noun, the final 'к' sound is clear and not softened.

оставлять: [ɐsˈtavʲlʲitʲ] - Stress on the third syllable; pay attention to the soft 'лʲ' and 'тʲ' for accurate pronunciation.

Note on оставлять: This verb has vowel reductions in unstressed syllables, typical in Russian, e.g., 'о' becomes [ɐ].

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To depart or go away from a place (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• уходить - Used in informal daily contexts, such as leaving a room or a city.
• покидать - Used in more formal or emotional contexts, like abandoning something.

Usage Examples:

• Я ухожу из дома рано утром. (Ya ukhожу iz doma rano utrom.)

  I leave the house early in the morning. (This example shows the verb in a simple daily routine context.)

• Он всегда уходит с работы вовремя. (On vsegda ukhodzić s raboty vovremya.)

  He always leaves work on time. (Illustrates use in a professional setting with adverbs.)

• Мы покидали город из-за шторма. (My pokidali gorod iz-za shtorma.)

  We left the city because of the storm. (Demonstrates a more formal verb in an urgent scenario.)

• Не уходи, пожалуйста, подожди меня. (Ne ukhodi, pozhaluysta, podozhdi menya.)

  Don't leave, please, wait for me. (Shows imperative form in interpersonal communication.)

Meaning 2: Permission to be absent, such as vacation (Noun)

Translation(s) & Context:

• отпуск - Used in formal contexts like employment or military leave.

Usage Examples:

• Я взял отпуск на две недели. (Ya vzial otpusk na dve nedeli.)

  I took leave for two weeks. (This shows the noun in a work-related context with duration.)

• Её отпуск закончился, и она вернулась на работу. (Ey otpusk zakonchilsya, i ona vernulas' na rabotu.)

  Her leave ended, and she returned to work. (Illustrates the noun with verbs indicating completion.)

• В отпуске я люблю путешествовать. (V otpuske ya lyublyu puteshestvovat'.)

  On leave, I love to travel. (Demonstrates the noun in a prepositional phrase for leisure activities.)

• Он взял больничный отпуск из-за болезни. (On vzial bol'nichnyy otpusk iz-za bolezni.)

  He took sick leave because of illness. (Shows modified forms in specific types of leave.)

Meaning 3: To leave something behind (Verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• оставлять - Used for forgetting or intentionally leaving items.

Usage Examples:

• Я оставил ключи на столе. (Ya ostavil klyuchi na stole.)

  I left the keys on the table. (Simple transitive use with direct object.)

• Не оставляй дверь открытой. (Ne ostavlyay dver' otkrytoy.)

  Don't leave the door open. (Imperative form with adjectives.)

• Она всегда оставляет след в сердцах людей. (Ona vsegda ostavlyaet sled v serdtsakh lyudey.)

  She always leaves a mark on people's hearts. (Metaphorical use in emotional contexts.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'уходить' (verb, imperfective): This is a first-conjugation verb with regular inflections. It changes based on tense, person, and number.

Person/Number	Present Tense	Past Tense
I (1st person singular)	ухожу	уходил
You (2nd person singular)	уходишь	уходил
He/She/It (3rd person singular)	уходит	уходил
We (1st person plural)	уходим	уходили
You (2nd person plural)	уходите	уходили
They (3rd person plural)	уходят	уходили

For 'отпуск' (noun, masculine, 2nd declension): This noun has regular declensions and does not change in the nominative singular form.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	отпуск	отпуска
Genitive	отпуска	отпусков
Dative	отпуску	отпускам
Accusative	отпуск	отпуска
Instrumental	отпуском	отпусками
Prepositional	отпуске	отпусках

For 'оставлять' (verb): Similar to 'уходить', it follows first-conjugation patterns with regular inflections across tenses.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for уходить: покидать (more formal), уезжать (specifically for traveling away)
• Synonyms for отпуск: каникулы (for holidays, especially student-related)
• Synonyms for оставлять: забывать (implies forgetting)
• Antonyms: приходить (to arrive, opposite of уходить), работать (to work, opposite of отпуск context)

Related Phrases:

• Уйти в отставку - To retire (literally: to leave into retirement; used in professional contexts).
• Оставлять след - To leave a mark (figurative, for impact or legacy).
• Взять отпуск - To take leave (common in employment discussions).

Usage Notes:

The English word 'leave' corresponds closely to Russian verbs like 'уходить' for departure and 'оставлять' for abandoning items, but context is key—'уходить' is more about physical movement, while 'оставлять' focuses on objects. For 'отпуск' as a noun, it's primarily used in formal settings like jobs or military. English learners should note that Russian verbs often require aspect (imperfective vs. perfective), so pair 'уходить' with 'уйти' for completed actions. When choosing between translations, opt for 'уходить' in everyday speech and 'покидать' for emotional or formal narratives.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'уходить' with 'уезжать' – Learners might use 'уезжать' (to leave by vehicle) when 'уходить' is sufficient for general departure. Correct: Use 'уходить' for walking away; Example: Incorrect: "Я уезжаю из дома" (if not involving a vehicle); Correct: "Я ухожу из дома".
• Error: Forgetting noun declensions with 'отпуск' – Beginners often keep it in nominative case; Example: Incorrect: "Я в отпуск" (should be "Я в отпуске" in prepositional case); Correct: "Я в отпуске" to indicate being on leave.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'отпуск' often implies a well-deserved break, influenced by the Soviet-era emphasis on state-mandated vacations. It's common to associate it with traveling to dachas (country houses) or Black Sea resorts, reflecting historical leisure traditions that prioritize rest and family time.

Related Concepts:

• приезд (arrival)
• отъезд (departure by transport)
• каникулы (holidays)