Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'oust'

English Word: oust

Key Russian Translations:

• выгнать /vɨˈɡnatʲ/ - [Informal, often used for physical eviction or forceful removal]
• сместить /smʲɪˈsʲitʲ/ - [Formal, commonly in political or professional contexts]
• отстранить /ɐtˈstranʲɪtʲ/ - [Formal, legal or official contexts, implying temporary removal]

Frequency: Medium - This verb and its translations are frequently encountered in news, politics, and formal discussions, but less so in everyday casual conversation.

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) - Learners at this level can grasp the basic usage, though understanding nuances and conjugations may require practice. For 'выгнать', it might be slightly easier (B1) due to its straightforward application, while 'сместить' and 'отстранить' could edge toward B2+ in formal settings.

Pronunciation (Russian):

выгнать: /vɨˈɡnatʲ/

сместить: /smʲɪˈsʲitʲ/

отстранить: /ɐtˈstranʲɪtʲ/

Note on выгнать: The stress falls on the second syllable, and the 'ы' sound can be tricky for English speakers, as it's similar to a prolonged 'i' in "bit" but more centralized. Be cautious of the soft 'тʲ' at the end.

Note on сместить: Pronunciation varies slightly in fast speech; the 'сʲ' is palatalized, making it sound softer. Practice with native speakers for accuracy.

Note on отстранить: The initial 'о' is reduced in casual speech to something like /ɐ/, common in Russian unstressed vowels.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To remove someone from a position of power or authority forcefully.

Translation(s) & Context:

• сместить - Used in political or organizational contexts, such as ousting a leader during a coup or election.
• отстранить - Applied in legal or professional settings, like suspending an official from duty.

Usage Examples:

• Партия сумела сместить лидера во время кризиса.

  The party managed to oust the leader during the crisis.

• Правительство отстранило министра от должности из-за скандала.

  The government ousted the minister from office due to the scandal.

• Активисты требовали сместить коррумпированных чиновников.

  Activists demanded to oust the corrupt officials.

• Суд отстранил судью на время расследования.

  The court ousted the judge temporarily during the investigation.

Meaning 2: To evict or drive someone out of a place physically.

Translation(s) & Context:

• выгнать - Informal and direct, often in everyday situations like evicting tenants or removing intruders.

Usage Examples:

• Хозяин выгнал квартиросъёмщика за неуплату.

  The landlord ousted the tenant for non-payment.

• Сторож выгнал воров с территории завода.

  The guard ousted the thieves from the factory grounds.

• Родители выгнали подростка из дома после ссоры.

  The parents ousted the teenager from home after an argument.

• Полиция выгнала протестующих с площади.

  The police ousted the protesters from the square.

• Владелец выгнал собаку с участка за агрессивное поведение.

  The owner ousted the dog from the yard due to aggressive behavior.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Russian verbs like these are often perfective (completed action), and they follow standard conjugation patterns with some irregularities.

For выгнать (perfective, irregular in some forms):

For сместить and отстранить (both perfective, more regular):

They follow similar patterns to other first-conjugation verbs. Example for сместить: Past forms include сместил (masc.), сместала (fem.); Future: сместим (we). These verbs do not change in imperative forms like сместите (you pl. command). Note: If the subject is inanimate, forms remain consistent without gender variation in past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • изгнать (izgnat') - Similar to выгнать, but with a connotation of exile; often used in historical or dramatic contexts.
  • убрать (ubrat') - More neutral, implying removal without force; less intense than сместить.
  • вытеснить (vytesnit') - Used for displacing in competitive scenarios, e.g., in business.
• Antonyms:
  • назначить (naznachit') - To appoint or install someone in a position.
  • поддержать (podderzhat') - To support or maintain someone in power.

Related Phrases:

• сместить с поста - Meaning: To oust from a post; Used in formal removals, e.g., in government.
• выгнать из дома - Meaning: To evict from home; Common in personal or property disputes.
• отстранить от работы - Meaning: To suspend from work; Often in professional or disciplinary contexts.
• силой выгнать - Meaning: To oust by force; Emphasizes physical or coercive action.

Usage Notes:

The English word "oust" typically implies a forceful or sudden removal, which aligns closely with Russian verbs like сместить in formal settings or выгнать in informal ones. Choose сместить for political or hierarchical contexts to convey permanence, while выгнать is better for everyday evictions. Be mindful of aspect: Russian often pairs these with imperfective counterparts (e.g., выгонять for ongoing action). In formal writing, отстранить might be preferred for its legal nuance, but avoid it in casual speech to prevent sounding overly bureaucratic.

Common Errors:

• Confusing aspect: Learners often use the perfective form (e.g., выгнать) for ongoing actions, which should be imperfective (e.g., выгонять). Error: "Я выгнать его вчера" (incorrect). Correct: "Я выгнал его вчера" for a completed past action, or "Я выгоняю его" for present ongoing.

• Mixing translations: Non-native speakers might overuse выгнать in formal contexts, sounding too aggressive. Error: Using выгнать for a political ousting. Correct: Use сместить for precision, as in "Они выгнали президента" vs. "Они сместили президента" – the latter is more appropriate and neutral.

• Gender agreement in past tense: Forgetting to adjust past forms based on subject gender. Error: "Она сместить" (incorrect). Correct: "Она сместила" for feminine subjects.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and history, verbs like сместить often evoke memories of political upheavals, such as the Bolshevik Revolution or modern coups, where ousting leaders was a common theme. This can carry a dramatic or revolutionary connotation, making it a sensitive word in discussions about governance. Understanding this helps English speakers appreciate the emotional weight in contexts like literature or media.

Related Concepts:

• революция (revolyutsiya)
• политический кризис (politicheskiy krisis)
• изгнание (izgnaniye)
• власть (vlast')