Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'outweigh'

English Word: outweigh

Key Russian Translations:

• перевешивать [pʲɪrʲɪˈvʲeʂɨvətʲ] - [Formal; used in contexts of importance or weight]
• превосходить [prʲɪˈvosxodʲɪtʲ] - [Formal; often for surpassing in quality or quantity]

Frequency: Medium; commonly used in formal writing, debates, and analytical discussions, but less frequent in everyday casual speech.

Difficulty: B2; Intermediate level, as it involves understanding verb conjugations and nuanced contexts. For "перевешивать," difficulty is B2 due to imperfective aspect; for "превосходить," it's also B2.

Pronunciation (Russian):

перевешивать: [pʲɪrʲɪˈvʲeʂɨvətʲ]

превосходить: [prʲɪˈvosxodʲɪtʲ]

Note on перевешивать: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the "ш" sound, which is a soft, retroflex fricative. Variations may occur in rapid speech.

Note on превосходить: Stress falls on the third syllable; the "x" is pronounced as a guttural "kh" sound, common in Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To be greater in weight, importance, or value than something else.

Translation(s) & Context:

• перевешивать - Used in formal contexts to indicate that one factor outweighs another in significance, e.g., in decision-making or risk assessment.
• превосходить - Applied when something exceeds another in quality, often in comparative analyses or descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Преимущества перевешивают риски в этом инвестировании.

  The benefits outweigh the risks in this investment.

• Его опыт перевешивает недостаток формального образования.

  His experience outweighs the lack of formal education.

• Качество продукции превосходит цену, делая её выгодной покупкой.

  The quality of the product outweighs the price, making it a worthwhile purchase.

• В этом споре аргументы за перевешивают аргументы против.

  In this debate, the arguments in favor outweigh those against.

• Эмоциональные факторы часто перевешивают логические в личных решениях.

  Emotional factors often outweigh logical ones in personal decisions.

Secondary Meaning: To exceed in influence or effect.

Translation(s) & Context:

• перевешивать - In metaphorical contexts, such as in psychology or ethics, where one element dominates.
• превосходить - Emphasizes superiority, often in competitive scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• В науке эмпирические доказательства перевешивают теоретические предположения.

  In science, empirical evidence outweighs theoretical assumptions.

• Её влияние превосходит влияние других лидеров в регионе.

  Her influence outweighs that of other leaders in the region.

• Здоровье перевешивает материальный успех для многих людей.

  Health outweighs material success for many people.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "перевешивать" and "превосходить" are verbs, and they follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. "Перевешивать" is an imperfective verb, while "превосходить" can be used in both aspects but is often perfective in context.

Note: These verbs do not have irregular inflections but require attention to aspect (imperfective vs. perfective) for correct usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • доминировать (to dominate; more emphatic, often in power dynamics)
  • преобладать (to prevail; similar but with a sense of majority)
• Antonyms:
  • не дотягивать (to fall short; implies insufficiency)
  • уступать (to yield; used when something is less significant)

Related Phrases:

• Перевесить чашу весов - Literally "to tip the scales," meaning to make one side outweigh the other; used in metaphorical contexts like arguments or decisions.
• Превосходить ожидания - "To exceed expectations"; common in reviews or evaluations.
• Когда преимущества перевешивают недостатки - "When advantages outweigh disadvantages"; a standard phrase in pros/cons discussions.

Usage Notes:

"Outweigh" corresponds closely to "перевешивать" in contexts of balance or importance, but choose "превосходить" for scenarios emphasizing superiority. In Russian, these verbs are formal and best used in written or professional speech; in casual conversation, simpler phrases like "быть важнее" might be preferred. Pay attention to verb aspect: use imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective for completed ones. When translating, ensure the context matches to avoid overgeneralization.

• Grammar tip: These verbs require agreement with the subject in number and gender in past tense.
• Selection guide: Use "перевешивать" for weighing pros and cons; "превосходить" for direct comparisons.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse the aspect of these verbs. For example, incorrectly using "превзойти" (perfective) in a general sense instead of "перевешивать" (imperfective) for ongoing outweighing: Wrong: "Преимущества превзошли риски всегда." (Implies a one-time event) Correct: "Преимущества перевешивают риски в большинстве случаев." Explanation: Use imperfective for habitual or general states to accurately convey "outweigh" in English.

Another error is literal translation without context: Wrong: "Мои аргументы outweigh твои." (Direct borrowing) Correct: "Мои аргументы перевешивают твои." Explanation: Adapt to Russian structure for natural flow.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "перевесить чашу весов" draw from historical imagery of balance scales, symbolizing justice in literature and law. This reflects a cultural emphasis on fairness and deliberation in decision-making, often seen in Russian proverbs and debates.

Related Concepts:

• баланс (balance)
• преимущество (advantage)
• сравнение (comparison)