Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'owe'

English Word: owe

Key Russian Translations:

• должать /dɐl'ʐatʲ/ - [Formal, used in contexts involving debt or obligation]
• быть должным /bɨtʲ ˈdolʲʐnɨm/ - [Informal, literal expression, used in everyday speech]

Frequency: Medium (The word is commonly used in financial and obligation-related contexts but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugations and basic obligation structures. For 'должать', it's B1; for 'быть должным', it's A2 if used simply.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

должать: /dɐl'ʐatʲ/ (The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure', but can be challenging for English speakers.)

быть должным: /bɨtʲ ˈdolʲʐnɨm/ (Stress on the second syllable of 'должным'; note the soft sign 'ь' affecting pronunciation.)

Note on должать: Be careful with the soft 'л' in 'должать', which softens the preceding consonant; common mispronunciation involves hardening it.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To be under obligation to pay or repay something, often money.

Translation(s) & Context:

• должать - Used in formal financial or legal contexts, such as owing money or debts.
• быть должным - Informal equivalent, often in personal conversations about obligations.

Usage Examples:

• Я должен ему сто долларов. (Ya dolzhen emu sto dollarov.)

  I owe him a hundred dollars. (This example shows 'должать' in a simple declarative sentence about debt.)

• Она всё ещё должна банку за кредит. (Ona vsyo yeshcho dolzhna banku za kredit.)

  She still owes the bank for the loan. (Illustrates 'должать' in a past obligation context with a direct object.)

• Мы были должны вернуть книгу вовремя. (My byli dolzhny vernut' knigu vovremya.)

  We were supposed to return the book on time. (Here, 'быть должным' is used in a past tense for non-financial obligations.)

• Если ты должен другу, то лучше заплатить сразу. (Yesli ty dolzhen drugu, to luchshe zaplatit' srazu.)

  If you owe a friend, it's better to pay right away. (Demonstrates 'должать' in a conditional sentence for interpersonal contexts.)

• Он был должным извиниться за опоздание. (On byl dolzhnym izvinit'sya za opozdaniye.)

  He was obligated to apologize for being late. (Shows 'быть должным' in a non-financial, moral obligation scenario.)

Secondary Meaning: To be under a moral or legal obligation to do something.

Translation(s) & Context:

• должать - Extended to non-financial duties, like in contracts or promises.
• быть должным - Common in everyday moral contexts, such as social norms.

Usage Examples:

• Я должен закончить проект к пятнице. (Ya dolzhen zakonchit' proyekt k pyatnitse.)

  I owe it to finish the project by Friday. (This uses 'должать' to express a work-related obligation.)

• Дети должны уважать родителей. (Deti dolzhny uvazhat' roditeley.)

  Children owe respect to their parents. (Illustrates 'должать' in a cultural or ethical context.)

• Быть должным другу — это вопрос чести. (Byt' dolzhnym drugu — eto vopros chesti.)

  To owe a friend is a matter of honor. (Shows 'быть должным' in an abstract, moral sense.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'должать' (a verb of the first conjugation), it follows regular patterns but has irregularities in some forms. Below is a table of its key inflections:

For 'быть должным' (a phrase with the adjective 'должный'), 'должный' is an adjective that declines like a regular second-declension adjective:

• Nominative singular: должный (dolzhnyy)
• Genitive singular: должного (dolzhnogo)
• It remains unchanged in plural forms in some contexts but fully declines otherwise.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: быть обязанным (byt' obyazannym) - More formal, emphasizes legal duty; задолжать (zadolzhat') - Implies incurring debt suddenly.
• Antonyms: платить (platit') - To pay; возвращать (vozvrashchat') - To return or repay.

Related Phrases:

• Должать деньги (Dolzhat' den'gi) - To owe money; common in financial discussions.
• Быть в долгу (Byt' v dolgu) - To be in debt; implies a broader sense of obligation.
• Должник по кредиту (Dolzhnik po kreditu) - Debtor on a loan; used in banking contexts.

Usage Notes:

'Должать' directly corresponds to 'owe' in financial contexts but can extend to moral obligations, unlike the more neutral English usage. Choose 'должать' for formal situations and 'быть должным' for informal ones. Note that Russian often requires specifying the object (e.g., 'должать деньги'), and verb conjugations change based on tense and subject, which differs from English's simple structure.

• In negative forms, use 'не должен' for 'not owe', which can also mean 'should not' in obligations.
• Be mindful of context: 'Должать' is aspectually imperfective, implying ongoing obligation.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'должать' with 'должен' (an adjective meaning 'must' or 'ought to'). For example:

• Error: Saying 'Я должен' to mean 'I owe' without context, which might imply 'I must'.
• Correct: Use 'Я должен [object]', e.g., 'Я должен деньги' (I owe money). Explanation: 'Должен' as a verb form needs proper conjugation and objects for accuracy.
• Another error: Overusing 'быть должным' in formal writing, where 'должать' is preferred. Correct example: Instead of 'Я быть должным заплатить', say 'Я должен заплатить'.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, owing debts ('должать') carries a strong moral weight, often linked to concepts of honor and trust. Historically, from Soviet-era financial systems to modern capitalism, being in debt can imply social stigma, as seen in literature like Dostoevsky's works, where debt symbolizes personal and societal burdens.

Related Concepts:

• долг (dolg) - Debt
• обязанность (obyazannost') - Duty or obligation
• кредит (kredit) - Credit or loan