Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'memorise'

English Word: memorise

Key Russian Translations:

• запомнить [zəpɐˈmnʲitʲ] - [Formal, Perfective verb, Used for completed actions]
• запоминать [zəpɐˈmnʲitʲ ɐtʲ] - [Informal, Imperfective verb, Used for ongoing or repeated actions]

Frequency: Medium (Commonly used in educational, cognitive, and everyday contexts, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "делать").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, according to CEFR; requires understanding of aspect differences in Russian verbs, which can be challenging for beginners. For 'запомнить': B1; for 'запоминать': B2 due to imperfective aspect nuances.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

запомнить: [zəpɐˈmnʲitʲ]

запоминать: [zəpɐˈmnʲitʲ ɐtʲ]

Note on запомнить: The stress is on the third syllable ('mnʲitʲ'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized 'nʲ' sound. Pronounce it with a soft 'n' as in 'new'.

Note on запоминать: Similar to запомнить, but ends with the infinitive suffix; focus on the soft consonants for accurate pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To commit something to memory, often through repetition or study.

Translation(s) & Context:

• запомнить - Used in formal or completed actions, such as memorizing a fact or list (e.g., in academic settings).
• запоминать - Used for ongoing processes, like gradually learning information (e.g., in casual learning scenarios).

Usage Examples:

• Я должен запомнить этот номер телефона перед встречей.

  I need to memorise this phone number before the meeting.

• Дети запоминали стихи для школьного конкурса.

  The children were memorising poems for the school competition.

• Чтобы успешно сдать экзамен, ей пришлось запомнить все формулы.

  To pass the exam successfully, she had to memorise all the formulas.

• Он запоминал новые слова каждый день, чтобы улучшить свой английский.

  He was memorising new words every day to improve his English.

• Мы запомним этот момент навсегда, как важный урок.

  We will memorise this moment forever as an important lesson.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'запомнить' (perfective) and 'запоминать' (imperfective) are verbs, so they follow Russian conjugation patterns. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender. These verbs are conjugated irregularly in some forms due to the root changes.

Note: These verbs do not change for gender in the infinitive form but do in the past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • выучить (to learn by heart; more specific to rote learning, often used interchangeably in educational contexts)
  • запоминать наизусть (to memorize by rote; implies exact recall)
• Antonyms:
  • забыть (to forget; directly opposite, implying loss of memory)
  • забывать (to keep forgetting; for ongoing forgetting)

Related Phrases:

• Запомнить наизусть - To memorize by heart; used for learning text verbatim, e.g., in theater or exams.
• Запоминать навсегда - To remember forever; implies a lasting impression, often in emotional contexts.
• Помочь запомнить - To help memorize; a phrase for assisting in learning, common in teaching scenarios.

Usage Notes:

Russian verbs like 'запомнить' and 'запоминать' directly correspond to 'memorise' but differ by aspect: use 'запомнить' for a one-time completion (e.g., "I memorised the poem") and 'запоминать' for ongoing actions (e.g., "I am memorising vocabulary"). Be mindful of formal contexts where perfective forms are preferred. English speakers often confuse aspects, so choose based on whether the action is finished. In casual speech, 'запоминать' can be more versatile for daily learning.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'запомнить' for ongoing actions, e.g., saying "Я запомню английские слова каждый день" instead of "Я запоминаю английские слова каждый день".

  Correct: "Я запоминаю английские слова каждый день" (I am memorising English words every day). Explanation: 'Запомнить' implies a single completed event, while the context here is repetitive.

• Error: Neglecting gender agreement in past tense, e.g., a female speaker saying "Я запомнил" instead of "Я запомнила".

  Correct: "Я запомнила". Explanation: Russian past tense verbs agree with the subject's gender, which is a common pitfall for English learners used to gender-neutral verbs.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, memorization (e.g., 'запомнить наизусть') is highly valued in education, stemming from the Soviet-era emphasis on rote learning. This reflects a broader cultural appreciation for poetry and literature, where reciting classics from memory is a sign of intellectual prowess. However, modern contexts are shifting towards more practical learning methods.

Related Concepts:

• забыть
• выучить
• повторить