Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'premature'

English Word: premature

Key Russian Translations:

• преждевременный (/prʲɪʐdʲɪvrʲɪˈmʲɛnnɨj/) - [Adjective, Formal, Used in contexts like medical or scientific discussions]
• досрочный (/ˈdosrɔt͡ɕnɨj/) - [Adjective, Informal, Often used in legal or everyday contexts for something happening ahead of schedule]

Frequency: Medium (Common in formal writing and specialized fields like medicine, but less frequent in casual conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate for most learners, as it involves understanding adjective inflections; for "досрочный," it may be slightly easier at B1 due to simpler forms)

Pronunciation (Russian):

преждевременный: /prʲɪʐdʲɪvrʲɪˈmʲɛnnɨj/

досрочный: /ˈdosrɔt͡ɕnɨj/

Note on преждевременный: The initial "пр" sound can be challenging for English speakers due to the palatalized "р" (rʲ); practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Occurring, developing, or done before the proper, usual, or intended time (e.g., premature birth).

Translation(s) & Context:

• преждевременный - Used in formal or medical contexts, such as describing early labor or hasty decisions.
• досрочный - Applied in everyday or legal scenarios, like early retirement or premature contract termination.

Usage Examples:

• Ребенок родился преждевременным из-за осложнений во время беременности.

  The child was born prematurely due to complications during pregnancy.

• Его преждевременное решение об отставке шокировало всю команду.

  His premature decision to resign shocked the entire team.

• Досрочное завершение проекта позволило сэкономить ресурсы, но вызвало риски.

  The premature completion of the project saved resources but introduced risks.

• Врачи борются с преждевременными родами, используя современные технологии.

  Doctors combat premature births using modern technology.

• Досрочный вылет самолета был вызван погодными условиями.

  The premature departure of the plane was due to weather conditions.

Meaning 2: Happening or done too soon, often implying immaturity or incompleteness (e.g., premature judgment).

Translation(s) & Context:

• преждевременный - Common in intellectual or evaluative contexts, emphasizing haste.
• досрочный - Less common here, but used if referring to early conclusions in procedural matters.

Usage Examples:

• Его преждевременный вывод о виновности подозреваемого был ошибочным.

  His premature conclusion about the suspect's guilt was mistaken.

• Преждевременные комментарии в прессе могут повредить расследованию.

  Premature comments in the press can harm the investigation.

• Досрочное объявление результатов выборов нарушило протокол.

  The premature announcement of election results violated protocol.

• Избегайте преждевременных суждений, пока не собраны все факты.

  Avoid premature judgments until all facts are gathered.

• Преждевременная радость часто приводит к разочарованию.

  Premature joy often leads to disappointment.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. "Преждевременный" follows standard first-declension adjective patterns, while "Досрочный" is similar but may vary slightly in usage.

Note: These adjectives do not have irregular forms but must agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ранний (ranniy) - Similar but implies "early" in a neutral sense; often used for time-related prematurity.
  • срочный (srochnyy) - Overlaps in contexts of urgency, but less common for "premature."
• Antonyms:
  • поздний (pozdniy) - Means "late," directly opposing the idea of something happening too soon.
  • вовремя (vovremya) - Means "on time," contrasting with untimely occurrences.

Related Phrases:

• преждевременные роды - Premature birth; commonly used in medical contexts to describe early delivery.
• досрочное увольнение - Premature dismissal; refers to early termination of employment.
• преждевременное старение - Premature aging; used in discussions about health and biology.

Usage Notes:

"Premature" translates most accurately to "преждевременный" in formal or scientific settings, while "досрочный" is better for legal or administrative contexts. Always ensure the adjective agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case. For English learners, note that Russian doesn't have a direct one-to-one equivalent, so choose based on context—e.g., use "преждевременный" for biological prematurity and "досрочный" for scheduled events. Be cautious with informal speech, where synonyms like "ранний" might suffice.

• In medical scenarios, "преждевременный" is preferred for its precision.
• Avoid overusing these terms in casual conversation to prevent sounding overly formal.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse "преждевременный" with "ранний," thinking they are identical. For example, incorrectly using "ранний" for a premature birth: Wrong: "Ранний ребенок" (implies the child is just early-born, not medically premature). Correct: "Преждевременный ребенок." This error stems from overlooking the medical connotations; always check context to select the right word.

• Error: Using "досрочный" in non-scheduled contexts, e.g., "Досрочный ребенок" instead of "преждевременный ребенок." Explanation: "Досрочный" implies a planned early end, not a natural occurrence.
• Error: Forgetting inflections, e.g., saying "преждевременный дом" instead of "преждевременное решение." Correct: Match the form to the noun's gender and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "преждевременные роды" carry significant emotional and medical weight, often linked to public health campaigns in Russia. Historically, high rates of premature births in certain regions have influenced family planning discussions, emphasizing the importance of prenatal care in Slavic societies.

Related Concepts:

• ранний
• срочный
• поздний
• вовремя