Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'perturb'

English Word: perturb

Key Russian Translations:

• возмущать [vɐzmʊˈʂatʲ] - [Formal, used in contexts involving intellectual or emotional disturbance]
• беспокоить [bʲɪspɐˈkojɪtʲ] - [Informal, commonly used in everyday conversations for causing worry or unease]

Frequency: Medium (This verb and its variants appear regularly in literature, news, and daily speech, but not as commonly as basic verbs like "быть" or "делать".)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuanced contexts, suitable for learners with a solid grasp of basic Russian grammar.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

возмущать: [vɐzmʊˈʂatʲ]

Note on возмущать: The 'щ' sound in [ʂ] is a retroflex fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; it's similar to the 'sh' in "she" but more emphatic. Stress falls on the third syllable.

беспокоить: [bʲɪspɐˈkojɪtʲ]

Note on беспокоить: The initial 'бь' is a palatalized 'b' [bʲ], which softens the sound; practice with native audio to master the fluidity. Stress is on the third syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To disturb or agitate mentally, causing unease or disruption.

Translation(s) & Context:

• возмущать - Used in formal or literary contexts, such as scientific discussions or emotional appeals, to describe intellectual disturbance.
• беспокоить - Applied in informal settings, like personal conversations, to express worry or minor agitation.

Usage Examples:

• Эта новость может возмущать умы ученых. (This news might perturb the minds of scientists.)

  English: This news might perturb the minds of scientists.

• Его слова начали беспокоить меня во время беседы. (His words started to perturb me during the conversation.)

  English: His words started to perturb me during the conversation.

• Политические события часто возмущают общественное мнение. (Political events often perturb public opinion.)

  English: Political events often perturb public opinion.

• Шум за окном беспокоит меня, когда я работаю. (The noise outside is perturbing me while I'm working.)

  English: The noise outside is perturbing me while I'm working.

• Фильм возмущает зрителей своей реалистичностью. (The film perturbs viewers with its realism.)

  English: The film perturbs viewers with its realism.

Meaning 2: To cause physical or external disturbance (less common translation).

Translation(s) & Context:

• возмущать - In scientific contexts, like physics, to describe perturbations in systems.

Usage Examples:

• Волны могут возмущать спокойную поверхность воды. (Waves can perturb the calm surface of the water.)

  English: Waves can perturb the calm surface of the water.

• Малые возмущения в системе приводят к большим изменениям. (Minor perturbations in the system lead to major changes.)

  English: Minor perturbations in the system lead to major changes.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, which follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. возмущать is a first-conjugation verb, while беспокоить is also first-conjugation but with palatalization features. Below is a conjugation table for возмущать in the present tense; беспокоить follows a similar pattern.

For беспокоить:

These verbs are regular and do not have irregular forms, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • тревожить (to worry or disturb; more neutral and less intense than беспокоить)
  • волновать (to excite or agitate; often used for emotional states, with a connotation of stirring feelings)
• Antonyms:
  • успокаивать (to calm or soothe)
  • умиротворять (to pacify or bring peace)

Related Phrases:

• возмущать умы - To perturb minds (used in intellectual or philosophical contexts; refers to ideas that challenge established thoughts.)
• беспокоить кого-то - To perturb someone (a common phrase for causing personal worry; often in daily interactions.)
• малые возмущения - Minor perturbations (in scientific or technical language, referring to small disturbances in systems.)

Usage Notes:

"Perturb" in English often carries a formal or scientific tone, which aligns closely with "возмущать" in Russian, especially in academic contexts. Choose "беспокоить" for everyday, informal situations to better match the emotional nuance. Be mindful of aspect: Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective forms, so pair with perfectives like "возмутить" for completed actions. In spoken Russian, these verbs are frequently used with direct objects, e.g., "возмущать кого-то" (to perturb someone).

Common Errors:

• Mistaking the conjugation: English learners often incorrectly conjugate "возмущать" as "возмущаю" in third person, saying "он возмущаю" instead of "он возмущает". Correct usage: "Он возмущает аудиторию." (He perturbs the audience.)
• Overusing in informal contexts: Beginners might use "возмущать" where "беспокоить" is more appropriate, e.g., saying "Это возмущает меня" in a casual chat when "Это беспокоит меня" sounds more natural. Explanation: "возмущать" implies a deeper, more intellectual disturbance.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "возмущать" often appear in literature and media to describe societal upheavals, reflecting Russia's history of revolutions and intellectual debates. For instance, it echoes themes in works by authors like Dostoevsky, where mental perturbation drives character development, highlighting the cultural emphasis on introspection and emotional depth.

Related Concepts:

• эмоции (emotions)
• тревога (anxiety)
• возбуждение (excitement or agitation)