Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'realize'

English Word: realize

Key Russian Translations:

• осознавать /ɐsəzˈnavətʲ/ - [Formal, used for deeper awareness or realization of concepts]
• понимать /pənʲɪˈmatʲ/ - [Informal, everyday understanding]
• осуществлять /ɐsʊˈʂʲestvlʲətʲ/ - [Formal, specific to making something real or achieving it]

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

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances, with "осознавать" potentially reaching C1 for its abstract uses).

Pronunciation (Russian):

осознавать: /ɐsəzˈnavətʲ/

понимать: /pənʲɪˈmatʲ/

осуществлять: /ɐsʊˈʂʲestvlʲətʲ/

Note on осознавать: The stress falls on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 'з' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To become aware of or understand something (e.g., realizing a fact or truth).

Translation(s) & Context:

• осознавать - Used in formal or introspective contexts, such as personal growth or philosophical discussions.
• понимать - Applied in everyday informal situations, like grasping an idea in conversation.

Usage Examples:

• Я наконец осознал, насколько важна эта проблема для общества.

  I finally realized how important this issue is for society.

• Когда она объяснила, я сразу понял, о чём идёт речь.

  When she explained, I immediately realized what she was talking about.

• После долгих размышлений он осознал свою ошибку.

  After much reflection, he realized his mistake.

• Дети часто не понимают последствий своих действий сразу.

  Children often don't realize the consequences of their actions right away.

• В ходе эксперимента учёные осознали новые возможности технологии.

  During the experiment, scientists realized new possibilities of the technology.

Meaning 2: To make something real or achieve it (e.g., realizing a plan).

Translation(s) & Context:

• осуществлять - Typically used in professional, goal-oriented contexts, such as business or projects.

Usage Examples:

• Компания смогла осуществить свой план расширения на международный рынок.

  The company was able to realize its plan to expand into the international market.

• Чтобы осуществить мечту, нужно много работать.

  To realize a dream, you need to work hard.

• Правительство осуществляет реформы для улучшения экономики.

  The government is realizing reforms to improve the economy.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Russian verbs have imperfective and perfective aspects; for example, "осознавать" is imperfective, while its perfective counterpart is "осознать".

Note: These verbs follow regular conjugation patterns for first conjugation verbs, with gender agreement in the past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • осознавать: понимать, уяснять (more neutral, less formal)
  • понимать: вникать (implies deeper involvement), схватывать (quick understanding)
  • осуществлять: реализовывать (exact synonym in business contexts), выполнять (focuses on execution)
• Antonyms:
  • осознавать: игнорировать (to ignore)
  • понимать: путаться (to be confused)
  • осуществлять: упускать (to miss out on)

Related Phrases:

• Осознавать реальность - To realize reality (used in psychological or philosophical contexts to mean accepting facts).
• Понимать на лету - To understand on the fly (informal phrase for quick realization in conversations).
• Осуществлять проект - To realize a project (common in professional settings for completing initiatives).

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "realize" doesn't have a direct one-to-one equivalent, so choose based on context: use "осознавать" for emotional or cognitive awareness, "понимать" for everyday comprehension, and "осуществлять" for achieving goals. Be mindful of aspect—imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective for completed ones. In formal writing, "осознавать" is preferred, while "понимать" suits casual speech. Grammatically, these verbs require agreement with the subject in person and number.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "понимать" interchangeably with "осознавать" in formal contexts. Correct: Осознавать важность проблемы (Realizing the importance of the issue). Explanation: "Понимать" is too casual and doesn't convey the depth of awareness.
• Mistake: Forgetting aspect changes, e.g., saying "я осознавать" instead of "я осознаю". Correct: Use proper conjugation like "я осознаю". Explanation: Russian verbs must be conjugated, unlike English infinitives.
• Mistake: Confusing "осуществлять" with "реализовывать" in non-business contexts. Correct: Use "осуществлять" for general achievement. Explanation: "Реализовывать" is more specific to implementation in projects.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like "осознавать" often appear in literature and philosophy, reflecting the introspective nature of Russian thought (e.g., in works by Dostoevsky). Realizing personal truths is a common theme, emphasizing self-reflection over immediate action, which contrasts with more pragmatic English usage.

Related Concepts:

• воспринимать (to perceive)
• узнавать (to learn or discover)
• реализовать (to implement)