Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'predominate'

English Word: predominate

Key Russian Translations:

• Преобладать (prʲɪɐbləˈdatʲ) - [Formal, Verb]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in formal writing, news, and academic discussions)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Преобладать: prʲɪɐbləˈdatʲ

Note on Преобладать: The stress is on the third syllable ('da'). Pay attention to the soft 'л' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To be the most common or dominant (e.g., in a group or situation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Преобладать - Used in formal contexts to describe something that is prevalent or superior, such as in statistics or social analysis.

Usage Examples:

• В этом регионе преобладают хвойные леса, так как климат холодный.

  In this region, coniferous forests predominate because the climate is cold.

• В обществе преобладают консервативные взгляды на образование.

  Conservative views predominate in society regarding education.

• Преобладают ли синие тона в твоей новой картине?

  Do blue tones predominate in your new painting?

• В этой диете преобладают овощи и фрукты для поддержания здоровья.

  Vegetables and fruits predominate in this diet to maintain health.

• Преобладают мужчины в этой профессии, но это постепенно меняется.

  Men predominate in this profession, but that's gradually changing.

To have controlling influence or power

Translation(s) & Context:

• Преобладать - Applied in contexts involving dominance, such as in politics or economics.

Usage Examples:

• В переговорах интересы крупного бизнеса преобладают над интересами малого.

  In negotiations, the interests of big business predominate over those of small businesses.

• Преобладают ли экономические факторы в принятии этого решения?

  Do economic factors predominate in making this decision?

• В этой культуре традиции преобладают над современными веяниями.

  In this culture, traditions predominate over modern trends.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Преобладать is a verb of the first conjugation in Russian, which means it follows regular patterns but has some irregularities in certain forms. It is imperfective and can be used in various tenses.

Note: The verb changes based on gender in the past tense (e.g., преобладал for masculine, преобладала for feminine).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Доминировать (dominirovat') - Similar, but often implies more forceful control.
  • Господствовать (gospodstvovat') - Used for overarching dominance, especially in historical or power contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • Отсутствовать (otsutstvovat') - To be absent or lacking.
  • Уступать (ustupat') - To yield or give way.

Related Phrases:

• Преобладать в чём-то - To predominate in something; e.g., "Преобладать в обсуждении" (To dominate the discussion).
• Преобладающее большинство - Predominant majority; refers to the largest group in a vote or opinion.
• Преобладать над - To prevail over; e.g., "Преобладать над конкурентами" (To predominate over competitors).

Usage Notes:

Преобладать is a formal verb that directly corresponds to "predominate" in English, emphasizing prevalence without implying aggression. It is commonly used in written Russian, such as in reports or analyses, rather than casual conversation. When choosing between translations like преобладать and доминировать, opt for преобладать if the context is neutral or statistical. Be mindful of verb aspect: it's imperfective, so it describes ongoing states rather than completed actions.

• In sentences, it often pairs with prepositions like "в" (in) or "над" (over) to specify the domain.
• Avoid using it in informal settings; instead, simpler verbs like "быть основным" (to be main) might be more appropriate.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse the conjugation of преобладать with irregular verbs. For example, they might incorrectly say "преобладать" in the past tense as "преобладал" for all genders, forgetting feminine forms like "преобладала". Correct usage: Use "преобладала" for feminine subjects. Another error is overusing it in informal contexts; instead of saying "В нашей группе преобладают мальчики" in casual talk, natives might say "В нашей группе больше мальчиков".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like преобладать often appear in discussions of social or historical dominance, reflecting Russia's emphasis on collective structures. For instance, it might be used to describe how certain ideologies predominated during the Soviet era, highlighting themes of control and prevalence in Russian history.

Related Concepts:

• Доминирование
• Преимущество
• Гегемония