Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'obey'

English Word: obey

Key Russian Translations:

• повиноваться /pəvʲɪnɐˈvatsə/ - [Formal, Verb]
• послушаться /pəslʊˈʂatʲsə/ - [Informal, Verb, Used in everyday commands or responses]
• подчиняться /pətʂɪˈnjatʲsə/ - [Formal, Verb, Often in hierarchical or institutional contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature, legal texts, and daily conversations, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "to be" or "to go")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and aspect, which can vary; for 'повиноваться', it's B1, while 'послушаться' might be A2 for beginners)

Pronunciation (Russian):

повиноваться: /pəvʲɪnɐˈvatsə/

послушаться: /pəslʊˈʂatʲsə/

подчиняться: /pətʂɪˈnjatʲsə/

Note on повиноваться: The stress is on the third syllable ('va'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized 'vʲ' sound; it often implies a more reflexive or imperfective aspect.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To comply with orders, rules, or authority

Translation(s) & Context:

• повиноваться - Used in formal or written contexts, such as laws or military commands, emphasizing ongoing obedience.
• послушаться - Informal, often for immediate or parental instructions, implying a one-time action.
• подчиняться - Formal, in professional or social hierarchies, like workplace rules.

Usage Examples:

• Дети должны повиноваться своим родителям в вопросах безопасности.

  Children must obey their parents in matters of safety.

• Солдат послушался приказа командира и отступил.

  The soldier obeyed the commander's order and retreated.

• В обществе люди подчиняются законам, чтобы поддерживать порядок.

  In society, people obey laws to maintain order.

• Он не захотел повиноваться правилам, что привело к проблемам.

  He refused to obey the rules, which led to problems.

To follow instructions or advice

Translation(s) & Context:

• послушаться - Common in casual advice-giving, like from friends or in self-help scenarios.
• повиноваться - More formal, in educational or therapeutic contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Я послушался совета друга и изменил свой рацион.

  I obeyed my friend's advice and changed my diet.

• Студенты должны повиноваться указаниям преподавателя во время экзамена.

  Students must obey the instructor's directions during the exam.

• Подчиняясь инструкциям, она успешно собрала мебель.

  By obeying the instructions, she successfully assembled the furniture.

• Врачи настаивают, чтобы пациенты послушались рекомендаций по лечению.

  Doctors insist that patients obey the treatment recommendations.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These verbs are imperfective (ongoing action) or perfective (completed action) in Russian, which affects their forms. 'Повиноваться' and 'подчиняться' are imperfective, while 'послушаться' is perfective. They conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number.

Note: These verbs are reflexive (end in -ся), so they remain unchanged in form but must include the reflexive particle in usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• следовать (to follow)
• исполнять (to execute or fulfill)
• поддаваться (to yield, with a nuance of submission)

Antonyms:

• ослушаться (to disobey)
• противиться (to resist)
• нарушать (to break or violate)

Related Phrases:

• повиноваться закону - To obey the law (Common in legal or ethical discussions)
• послушаться совета - To obey advice (Used in personal development contexts)
• подчиняться авторитету - To obey authority (Often in social or political settings)

Usage Notes:

In Russian, the choice between 'повиноваться', 'послушаться', and 'подчиняться' depends on context: use 'повиноваться' for ongoing, formal obedience; 'послушаться' for perfective, informal actions; and 'подчиняться' for hierarchical relationships. Unlike English 'obey', which is neutral, these verbs often carry a reflexive element (-ся), emphasizing self-submission. Be mindful of aspect: imperfective for habitual actions, perfective for completed ones. In formal writing, pair with adverbs like 'строго' (strictly) for emphasis.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'повиноваться' in informal speech, e.g., saying "Я повиновался другу" instead of "Я послушался друга". Correct: 'Послушался' is more natural for casual contexts. Explanation: 'Повиноваться' sounds overly formal and may come across as sarcastic or outdated in everyday talk.

• Error: Forgetting the reflexive particle, e.g., saying "повиновать" instead of "повиноваться". Correct: Always include '-ся' for these verbs. Explanation: Omitting it changes the meaning or makes the sentence grammatically incorrect, as these are inherently reflexive verbs.

• Error: Confusing aspects, e.g., using 'повиноваться' for a one-time event. Correct: Use 'послушаться' for completed actions. Explanation: This can lead to confusion in tense, making the sentence sound unnatural to native speakers.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, obedience (e.g., 'повиноваться') is often linked to historical contexts like the Soviet era, where strict adherence to authority was emphasized. Today, it can carry connotations of respect for tradition or family, but younger generations may view it as outdated, preferring more individualistic expressions. This reflects broader cultural shifts towards personal autonomy in modern Russia.

Related Concepts:

• дисциплина (discipline)
• авторитет (authority)
• подчинение (subordination)