Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'overlook'

English Word: overlook

Key Russian Translations:

• пропустить [prəˈpusʲtʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, often used in everyday contexts for missing something unintentionally]
• игнорировать [ɪɡnərʲɪˈravatʲ] - [Formal, implies deliberate disregard]
• упустить [ʊˈpusʲtʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, emphasizes losing an opportunity]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations appear regularly in both spoken and written Russian, but not as commonly as basic verbs like "сказать".)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp the concept with practice, as it involves understanding context and verb conjugations, though "игнорировать" may feel easier due to its borrowed roots.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

пропустить: [prəˈpusʲtʲɪtʲ]

игнорировать: [ɪɡnərʲɪˈravatʲ]

упустить: [ʊˈpusʲtʲɪtʲ]

Note on пропустить: The stress falls on the second syllable; be cautious with the soft 'т' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Variations in informal speech may soften the vowels.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To fail to notice or consider something (e.g., unintentional oversight)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пропустить - Used in casual conversations, such as overlooking a detail in daily life.
• упустить - Applied in contexts involving missed opportunities, like in business or personal decisions.

Usage Examples:

• Я пропустил важное сообщение в чате. (Ya propustil vazhnoye soobshcheniye v chate.)

  I overlooked an important message in the chat. (This example shows the verb in a simple past tense, common in informal digital communication.)

• Он часто упускает детали в отчетах. (On chasto upuskayet detali v otchyotakh.)

  He often overlooks details in reports. (Illustrates use in a professional setting, emphasizing habitual action.)

• Не пропусти этот шанс! (Ne propusti etot shans!)

  Don't overlook this chance! (Demonstrates imperative form for warnings or advice.)

• Мы пропустили остановку метро из-за отвлечения. (My propustili ostanovku metro iz-za otvlecheniya.)

  We overlooked the metro stop because of distraction. (Shows the verb in a plural subject context, highlighting everyday errors.)

Meaning 2: To deliberately ignore or disregard something

Translation(s) & Context:

• игнорировать - Common in formal or written contexts, such as ignoring advice or rules.

Usage Examples:

• Она игнорирует мои звонки, чтобы сосредоточиться на работе. (Ona igniriruyet moi zvonki, chtoby sosredotochitsya na rabote.)

  She overlooks my calls to focus on work. (This example uses the verb with objects, in a deliberate avoidance scenario.)

• Правительство игнорирует проблемы экологии. (Pravitelstvo igniriruyet problemy ekologii.)

  The government overlooks environmental issues. (Illustrates use in broader, societal contexts with abstract nouns.)

• Не игнорируй предупреждения! (Ne igniriruy preduprezhdeniya!)

  Don't overlook the warnings! (Shows imperative form for urgent advice.)

• Он игнорировал правила, что привело к проблемам. (On igniriroval pravila, chto privelo k problemam.)

  He overlooked the rules, which led to problems. (Demonstrates cause-and-effect structures in narrative.)

• Мы не должны игнорировать культурные различия. (My ne dolzhny ignirirovat' kulturnyye razlichiya.)

  We shouldn't overlook cultural differences. (Highlights use in discussions about sensitivity and awareness.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For verbs like "пропустить" and "упустить", which are imperfective, they follow standard Russian verb conjugation patterns. "Игнорировать" is a first-conjugation verb with irregularities due to its borrowed origin.

Note: These verbs do not change in gender or number in their infinitive form but conjugate based on person and tense. "Игнорировать" is less irregular than native verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • не заметить (ne zametit') - More neutral, often for accidental overlooking.
  • пренебречь (prenyobrech') - Implies disdain, slightly more formal than пропустить.
• Antonyms:
  • заметить (zametit') - To notice.
  • обратить внимание (obratit' vnimaniye) - To pay attention.

Related Phrases:

• пропустить мимо ушей (propustit' mimo ushey) - To let something go in one ear and out the other; implies ignoring advice casually.
• игнорировать на корню (ignirirovat' na kornu) - To ignore something from the start; used in formal contexts for dismissing ideas outright.
• упустить момент (upustit' moment) - To miss the moment; refers to overlooking a timely opportunity in life or work.

Usage Notes:

"Пропустить" is the most direct informal equivalent to "overlook" for unintentional actions, while "игнорировать" suits deliberate ignoring, similar to English "ignore". Choose based on context: use "пропустить" in everyday speech and "игнорировать" in professional or written Russian. Be mindful of aspect—Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective forms, so pair with appropriate auxiliaries for tense. For example, in questions or negatives, it integrates smoothly with particles like "не".

• Grammar note: Always conjugate based on subject; English speakers may err by using the infinitive form incorrectly.
• Context tip: In Russian culture, overlooking social cues can be seen as rude, so these words often carry subtle interpersonal implications.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse "пропустить" with "упустить", thinking they are identical; however, "упустить" specifically implies a lost opportunity, while "пропустить" is broader. For example:

• Incorrect: Я упустил сообщение (if it was just overlooked, not a missed chance).
• Correct: Я пропустил сообщение. (Explanation: Use "пропустить" for simple oversight to avoid overstating the consequence.)
• Another error: Overusing "игнорировать" in informal settings, where "пропустить" sounds more natural. For instance, saying "Я игнорирую друга" might sound too harsh; better: "Я пропустил звонок друга".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, overlooking details (e.g., using "пропустить") can relate to the concept of "авось" (avos'), a folk belief in luck or improvisation, where small oversights are tolerated in daily life. However, in formal contexts like business, deliberate ignoring via "игнорировать" might reflect historical influences of Soviet-era bureaucracy, where ignoring rules was sometimes a survival tactic.

Related Concepts:

• внимание (vnimaniye) - Attention
• небрежность (nebrezhnost') - Negligence
• замечать (zamechat') - To notice