Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'operate'

English Word: operate

Key Russian Translations:

• оперировать [ɐpʲɪrʲɪˈrovatʲ] - [Formal, Medical context; Used in professional or surgical settings]
• работать [rɐˈbotatʲ] - [Informal/Neutral; General everyday use, such as operating machinery]
• управлять [ʊprɐˈvlʲatʲ] - [Formal/Neutral; Used in contexts involving control or management]

Frequency: Medium (Common in technical, medical, and everyday contexts, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs).

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of verb conjugations and context, varying by translation—e.g., 'оперировать' may be B2 due to specialized vocabulary, while 'работать' is B1).

Pronunciation (Russian):

оперировать: [ɐpʲɪrʲɪˈrovatʲ] (Stress on the fourth syllable; Note: The 'р' is rolled, and the ending '-ать' softens in casual speech.)

работать: [rɐˈbotatʲ] (Stress on the second syllable; Note on работать: The 'т' can be softened in fast speech, making it sound like [rɐˈbotətʲ].)

управлять: [ʊprɐˈvlʲatʲ] (Stress on the third syllable; Note: Pay attention to the palatalized 'л' which can be challenging for beginners.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To perform a surgical operation

Translation(s) & Context:

• оперировать - Used in medical contexts, such as in hospitals or during procedures; Formal and professional.

Usage Examples:

• Врач оперирует пациента в операционной. (The doctor operates on the patient in the operating room.)

  Translation: The doctor operates on the patient in the operating room.

• Иногда хирургу приходится оперировать в экстренных ситуациях. (Sometimes the surgeon has to operate in emergency situations.)

  Translation: Sometimes the surgeon has to operate in emergency situations.

• Медицинская команда успешно оперировала ребенка с врожденным дефектом. (The medical team successfully operated on the child with a congenital defect.)

  Translation: The medical team successfully operated on the child with a congenital defect.

• Оперировать под общим наркозом – это стандартная процедура. (Operating under general anesthesia is a standard procedure.)

  Translation: Operating under general anesthesia is a standard procedure.

Meaning 2: To work, function, or run (e.g., a machine)

Translation(s) & Context:

• работать - Used in everyday or technical contexts for machines, systems, or devices; Neutral and versatile.

Usage Examples:

• Эта машина работает без перебоев уже несколько лет. (This machine operates without interruptions for several years.)

  Translation: This machine operates without interruptions for several years.

• Как работает этот механизм? (How does this mechanism operate?)

  Translation: How does this mechanism operate?

• Компьютер не работает должным образом из-за вируса. (The computer isn't operating properly due to a virus.)

  Translation: The computer isn't operating properly due to a virus.

• В фабрике оборудование работает круглосуточно. (The equipment operates around the clock at the factory.)

  Translation: The equipment operates around the clock at the factory.

Meaning 3: To control or manage something

Translation(s) & Context:

• управлять - Used in contexts involving direction, control, or oversight; Often formal in business or administrative settings.

Usage Examples:

• Менеджер управляет командой из двадцати человек. (The manager operates a team of twenty people.)

  Translation: The manager operates a team of twenty people.

• Как управлять этим сложным программным обеспечением? (How do you operate this complex software?)

  Translation: How do you operate this complex software?

• Пилот управляет самолетом во время полета. (The pilot operates the plane during the flight.)

  Translation: The pilot operates the plane during the flight.

• Правительство управляет экономикой через регуляции. (The government operates the economy through regulations.)

  Translation: The government operates the economy through regulations.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which follow Russian conjugation patterns. Russian verbs are inflected for tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a table for each verb's common inflections:

For 'оперировать' (First conjugation verb):

Person/Number	Present Tense	Past Tense
I (я)	оперирую	оперировал(а)
You (ты)	оперируешь	оперировал(а)
He/She/It (он/она/оно)	оперирует	оперировал(а)
We (мы)	оперируем	оперировали
You (вы)	оперируете	оперировали
They (они)	оперируют	оперировали

Note: This verb is imperfective; for perfective, use 'прооперировать'.

For 'работать' (First conjugation verb):

Person/Number	Present Tense	Past Tense
I	работаю	работал(а)
You (ты)	работаешь	работал(а)
He/She/It	работает	работал(а)

This verb is regular and does not change in most aspects.

For 'управлять' (First conjugation verb):

Similar conjugation to above; e.g., Present: управляю, управляешь. It is regular with no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • оперировать: лечить (treat) – More general medical term.
  • работать: функционировать (function) – Emphasizes mechanical operation.
  • управлять: контролировать (control) – Similar but implies monitoring.
• Antonyms:
  • оперировать: не вмешиваться (not interfere)
  • работать: ломаться (break down)
  • управлять: игнорировать (ignore)

Related Phrases:

• Проводить операцию – To perform an operation; Used in surgical contexts.
• Работать на полную мощность – To operate at full capacity; Refers to machines or systems running efficiently.
• Управлять процессом – To operate a process; Common in business or manufacturing.

Usage Notes:

Choose 'оперировать' for medical contexts to match the precise English meaning of surgical operation, as it's formal and specific. 'Работать' is more versatile for general functioning and is often used in informal speech. 'Управлять' suits managerial or control scenarios. Be aware of aspect in Russian verbs: use imperfective for ongoing actions (e.g., оперировать) and perfective for completed ones (e.g., прооперировать). In everyday Russian, these verbs may vary by region, so context is key.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'оперировать' in non-medical contexts, e.g., saying "Я оперирую машиной" instead of "Я управляю машиной". Correct: "Я управляю машиной" – Explanation: 'Опецировать' is strictly for surgery, leading to confusion; opt for 'управлять' for machines.
• Error: Forgetting conjugation, e.g., saying "Он работать" instead of "Он работает". Correct: "Он работает" – Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with subject in person and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'оперировать' often evokes the high regard for medical professionals, influenced by Soviet-era healthcare emphasis. Phrases like 'работать' in industrial contexts reflect Russia's history of engineering and machinery, symbolizing resilience and functionality in daily life.

Related Concepts:

• хирургия (surgery)
• механизм (mechanism)
• контроль (control)