Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'propagate'

English Word: propagate

Key Russian Translations:

• пропагандировать [prə.pɐ.ɡɐn.dʲɪ.rə.vatʲ] - [Formal, often used in political or ideological contexts]
• распространять [rɐ.sprəs.trɐ.'nʲætʲ] - [General, everyday usage for spreading information or ideas]
• размножать [rɐz.mnɐ.'ʐatʲ] - [Informal, specific to biological or physical propagation, e.g., plants]

Frequency: Medium (Common in media, education, and scientific discussions, but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances; for 'пропагандировать', it may lean towards C1 due to political connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

пропагандировать: [prə.pɐ.ɡɐn.dʲɪ.rə.vatʲ]

распространять: [rɐ.sprəs.trɐ.'nʲætʲ]

размножать: [rɐz.mnɐ.'ʐatʲ]

Note on пропагандировать: This verb has stress on the fourth syllable ('dʲɪ'), which can be tricky for learners; variations in fast speech may soften the 'г' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To spread ideas, information, or beliefs (e.g., in a social or political context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пропагандировать - Used in formal settings like media or education to imply deliberate promotion of ideas.
• распространять - More neutral, applicable in everyday contexts like sharing news or rumors.

Usage Examples:

• Они активно пропагандируют экологические идеи в обществе.

  They are actively propagating ecological ideas in society.

• Социальные сети помогают распространять информацию о событиях.

  Social media helps propagate information about events.

• Правительство пропагандирует новую политику среди населения.

  The government is propagating a new policy among the population.

• Он распространяет мифы, чтобы повлиять на мнение людей.

  He is propagating myths to influence people's opinions.

• В интернете легко пропагандировать позитивные изменения.

  It's easy to propagate positive changes on the internet.

Meaning 2: To reproduce or multiply (e.g., in a biological or scientific context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• размножать - Common in scientific or agricultural discussions, implying physical growth or replication.

Usage Examples:

• Ученые размножают редкие растения в лаборатории.

  Scientists are propagating rare plants in the laboratory.

• Эта технология помогает размножать клетки для медицинских исследований.

  This technology helps propagate cells for medical research.

• В саду мы размножаем цветы, чтобы увеличить их количество.

  In the garden, we propagate flowers to increase their number.

• Бактерии размножаются быстро в теплой среде.

  Bacteria propagate quickly in a warm environment.

• Селекционеры размножают сорта, чтобы улучшить урожай.

  Breeders propagate varieties to improve the yield.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For verbs like 'пропагандировать' and 'распространять', which are imperfective, they follow standard first-conjugation patterns in Russian. 'Размножать' is also imperfective and conjugates similarly.

These verbs are irregular in some aspects due to Russian's aspect system. Below is a table for 'пропагандировать' in the present tense; similar patterns apply to others with variations.

Note: 'Размножать' has a perfective counterpart 'размножить'. These verbs do not change in gender but inflect for tense, aspect, and number as shown.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • распространять (similar to propagate but more neutral)
  • продвигать (promote, with a focus on advancement)
  • внедрять (implement or disseminate, often in professional contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • подавлять (suppress, as it opposes spreading)
  • запрещать (forbid, preventing propagation)

Related Phrases:

• пропаганда идей - (Propagation of ideas; Used in contexts of ideological campaigns)
• распространение информации - (Information propagation; Common in media and digital communication)
• размножение видов - (Species propagation; Refers to biological or environmental contexts)
• массовое распространение - (Mass propagation; Implies wide-scale dissemination, e.g., of viruses or ideas)

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'пропагандировать' directly corresponds to the English 'propagate' in propagandistic senses but carries a more negative connotation due to historical associations with Soviet-era propaganda. Use 'распространять' for neutral spreading of information to avoid unintended implications. For biological contexts, 'размножать' is preferred and is grammatically versatile, working in both formal and informal settings. When choosing between translations, consider the aspect: imperfective verbs like these describe ongoing actions, so pair with appropriate contexts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'пропагандировать' with 'распространять' and using it in neutral contexts, e.g., saying "Я пропагандирую новости" instead of "Я распространяю новости". Correct: The former implies biased promotion, which may offend. Explanation: English learners often overlook the emotional weight of 'пропагандировать'.

• Error: Incorrect conjugation, e.g., saying "Я пропагандирует" (wrong form) instead of "Я пропагандирую". Correct: Always conjugate based on person and number as per the table above. Explanation: Russian verbs require precise endings, unlike English, which can lead to grammatical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'пропагандировать' is heavily linked to the Soviet era, where state-controlled propaganda was widespread. This can evoke strong emotions or historical references, so use it cautiously in modern conversations to avoid sounding outdated or politically charged. For instance, it might reference Cold War ideologies, adding layers of meaning beyond simple propagation.

Related Concepts:

• информация
• идеология
• биологическое размножение
• массовые СМИ