Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'raise'

English Word: raise

Key Russian Translations:

• повысить [pɐˈvɨsʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, used for increasing values like salary or prices]
• поднять [pɐdˈnʲatʲ] - [Informal, used for physically lifting or metaphorically elevating]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday and professional contexts, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances for 'повысить', while 'поднять' is slightly easier at A2)

Pronunciation (Russian):

повысить: [pɐˈvɨsʲɪtʲ]

поднять: [pɐdˈnʲatʲ]

Note on повысить: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 's' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers due to palatalization.

Note on поднять: Pronounce the 'd' as soft and nasal; common in spoken Russian but varies slightly in dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To increase (e.g., salary, prices)

Translation(s) & Context:

• повысить - Used in formal or professional settings, such as business discussions or economic reports.

Usage Examples:

• Компания решила повысить зарплаты сотрудникам. (Kompaniya reshila povysit' zarplaty sotrudnikam.)

  The company decided to raise salaries for employees.

• Правительство повысило налоги на импорт. (Pravitel'stvo povysilo nalogi na import.)

  The government raised taxes on imports.

• Я планирую повысить цену на свои услуги. (Ya planiruyu povysit' tseny na svoi uslugi.)

  I plan to raise the price of my services.

• Повысить производительность труда - ключ к успеху. (Povysit' proizvoditel'nost' truda - klyuch k uspekhu.)

  Raising labor productivity is the key to success.

To lift or elevate (physically or metaphorically)

Translation(s) & Context:

• поднять - Used in everyday informal speech, such as in physical actions or motivational contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Пожалуйста, подними этот ящик с пола. (Pozhaluysta, podnimi etot yashchik s pola.)

  Please raise this box from the floor.

• Он поднял настроение всей команде. (On podnyal nastroyeniye vsey komande.)

  He raised the spirits of the entire team.

• Подними руку, если согласен. (Podnimi ruku, yesli soglasen.)

  Raise your hand if you agree.

• Ветер поднял листья в воздух. (Veter podnyal list'ya v vozdukh.)

  The wind raised the leaves into the air.

• Поднять флаг - это традиция. (Podnyat' flag - eto traditsiya.)

  Raising the flag is a tradition.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'повысить' and 'поднять' are verbs in Russian, belonging to the first conjugation group. They are imperfective verbs and follow standard patterns, but 'повысить' is often used in perfective forms in context. Here's a breakdown:

These verbs are regular but require attention to aspect (perfective/imperfective pairs exist, e.g., повысить is perfective). They do not change irregularly.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for повысить: увеличить (uvelichit' - to enlarge/increase), поднять (in some contexts)
• Synonyms for поднять: возвысить (vozvisit' - to elevate metaphorically), подхватить (podhatit' - to pick up quickly)
• Antonyms: понизить (ponizit' - to lower/decrease), опустить (opustit' - to drop/lower)

Related Phrases:

• Повысить цену (Povysit' tseny) - To raise the price; commonly used in commerce to indicate inflation or adjustments.
• Поднять настроение (Podnyat' nastroyeniye) - To raise spirits; an idiomatic phrase for improving mood in social or emotional contexts.
• Повысить квалификацию (Povysit' kvalifikatsiyu) - To raise qualifications; refers to professional development or skill enhancement.

Usage Notes:

'Повысить' is the most precise translation for 'raise' in contexts involving increases, such as salaries or prices, and is preferred in formal writing or speech. In contrast, 'поднять' suits physical or emotional lifting and is more informal. English speakers should note that Russian verbs often require aspect consideration—use perfective forms like these for completed actions. Choose between translations based on context: opt for 'повысить' in business scenarios and 'поднять' for literal actions. Grammatically, these verbs agree with subject gender and number in past tense.

Common Errors:

• Confusing aspect: Learners often use 'повысить' when an imperfective form is needed, e.g., saying "Я повышаю зарплату каждый год" instead of the correct "Я повышаю зарплату ежегодно" (I raise salary every year). Error: "Я повышу зарплату" (implying a one-time action); Correct: Use imperfective "повышать" for ongoing processes.

• Mispronouncing inflections: English speakers might soften the wrong consonants, e.g., pronouncing 'повысить' as [pɐvɨˈsɪt] instead of [pɐˈvɨsʲɪtʲ]. This can lead to misunderstandings; practice with native audio to master palatalization.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like 'поднять настроение' often tie into communal activities, such as toasts at gatherings or team-building events, reflecting the value placed on collective morale. 'Повысить' in economic contexts may evoke historical references to Soviet-era wage reforms, symbolizing social mobility and state control over finances.

Related Concepts:

• увеличить (uvelichit' - to enlarge)
• снизить (snizit' - to reduce)
• возвысить (vozvisit' - to elevate)