Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'postpone'

English Word: postpone

Key Russian Translations:

• отложить /ɐtɫəˈʐɨtʲ/ - [Formal, used for delaying events or actions]
• перенести /pʲɪrʲɪˈnʲɛstʲ/ - [Informal, often used for rescheduling appointments or meetings]
• отсрочить /ɐtsrəˈʧʲɪtʲ/ - [Formal, specifically for delaying deadlines or payments]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday and professional contexts, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "to go").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of verb aspects and basic conjugations. For 'отложить' and 'перенести', B1; for 'отсрочить', it may be B2 due to its specific legal or financial connotations).

Pronunciation (Russian):

отложить: /ɐtɫəˈʐɨtʲ/

перенести: /pʲɪrʲɪˈnʲɛstʲ/

отсрочить: /ɐtsrəˈʧʲɪtʲ/

Note on отложить: The stress is on the third syllable; be careful with the soft 'л' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To delay an event, action, or deadline

Translation(s) & Context:

• отложить - Used in formal contexts, such as postponing a meeting or event, emphasizing completion of the delay.
• перенести - Applied in informal or everyday situations, like rescheduling personal plans, with a focus on moving to a new time.
• отсрочить - Specifically for official or financial contexts, such as delaying a payment, often implying a formal extension.

Usage Examples:

• Мы отложили совещание из-за плохой погоды.

  We postponed the meeting due to bad weather.

• Из-за болезни врача пришлось перенести операцию на следующую неделю.

  Due to the doctor's illness, we had to postpone the surgery until next week.

• Банк согласился отсрочить выплату кредита на три месяца.

  The bank agreed to postpone the loan payment for three months.

• Родители отложили поездку, чтобы дождаться хорошей погоды.

  The parents postponed the trip to wait for better weather.

• Конференцию пришлось перенести в онлайн-формат из-за пандемии.

  We had to postpone the conference to an online format because of the pandemic.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations ('отложить', 'перенести', 'отсрочить') are perfective verbs in Russian, meaning they express completed actions. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a table for 'отложить' as an example; similar patterns apply to the others with minor variations.

For 'перенести', it follows a similar pattern but is more irregular in some forms. 'отсрочить' is regular and does not change in gender for past tense. These verbs are aspectual pairs, so always pair with their imperfective counterparts for ongoing actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • перенести - Similar to 'отложить' but often implies physical relocation in time.
  • отсрочить - Overlaps with 'отложить' in formal contexts, but more specific to delays with agreements.
  • задержать - Used for temporary holds, with a nuance of unintentional delay.
• Antonyms:
  • провести - To carry out or hold an event without delay.
  • сделать - To complete immediately, contrasting with postponement.

Related Phrases:

• Отложить на потом - To put off until later; used for procrastination in casual contexts.
• Перенести дату - To reschedule a date; common in planning and events.
• Отсрочить платеж - To defer a payment; typically in financial or legal settings, with the meaning of extending a due date.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'postpone' is best translated based on context: use 'отложить' for general delays, 'перенести' for rescheduling, and 'отсрочить' for formal extensions. Always consider the verb aspect—perfective (like these) for completed actions. In formal writing or speech, prefer 'отложить' or 'отсрочить' over 'перенести'. Be mindful of gender and number agreements in past tense forms. For English learners, choose the translation that best matches the nuance to avoid overgeneralization.

• Context tip: In business emails, 'отложить' is more neutral and professional.
• Grammar note: These verbs require an object, e.g., 'отложить встречу' (postpone the meeting).

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse perfective and imperfective aspects. For example, using 'отложить' when an ongoing action is needed—instead, use 'откладывать' for "to be postponing." Incorrect: "Я отложу завтра" (implies a single future action, but might not fit if describing a habit). Correct: "Я откладываю дела на потом" (I keep postponing tasks). Another error is overusing 'перенести' in formal contexts; it can sound too casual for official documents.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, postponing events is common due to unpredictable weather or last-minute changes, reflecting a flexible approach to time management. However, in professional settings, it's seen as necessary but not ideal, emphasizing reliability. The concept of 'отложить' can tie into broader themes of adaptability in Russian daily life, especially in regions with harsh winters.

Related Concepts:

• задержать
• отменить
• переносить