Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pique'

English Word: pique

Key Russian Translations:

• возбудить [vozbuˈditʲ] - [Verb, Formal, Used in contexts to stimulate or arouse interest]
• раздражение [rəzdraˈʐenʲje] - [Noun, Neutral, Used for feelings of resentment or irritation]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations are commonly encountered in literature and everyday conversation, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugations and noun declensions. For 'возбудить', it may be slightly more challenging due to irregular aspects; for 'раздражение', it's straightforward for intermediate learners.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

возбудить: [vozbuˈditʲ]

Note on возбудить: The stress is on the second syllable; the soft 'тʲ' sound can be tricky for English speakers, similar to the 't' in 'nature'. Pay attention to the vowel shifts in inflected forms.

раздражение: [rəzdraˈʐenʲje]

Note on раздражение: The 'ж' sound is like the 's' in 'measure', and the word ends with a soft 'e' sound; it's relatively easy to pronounce but common in emotional contexts.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To stimulate or arouse interest (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• возбудить - Used in formal, literary, or intellectual contexts, such as discussing books or ideas that spark curiosity.

Usage Examples:

• Эта лекция возбудила в студентах интерес к современной науке.

  This lecture piqued the students' interest in modern science.

• Фильм возбудил её любопытство к зарубежной культуре.

  The film piqued her curiosity about foreign culture.

• Новая технология возбудила энтузиазм среди инженеров.

  The new technology piqued enthusiasm among engineers.

• Его рассказ возбудил в аудитории желание узнать больше.

  His story piqued the audience's desire to learn more.

Meaning 2: A feeling of resentment or irritation (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• раздражение - Used in everyday or emotional contexts to describe annoyance, often in personal or social interactions.

Usage Examples:

• Его слова вызвали у неё лёгкое раздражение.

  His words caused her a slight pique (of irritation).

• Раздражение от неудачи побудило его попробовать снова.

  The pique from failure motivated him to try again.

• В её голосе послышалось раздражение из-за задержки.

  Pique was evident in her voice due to the delay.

• Это мелкое раздражение быстро прошло после извинений.

  This minor pique quickly faded after the apologies.

• Раздражение накопилось от повторяющихся ошибок.

  Pique built up from repeated mistakes.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'возбудить' (a verb), it is an imperfective verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs in Russian. It can change based on tense, aspect, and person. Below is a basic conjugation table for the present tense:

Note: The perfective aspect is 'возбудить', used for completed actions.

For 'раздражение' (a neuter noun, 2nd declension), it declines regularly as follows:

This noun does not have irregular forms, making it straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for возбудить: заинтересовать (to interest), раззадорить (to provoke interest; often used in more casual contexts with a playful connotation).
• Synonyms for раздражение: обида (offense, with a deeper emotional hurt), досада (annoyance, more temporary).
• Antonyms for возбудить: успокоить (to calm), отпугнуть (to deter).
• Antonyms for раздражение: спокойствие (calmness), удовлетворение (satisfaction).

Related Phrases:

• Возбудить интерес - To arouse interest; often used in educational or motivational contexts.
• Вызвать раздражение - To cause irritation; common in describing conflicts or frustrations.
• Подавить раздражение - To suppress pique; implies controlling emotions in social situations.

Usage Notes:

'Возбудить' directly corresponds to the verb form of 'pique' when meaning to stimulate interest, but it's more formal in Russian and often appears in written or intellectual discourse. Use it sparingly in casual conversation to avoid sounding overly literary. For 'раздражение', it aligns with the noun form of 'pique' for resentment, but note that Russian culture emphasizes emotional restraint, so this word might be used more in reflective contexts. When choosing between translations, opt for 'возбудить' in active sentences and 'раздражение' for states of mind. Grammatically, ensure verbs agree with subject gender and number.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'возбудить' with 'возбудить интерес' and omitting the object, leading to incomplete sentences. Incorrect: "Я возбудил." (This doesn't convey full meaning.) Correct: "Я возбудил интерес." (I piqued interest.) Explanation: Russian verbs often require objects for clarity.
• Error: Using 'раздражение' in plural form incorrectly, e.g., treating it as countable. Incorrect: "Я имею раздражения." (Wrong usage.) Correct: "Я испытываю раздражение." (I feel pique.) Explanation: It's an uncountable noun in most contexts, so avoid pluralizing unless specifying multiple instances.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'раздражение' often reflect the value placed on emotional endurance, stemming from historical contexts like Soviet-era stoicism. 'Возбудить' might be linked to intellectual pursuits in literature, such as in works by Tolstoy, where curiosity is a driver of personal growth, highlighting Russia's emphasis on deep, reflective engagement with ideas.

Related Concepts:

• заинтересованность (interest)
• обида (offense)
• эмоциональный подъем (emotional uplift)