Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'lend'

English Word: lend

Key Russian Translations:

• одалживать (/ɐˈdalʲɪvətʲ/) - [Informal, Verb]
• ссужать (/sˈsuʒətʲ/) - [Formal, Verb]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday conversations and financial contexts, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like "to be" or "to have").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and basic aspect distinctions in Russian, per CEFR standards).

Pronunciation (Russian):

одалживать: /ɐˈdalʲɪvətʲ/ (The stress is on the second syllable; note the palatalized 'л' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers.)

ссужать: /sˈsuʒətʲ/ (Pronounce the 'ж' as a soft 'zh' sound; stress on the second syllable.)

Note on одалживать: This verb has imperfective aspect; be aware of vowel reductions in unstressed syllables, common in Russian spoken language.

Note on ссужать: More formal and less frequently used; the initial 'с' is pronounced as /s/ without aspiration.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To give something to someone for temporary use, expecting it to be returned (e.g., money or an object).

Translation(s) & Context:

• одалживать - Used in informal, everyday situations, such as lending to friends or family; implies a casual arrangement.
• ссужать - Employed in formal contexts, like banking or official transactions; suggests a more structured lending process.

Usage Examples:

• Я часто одалживаю книги друзьям. (Ya chasto odalzhivayu knigi druz'yam.)

  I often lend books to my friends. (This example shows the verb in present tense, imperfective aspect, in a casual social context.)

• Банк ссужает деньги под проценты. (Bank ssuzhaet den'gi pod protsenty.)

  The bank lends money at interest. (Illustrates formal usage in a financial setting, with the verb in present tense.)

• Она одалживала ему машину на выходные. (Ona odalzhivala yemu mashinu na vykhodnye.)

  She lent him the car for the weekend. (Demonstrates past tense usage in a personal, informal scenario.)

• Компания ссужает оборудование для мероприятий. (Kompaniya ssuzhaet oborudovaniye dlya meropriyatiy.)

  The company lends equipment for events. (Shows present tense in a business context, highlighting formal lending.)

• Мы одалживали инструменты соседям во время ремонта. (My odalzhivali instrumenty sosedam vo vremya remonta.)

  We lent tools to the neighbors during the renovation. (Example of plural subject and imperfective aspect in a community setting.)

To provide financial assistance or credit (e.g., in economic contexts).

Translation(s) & Context:

• ссужать - Preferred in professional or legal contexts; emphasizes the transactional nature.
• одалживать - Less common here, but possible in informal financial talks among acquaintances.

Usage Examples:

• Банк ссужает средства малому бизнесу. (Bank ssuzhaet sredstva malomu biznesu.)

  The bank lends funds to small businesses. (This shows the verb in a formal economic context.)

• Он одалживал деньги родственникам в трудные времена. (On odalzhival den'gi rodstvennikam v trudnyye vremena.)

  He lent money to relatives in hard times. (Informal usage, past tense, illustrating personal finance.)

• Правительство ссужает гранты студентам. (Pravitel'stvo ssuzhaet granty studentam.)

  The government lends grants to students. (Formal context, present tense.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "одалживать" and "ссужать" are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a conjugation table for "одалживать" in the present tense (as an example; "ссужать" follows similar patterns but with its own root).

For "ссужать", the present tense conjugations are: 1st Sg. ссужаю (ssuzhayu), 2nd Sg. ссужаешь (ssuzhayesh'), etc. These verbs do not have irregular inflections but follow standard first-conjugation patterns. Note that aspect pairs exist (e.g., perfective "одолжить" for "одалживать"), which learners must master for precise usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • займодать (zaymodat') - More literary, implies giving a loan.
  • предоставлять (predostavljat') - General term for providing, often in services.
• Antonyms:
  • брать взаймы (brat' vzaimyi) - To borrow.
  • возвращать (vozvrashchat') - To return.

Related Phrases:

• Одолжить деньги (Odolzhit' den'gi) - To lend money; used for a one-time action, implying a perfective aspect. (This phrase is common in financial discussions.)
• Ссудить под проценты (Ssudit' pod protsenty) - To lend at interest; formal phrase in banking contexts.
• Дать в долг (Dat' v dolg) - To lend on credit; informal idiom for casual lending among friends. (Implies an expectation of repayment without formal agreement.)

Usage Notes:

Russian translations for "lend" like "одалживать" are imperfective, focusing on the process, while their perfective counterparts (e.g., "одолжить") emphasize completion. Choose based on context: use imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective for finished ones. "Ссужать" is more formal and often involves financial institutions, whereas "одалживать" suits everyday scenarios. Be mindful of aspect when translating from English, as Russian requires explicit verb forms for tense and completion.

Common Errors:

• Confusing aspect: English learners often use "одалживать" when "одолжить" is needed for a completed action. Error: "Я одалживал книгу" (incorrect for a one-time event); Correct: "Я одолжил книгу" (I lent the book once). Explanation: Russian verbs have aspect pairs; always match to the action's completeness.
• Misusing formality: Using "одалживать" in formal contexts, e.g., "Банк одалживает деньги" instead of "Банк ссужает деньги." Error: Sounds too casual; Correct: Opt for "ссужать" in professional settings to maintain appropriate tone.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, lending money or items to friends and family is common but often comes with an unspoken expectation of reciprocity, reflecting communal values. However, formal lending through banks is influenced by historical economic challenges, such as those during the Soviet era, where personal lending was more prevalent due to limited institutional options.

Related Concepts:

• взять взаймы (vzyat' vzaimyi) - To borrow
• долг (dolg) - Debt
• кредит (kredit) - Credit