Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'madden'

English Word: madden

Key Russian Translations:

• раздражать [rəzdrʲiˈʐatʲ] - [Informal, Common in everyday speech]
• возмущать [vɐzmʊˈʃʲatʲ] - [Formal, Used in written or official contexts]
• сердить [ˈsʲerdʲitʲ] - [Informal, Often with family or close relations]

Frequency: Medium (The verb is commonly used in conversational Russian but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like "говорить".)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, according to CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugation and context, with "раздражать" being slightly easier for beginners than "возмущать", which may need more advanced vocabulary.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

раздражать: [rəzdrʲiˈʐatʲ] (The stress is on the third syllable; note the soft 'р' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.)

возмущать: [vɐzmʊˈʃʲatʲ] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'ш' is a soft, palatalized sound similar to 'sh' in "she", but with a Russian inflection.)

сердить: [ˈsʲerdʲitʲ] (Stress on the first syllable; the initial 'с' is soft, blending into a 's' sound as in "see".)

Note on раздражать: This verb often involves a rolled 'р' in some dialects, but standard pronunciation uses a soft trill. Variations may occur in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To make someone angry or irritated (as a transitive verb)

Translation(s) & Context:

• раздражать - Used in casual, everyday situations to describe minor annoyances, such as in personal relationships or daily frustrations.
• возмущать - Applied in more formal or serious contexts, like social injustices or public debates, to convey deeper outrage.

Usage Examples:

• Его постоянные опоздания раздражают всех в команде. (His constant lateness maddens everyone in the team.)

  English Translation: His constant lateness maddens everyone in the team. (This example shows the verb in a simple present tense, highlighting interpersonal frustration.)

• Эта новость возмущает меня до глубины души. (This news maddens me to the core.)

  English Translation: This news maddens me to the core. (Here, it's used in a more emotional, formal context to express profound irritation.)

• Дети иногда сердят родителей своими шалостями. (Children sometimes madden their parents with their mischief.)

  English Translation: Children sometimes madden their parents with their mischief. (This illustrates informal family dynamics and imperfective aspect in Russian.)

• Громкий шум на улице раздражает соседей по ночам. (The loud noise on the street maddens the neighbors at night.)

  English Translation: The loud noise on the street maddens the neighbors at night. (Demonstrates the verb with plural subjects and temporal contexts.)

• Его комментарии всегда возмущают аудиторию во время дебатов. (His comments always madden the audience during debates.)

  English Translation: His comments always madden the audience during debates. (Shows usage in a public, formal setting with habitual actions.)

Secondary Meaning: To exasperate or provoke intensely (less common, often metaphorical)

Translation(s) & Context:

• сердить - In metaphorical senses, like provoking emotions in literature or casual talk.

Usage Examples:

• Эта книга сердит читателя своей несправедливостью. (This book maddens the reader with its injustice.)

  English Translation: This book maddens the reader with its injustice. (Example of metaphorical use in literary contexts.)

• Политика правительства раздражает молодежь. (The government's policy maddens the youth.)

  English Translation: The government's policy maddens the youth. (Illustrates social or political provocation.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. They are imperfective verbs, indicating ongoing or repeated actions. Below is a conjugation table for раздражать in the present tense as an example; similar patterns apply to возмущать and сердить, with minor irregularities.

For возмущать, it follows a similar pattern but with palatalization in some forms (e.g., возмущаю). These verbs do not have irregular conjugations but change based on aspect (e.g., perfective forms like "разозлить" for a completed action). If the verb is used in other tenses, refer to standard Russian conjugation rules.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • злить (to anger; similar to сердить but more intense)
  • бесить (to drive crazy; informal and stronger, often for extreme irritation)
  • досаждать (to annoy; milder, with a focus on persistent bother)
• Antonyms:
  • успокаивать (to calm)
  • умиротворять (to pacify; more formal)

Related Phrases:

• раздражать нервы (to get on one's nerves) - A common expression for ongoing irritation in stressful situations.
• возмущать общественность (to outrage the public) - Used in media or social contexts to describe widespread anger.
• сердить кого-то до слёз (to madden someone to tears) - An idiomatic phrase emphasizing emotional intensity.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "madden" translations like раздражать are often used in imperfective aspects to describe ongoing actions, making them suitable for narratives or descriptions. Choose раздражать for informal, everyday contexts (e.g., family disputes), while возмущать is better for formal writing or public discourse. Be mindful of the verb's transitive nature; it requires a direct object in Russian, similar to English. For example, avoid using it without specifying what or whom is being maddened. When selecting among translations, consider the intensity: сердить is milder, ideal for light annoyances.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using the verb in the wrong aspect, e.g., saying "раздражает" for a completed action instead of the perfective "разозлил".
  Correct: "Его слова разозлили меня" (His words maddened me, for a finished event).
  Explanation: Russian verbs have aspects; imperfective like раздражать is for ongoing, while perfective indicates completion.
• Mistake: Overusing in formal contexts, e.g., using сердить in official reports.
  Correct: Opt for возмущать in such cases.
  Explanation: This can make the language seem too casual; always match the register to the audience.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions of anger like those conveyed by "madden" translations often reflect the value placed on emotional restraint in public. For instance, using возмущать in literature or media can allude to historical events like Soviet-era injustices, where public outrage was a form of resistance. This adds a layer of depth, as these words aren't just about irritation but can symbolize broader social frustrations.

Related Concepts:

• гнев (anger)
• раздражение (irritation)
• возмущение (outrage)