Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'minimize'

English Word: minimize

Key Russian Translations:

• минимизировать [mʲɪnʲɪmʲɪzʲɪrʲɐvɐ́tʲ] - [Formal, Used in technical or general contexts]
• свернуть [svʲɪrˈnutʲ] - [Informal, Plural in contexts like UI elements, Used when referring to windows or interfaces]
• сокращать [səkrəˈʂatʲ] - [Formal, Used for reducing size or quantity]

Frequency: Medium (Common in technical and everyday contexts, especially in computing and business discussions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage. For 'свернуть', it may be A2 for beginners in tech slang.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

минимизировать: [mʲɪnʲɪmʲɪzʲɪrʲɐvɐ́tʲ] (Stress on the third syllable; note the soft consonants which can be tricky for English speakers.)

Note on минимизировать: This verb has a borrowed sound from English, but the Russian pronunciation softens the 'm' and 'z' sounds. Pay attention to the infinitive ending.

свернуть: [svʲɪrˈnutʲ] (Stress on the second syllable; the 'sv' blend is common in Russian.)

Note on свернуть: In informal speech, it may be pronounced more quickly, potentially eliding vowels.

сокращать: [səkrəˈʂatʲ] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'ш' sound [ʂ] is a palatalized 'sh'.)

Note on сокращать: This is a regular verb, but the 'щ' sound can vary regionally.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To make something smaller or less prominent, especially in computing (e.g., minimizing a window)

Translation(s) & Context:

• минимизировать - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as software interfaces or data reduction.
• свернуть - Informal, specifically for visual elements like windows in operating systems.

Usage Examples:

• Пожалуйста, минимизируйте окно, чтобы продолжить работу. (Please minimize the window to continue working.)

  Translation: Please minimize the window to continue working.

• В приложении можно свернуть все вкладки для экономии места. (In the app, you can minimize all tabs to save space.)

  Translation: In the app, you can minimize all tabs to save space.

• Он минимизировал риски, сокращая инвестиции. (He minimized the risks by reducing investments.)

  Translation: He minimized the risks by reducing investments.

• Сверните программу, если она мешает. (Minimize the program if it's in the way.)

  Translation: Minimize the program if it's in the way.

• Чтобы сократить время, минимизируйте ненужные шаги. (To cut time, minimize unnecessary steps.)

  Translation: To cut time, minimize unnecessary steps.

Meaning 2: To reduce or diminish something in size, importance, or effect (e.g., minimizing impact)

Translation(s) & Context:

• сокращать - Formal, in contexts like business or science for general reduction.
• минимизировать - Used in strategic or analytical discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Компания старается минимизировать затраты на производство. (The company tries to minimize production costs.)

  Translation: The company tries to minimize production costs.

• Сокращайте влияние стресса на здоровье регулярными перерывами. (Minimize the impact of stress on health with regular breaks.)

  Translation: Minimize the impact of stress on health with regular breaks.

• В отчете они сократили детали, чтобы минимизировать путаницу. (In the report, they reduced details to minimize confusion.)

  Translation: In the report, they reduced details to minimize confusion.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. 'Минимизировать' and 'сокращать' are first-conjugation verbs, while 'свернуть' is irregular in some aspects.

Note: These verbs do not change in gender but inflect for tense, person, and number as shown.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • уменьшить (to decrease; more general than минимизировать)
  • сжать (to compress; often for files or data)
• Antonyms:
  • увеличить (to increase)
  • расширить (to expand)

Related Phrases:

• Минимизировать ущерб - Minimize damage (Used in contexts like accidents or business losses.)
• Свернуть в трей - Minimize to tray (Common in software interfaces for hiding applications.)
• Сокращать расходы - Cut costs (A standard phrase in financial discussions.)

Usage Notes:

'Минимизировать' is a direct loanword from English and is preferred in formal or technical settings, closely matching the English 'minimize' in computing. 'Свернуть' is more idiomatic for visual interfaces and is informal, so use it in everyday tech talk. 'Сокращать' emphasizes reduction in quantity and is versatile but less precise for UI actions. Always consider context: formal writing might favor 'минимизировать', while spoken language leans toward 'свернуть'. Grammatically, these are imperfective verbs, so they work well for ongoing actions.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'минимизировать' with 'минизировать' (incorrect form) - Correct: Use the full form; Error example: "Я минизирую" (wrong), Correct: "Я минимизирую". This happens due to over-simplification from English.
• Using 'свернуть' in non-UI contexts - Error example: "Сверните свои расходы" (awkward, as it implies folding physically), Correct: "Сокращайте расходы" for financial reduction. Explanation: 'Свернуть' is visually oriented, so it's context-specific.
• Neglecting verb aspects - Error: Treating as perfective without proper conjugation; Correct: Use imperfective for ongoing minimization, e.g., "Я минимизирую" instead of inventing a perfective form incorrectly.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, especially in professional settings, 'минимизировать' reflects the influence of Western business practices, often seen in IT and management. It's not deeply rooted in traditional Russian language, making it a modern adaptation, which highlights Russia's integration with global technology trends.

Related Concepts:

• оптимизировать (to optimize)
• сжатие (compression)
• уменьшение (reduction)