Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'renege'

English Word: renege

Key Russian Translations:

• Нарушить [nɐˈruʂɨtʲ] - [Formal, often used in legal or contractual contexts]
• Отступить от [ɐtˈstupʲɪtʲ ɐt] - [Informal, implies withdrawal from an agreement]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations, business, and legal discussions, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "сказать").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances. For "Нарушить", it's B1; for "Отступить от", it's B2 due to phrasal structure.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Нарушить: [nɐˈruʂɨtʲ]

Note on Нарушить: The 'ш' sound is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, similar to the 'sh' in English "she", but pay attention to the stress on the second syllable. Common mispronunciation by English speakers involves softening the 'ш'.

Отступить от: [ɐtˈstupʲɪtʲ ɐt]

Note on Отступить от: This is a phrasal verb; stress falls on "ступ", and the preposition "от" is unstressed. The 'т' in "ступить" can be palatalized in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To go back on a promise or agreement

Translation(s) & Context:

• Нарушить обещание - Used in formal contexts, such as business deals or personal commitments, to indicate breaking a vow.
• Отступить от соглашения - Applied in informal or negotiation settings, emphasizing withdrawal rather than outright violation.

Usage Examples:

• Он нарушил своё обещание помочь с проектом. (On narushil svoe obeshchanie pomoch' s proektom.)

  He reneged on his promise to help with the project. (This example shows the verb in a simple past tense, common in narrative contexts.)

• Компания отступила от первоначального договора из-за финансовых проблем. (Kompaniya otstupila ot pervonachal'nogo dogovora iz-za finansovykh problem.)

  The company reneged on the original agreement due to financial issues. (Illustrates use in a business context with a prepositional phrase.)

• Не нарушай обещания, иначе потеряешь доверие друзей. (Ne narushay obeshchaniya, inache poteryaesh' doverie druzey.)

  Don't renege on promises, or you'll lose your friends' trust. (Demonstrates imperative form in advisory sentences.)

• Она отступила от плана в последний момент, что вызвало путаницу. (Ona otstupila ot plana v posledniy moment, chto vyzvalo putanitsu.)

  She reneged on the plan at the last minute, causing confusion. (Shows the verb in a past tense with emotional consequences.)

• Если вы нарушите условия контракта, это может привести к судебному разбиратству. (Esli vy narushite usloviya kontrakta, eto mozhet privesti k sudebnomu razbiratel'stvu.)

  If you renege on the contract terms, it could lead to a lawsuit. (Highlights formal, legal usage with conditional clauses.)

To fail to fulfill an obligation

Translation(s) & Context:

• Нарушить обязательства - Common in professional or ethical discussions, similar to breaching a duty.
• Отступить от обязательств - Used when implying a voluntary backtracking in informal agreements.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство нарушило свои обязательства по реформам. (Pravitel'stvo narushilo svoi obyazatel'stva po reformam.)

  The government reneged on its obligations regarding reforms. (Example in a political context with plural nouns.)

• Он отступил от обязательств по уходу за детьми. (On otstupil ot obyazatel'stv po ukhodu za det'mi.)

  He reneged on his obligations for child care. (Shows personal responsibility in family settings.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Нарушить" and "Отступить от" are verbs (from the first conjugation group in Russian). "Нарушить" is a perfective verb, while "Отступить" is also perfective and often used with prepositions. Russian verbs inflect based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender. Below is a table for "Нарушить" in the present and past tenses. "Отступить" follows similar patterns but includes prepositional variations.

Note: These verbs are aspectual; "Нарушить" is perfective (completed action), while its imperfective counterpart is "Нарушать". "Отступить" does not have a direct imperfective form and remains unchanged in basic structures.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Не сдержать (Ne sderzhat') - Similar to "renege" but emphasizes failing to hold back; often used interchangeably in informal speech.
  • Прервать (Preryvat') - Implies interruption, with a nuance of suddenness.
• Antonyms:
  • Сдержать (Sderzhat') - To keep or fulfill a promise.
  • Выполнить (Vypolnit') - To carry out or complete an obligation.

Related Phrases:

• Нарушить договор (Narushit' dogovor) - Break a contract; used in legal contexts to indicate violation of an agreement.
• Отступить от слова (Otstupit' ot slova) - Go back on one's word; a common idiomatic expression in personal relationships.
• Не выполнить обещание (Ne vypolnit' obeshchanie) - Fail to fulfill a promise; emphasizes incompletion in everyday scenarios.

Usage Notes:

Russian translations like "Нарушить" directly correspond to "renege" in contexts involving promises or agreements, but they carry a stronger connotation of legal or moral breach. Use "Нарушить" in formal settings, such as business or contracts, while "Отступить от" is better for informal withdrawals. Be mindful of aspect: perfective verbs like these focus on completed actions. When choosing between translations, opt for "Нарушить" if the emphasis is on violation, and "Отступить от" for strategic retreats. Grammar note: These verbs require accusative case for objects, e.g., "нарушить обещание".

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse "Нарушить" with "Нарушения" (a noun meaning "violation"), leading to incorrect sentence structures. Error: "Я нарушения обещание" (incorrect). Correct: "Я нарушаю обещание". Explanation: Use the verb form for actions, not the noun.
• Another mistake is omitting the preposition in "Отступить от", e.g., saying "Отступить соглашение" instead of "Отступить от соглашения". Error: "Он отступил соглашение". Correct: "Он отступил от соглашения". Explanation: The preposition "от" is essential for meaning.
• Overusing perfective aspect: Learners might say "Я нарушаю сейчас" when "Я нарушу" (future) is needed. Error: Incorrect tense selection. Correct: Contextually choose based on completion.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, reneging on promises, as translated by "Нарушить", can carry significant social weight, often linked to concepts of "честь" (chest, or honor). Historically, in Russian literature and society, failing to keep one's word is portrayed as a deep moral flaw, as seen in works by Tolstoy, where characters face consequences for such actions. This reflects a cultural emphasis on reliability in personal and communal relationships.

Related Concepts:

• Договор (Dogovor) - Contract
• Обещание (Obeshchanie) - Promise
• Доверие (Doverie) - Trust