Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'miscalculate'

English Word: miscalculate

Key Russian Translations:

• недооценить [nʲɪdɐɐˈsʲenʲitʲ] - [Formal, often used in professional or analytical contexts]
• переоценить [pʲɪrʲɪɐˈsʲenʲitʲ] - [Formal, typically for overestimation, but can apply to general miscalculation]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in business, economics, and scientific discussions, but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances, as per CEFR standards)

Pronunciation (Russian):

недооценить: [nʲɪdɐɐˈsʲenʲitʲ]

Note on недооценить: The stress falls on the third syllable ("sʲenʲ"), which is a common challenge for English speakers due to Russian's mobile stress patterns. Pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Audio: []

переоценить: [pʲɪrʲɪɐˈsʲenʲitʲ]

Note on переоценить: Stress on the third syllable ("sʲenʲ"); the initial "pʲ" sound is palatalized, which is typical in Russian verbs and may require practice for non-native speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To calculate or estimate something incorrectly, often resulting in underestimation

Translation(s) & Context:

• недооценить - Used in formal contexts like business reports or scientific analysis, where the error leads to undervaluing something.
• переоценить - Applied when the miscalculation involves overvaluation, such as in financial planning or risk assessment.

Usage Examples:

• Он недооценил стоимость проекта, что привело к финансовым трудностям.

  He miscalculated the cost of the project, which led to financial difficulties.

• Инженеры переоценили скорость ветра, из-за чего конструкция рухнула.

  The engineers miscalculated the wind speed, causing the structure to collapse.

• Менеджер недооценил рыночный спрос, и товары быстро закончились на складе.

  The manager miscalculated the market demand, and the goods sold out quickly in the warehouse.

• Если вы переоцените риски, это может привести к ненужным расходам.

  If you miscalculate the risks by overestimating them, it could lead to unnecessary expenses.

• В экономических прогнозах часто недооценивают влияние инфляции.

  In economic forecasts, the impact of inflation is often miscalculated through underestimation.

To make an error in judgment based on faulty calculation

Translation(s) & Context:

• недооценить - In interpersonal or strategic contexts, implying a failure to account for all factors.
• переоценить - When overconfidence leads to exaggerated assessments.

Usage Examples:

• Она недооценила сложность задачи и не подготовилась должным образом.

  She miscalculated the complexity of the task and didn't prepare adequately.

• Команда переоценила свои шансы на победу, что деморализовало игроков.

  The team miscalculated their chances of winning by overestimating them, which demoralized the players.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "недооценить" and "переоценить" are imperfective verbs in Russian, following the standard conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs. They are irregular in some aspects due to prefixes, but their stems remain consistent. Below is a table outlining key inflections for these verbs in the present tense (as they are commonly used).

Note: These verbs can form perfective aspects (e.g., недооценить becomes недооценил in past tense), and they do not change in gender or number in the infinitive form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ошибиться (to make a mistake) - More general and less specific to calculations.
  • неверно оценить (to assess incorrectly) - Often used interchangeably in informal contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • точно оценить (to assess accurately) - Implies precision without error.
  • правильно рассчитать (to calculate correctly) - Directly opposite in meaning.

Related Phrases:

• недооценить риски - To underestimate risks (Meaning: Failing to properly assess potential dangers in decision-making.)
• переоценить возможности - To overestimate capabilities (Meaning: Exaggerating one's or a group's potential, often leading to failure.)
• неправильно рассчитать бюджет - To miscalculate the budget (Meaning: A common error in financial planning that results in shortages.)

Usage Notes:

"Недооценить" directly corresponds to "miscalculate" in cases of underestimation and is preferred in formal Russian for its precision, while "переоценить" fits overestimation scenarios. Both are typically used in written or professional speech rather than casual conversation. When choosing between them, consider the context: if the error involves undervaluing, use "недооценить"; for overvaluing, opt for "переоценить". Grammatically, these verbs require agreement with the subject in person and number, and they often pair with nouns like "риски" (risks) or "стоимость" (cost) in object phrases.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "недооценить" with "переоценить": English learners might use "недооценить" when overestimation is intended, e.g., saying "Он недооценил риски" (incorrect for overestimation) instead of "Он переоценил риски" (correct). Error: "Он недооценил шансы на победу, хотя они были высокими." Correct: "Он переоценил шансы на победу, хотя они были высокими." Explanation: The first implies underestimation, which contradicts the context; always match the verb to the direction of the error.

• Overlooking verb conjugation: Beginners might forget to conjugate, e.g., using the infinitive "недооценить" in a sentence where a conjugated form is needed, like "Я недооценить" instead of "Я недооцениваю." Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject; practice with tables to avoid this.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, especially in business and engineering fields, miscalculations like those implied by "недооценить" or "переоценить" are often linked to historical events, such as the inefficiencies in Soviet-era planning. This underscores a cultural emphasis on precision and collective responsibility, where such errors can symbolize broader systemic issues.

Related Concepts:

• оценка
• расчёт
• риски