Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pester'

English Word: pester

Key Russian Translations:

• надоедать [nədɐɪˈedətʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Often used in everyday conversations]
• досаждать [dɐˈsɑʒdətʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used in more polite or literary contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in casual speech but not as frequent as basic verbs like "говорить").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and aspect in Russian, but the core meaning is straightforward for learners beyond beginner level).

Pronunciation (Russian):

надоедать: [nədɐɪˈedətʲ]

Note on надоедать: The stress falls on the third syllable ("e-dá-tʲ"), and the initial "н" is pronounced softly. Be mindful of the imperfective aspect, which implies ongoing annoyance.

досаждать: [dɐˈsɑʒdətʲ]

Note on досаждать: Pronunciation varies slightly by region; in standard Russian, the "ж" is a soft fricative. This word is less commonly used in spoken language.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To annoy or bother someone persistently.

Translation(s) & Context:

• надоедать - Used in informal settings, such as family or friends, to describe repeated irritation (e.g., a child pestering a parent).
• досаждать - Applied in more formal or professional contexts, like describing bureaucratic annoyances.

Usage Examples:

• Дети постоянно надоедали родителям вопросами. (The children were constantly pestering their parents with questions.)

  English Translation: The children were constantly pestering their parents with questions.

• Его коллега досаждала ему бесконечными звонками. (His colleague was pestering him with endless calls.)

  English Translation: His colleague was pestering him with endless calls.

• Не надоедать мне, я занят! (Don't pester me, I'm busy!)

  English Translation: Don't pester me, I'm busy!

• Эта муха досаждала мне весь вечер. (This fly was pestering me all evening.)

  English Translation: This fly was pestering me all evening.

• Он продолжает надоедать ей сообщениями в соцсетях. (He keeps pestering her with messages on social media.)

  English Translation: He keeps pestering her with messages on social media.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "надоедать" and "досаждать" are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender. These verbs follow standard conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs but have irregularities in some forms.

Note: These verbs do not change in past tense based on gender for the infinitive form shown, but full paradigms include perfective counterparts like "надоедить" for completed actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • раздражать (razdrazhat' - to irritate; more general and less persistent)
  • тревожить (trevozhit' - to disturb; often with emotional connotation)
• Antonyms:
  • успокаивать (uspokaivat' - to calm)
  • оставлять в покое (ostavljat' v pokoe - to leave alone)

Related Phrases:

• Надоедать вопросами (Nadoedat' voprosami) - To pester with questions; a common way to express persistent inquiry in casual talk.
• Досаждать звонками (Dosazhdat' zvonakami) - To pester with calls; often used in professional or annoying contexts.
• Быть надоедой (Byt' nadoedoy) - To be a pest; an idiomatic phrase for someone who pesters others habitually.

Usage Notes:

"Pester" in English often implies repeated, minor annoyances, which aligns closely with "надоедать" in informal Russian contexts. However, "досаждать" is preferred in formal writing or when the annoyance is more significant. Be cautious with aspect: use imperfective forms for ongoing actions. For example, choose "надоедать" over "досаждать" in everyday speech to sound more natural. If the pestering involves physical proximity, Russian might incorporate prepositions like "к" (to) for direction.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse "надоедать" with "надоесть" (the perfective form), using it incorrectly for completed actions. Error: "Я надоедал ему вчера" (incorrect if implying a finished event). Correct: "Я надоедал ему вчера" for ongoing, or "Я надоел ему вчера" for completed. Explanation: Russian verbs have aspect, so match it to the context to avoid temporal mismatches.

• Mixing up with synonyms like "раздражать," leading to overuse in inappropriate contexts. Error: Using "раздражать" when persistence is key. Correct: "надоедать" for repeated actions. Explanation: "Раздражать" is more about immediate irritation, not ongoing pestering.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, pestering (e.g., "надоедать") is often associated with family dynamics or social interactions, reflecting the value placed on endurance and politeness. For instance, children pestering parents is a common trope in literature, symbolizing innocence, but it can also highlight boundaries in modern urban life.

Related Concepts:

• раздражение (razdrazhenie - irritation)
• настырность (nastyrnost' - persistence, often with a negative connotation)
• импортюнити (importyuniti - importunity, a less common but related term)