Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'preach'

English Word: preach

Key Russian Translations:

• проповедовать (/prə.pɐ.vʲɪˈda.tʲ/) - [Formal, Religious context]
• пропагандировать (/prə.pɐ.ɡɐnˈdʲi.rə.vatʲ/) - [Informal, Advocacy or promotion]

Frequency: Medium (Common in religious, motivational, or persuasive contexts, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; involves verb conjugations and contextual usage; "проповедовать" may be slightly more challenging due to its formal nature)

Pronunciation (Russian):

проповедовать: /prə.pɐ.vʲɪˈda.tʲ/

пропагандировать: /prə.pɐ.ɡɐnˈdʲi.rə.vatʲ/

Note on проповедовать: The stress falls on the third syllable ("da"), which can be tricky for learners as Russian stress is not always predictable. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To deliver a religious sermon or moral lesson

Translation(s) & Context:

• проповедовать - Used in formal or religious settings, such as church services, to convey moral or spiritual messages.

Usage Examples:

• Священник проповедует в церкви каждое воскресенье.

  The priest preaches in the church every Sunday.

• Она проповедует о важности милосердия в своей общине.

  She preaches about the importance of mercy in her community.

• Миссионер проповедовал Евангелие в отдалённой деревне.

  The missionary preached the Gospel in a remote village.

• Проповедовать слово Божье – это его жизненное призвание.

  Preaching the word of God is his life's calling.

To advocate or urge something strongly, often in a persuasive manner

Translation(s) & Context:

• пропагандировать - Used in informal or secular contexts, such as promoting ideas, but can imply a more neutral or positive advocacy compared to English "preach."

Usage Examples:

• Он пропагандирует здоровый образ жизни на своих лекциях.

  He preaches a healthy lifestyle in his lectures.

• Активистка пропагандирует экологические изменения в обществе.

  The activist preaches environmental changes in society.

• В интернете люди пропагандируют свои взгляды на политику.

  Online, people preach their views on politics.

• Она пропагандирует терпимость, но иногда звучит слишком настойчиво.

  She preaches tolerance, but sometimes comes across as too insistent.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both key translations are verbs and follow standard Russian verb conjugation patterns. "Проповедовать" is a first-conjugation verb (ending in -овать), while "пропагандировать" is also first-conjugation. They are imperfective verbs, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions.

These verbs do not have irregular forms, but pay attention to the stress shifts in conjugated forms, which is common in Russian.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • пропагандировать (similar to "проповедовать" but more neutral)
  • распространять (to spread ideas, often informally)
  • настаивать (to insist, with a persuasive tone; used when emphasizing strongly)
• Antonyms:
  • осуждать (to condemn; opposite in a moral or critical sense)
  • отвергать (to reject; implies dismissal of ideas)

Related Phrases:

• проповедь делать - To give a sermon; often used in religious contexts to mean delivering a speech.
• пропагандировать идеи - To promote ideas; a common phrase for advocating concepts in discussions or media.
• церковная проповедь - Church sermon; refers to a formal religious address, highlighting its structured nature.

Usage Notes:

• "Проповедовать" is the most direct equivalent to "preach" in religious contexts and is typically formal, while "пропагандировать" suits secular or persuasive scenarios. Choose based on context to avoid sounding overly moralistic.
• In Russian, these verbs often require a direct object or prepositional phrase for clarity, e.g., "проповедовать Евангелие" (preach the Gospel).
• Be mindful of register: "Проповедовать" is rare in everyday speech and more common in literature or formal settings, whereas "пропагандировать" can appear in casual conversations about opinions.

Common Errors:

• Confusing "проповедовать" with "пропагандировать": Learners might use "пропагандировать" in religious contexts, which sounds odd. Correct: Use "проповедовать" for sermons; Error: "Он пропагандирует в церкви" (incorrect); Instead: "Он проповедует в церкви".
• Overlooking verb conjugations: English speakers often forget to change endings, e.g., saying "проповедует" incorrectly as "проповедовать" in present tense. Correct form: Ensure subject-verb agreement, as in "Я проповедую".
• Misplacing stress: In pronunciation, stressing the wrong syllable can alter meaning; for example, misstressing "проповедовать" might make it sound like a different word.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "проповедовать" is closely tied to the Russian Orthodox Church, which has a significant historical role in society. Preaching often carries connotations of moral guidance from authority figures, reflecting Russia's spiritual heritage. However, in modern contexts, it can also evoke skepticism due to the country's history of atheism under Soviet rule.

Related Concepts:

• церковь (church)
• вера (faith)
• миссионер (missionary)