Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'requite'

English Word: requite

Key Russian Translations:

• отплатить [ɐtˈpɫətʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, often used for repaying a favor or injury]
• отблагодарить [ɐtˌbləɡɐˈdarʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, specifically for repaying kindness]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literary or formal contexts, but not everyday speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; involves verb conjugations that require familiarity with Russian aspect and case systems)

Pronunciation (Russian):

отплатить: [ɐtˈpɫətʲɪtʲ]

Note on отплатить: The stress falls on the second syllable; be careful with the palatalized 'т' sound, which can be tricky for non-native speakers.

отблагодарить: [ɐtˌbləɡɐˈdarʲɪtʲ]

Note on отблагодарить: This word has a secondary stress on the third syllable; it's a perfective verb, so pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To repay or return a favor, kindness, or injury

Translation(s) & Context:

• отплатить - Used in formal or literary contexts to indicate repaying something in kind, often with a sense of reciprocity or retribution.
• отблагодарить - Applied in situations involving gratitude, such as thanking someone for help, and is common in polite or emotional exchanges.

Usage Examples:

• Он отплатил мне за мою помощь, подарив книгу. (He requited me for my help by giving me a book.)

  He repaid me for my help by giving me a book. (Context: Showing reciprocity in a formal setting.)

• Друзья отблагодарили его за гостеприимство, устроив сюрприз. (Friends requited his hospitality by organizing a surprise.)

  Friends repaid his hospitality by organizing a surprise. (Context: Expressing gratitude in a social interaction.)

• Враги отплатили ему той же монетой, распространив слухи. (Enemies requited him in kind by spreading rumors.)

  Enemies repaid him in kind by spreading rumors. (Context: Demonstrating negative reciprocity in a conflict.)

• Она отплатила за обиду, отказавшись от помощи. (She requited the insult by refusing help.)

  She repaid the insult by refusing help. (Context: Using the verb in a narrative to show emotional response.)

• Брат отблагодарил родителей, преуспев в учёбе. (The brother requited his parents by excelling in his studies.)

  The brother repaid his parents by excelling in his studies. (Context: In a family setting, emphasizing long-term gratitude.)

To return an equivalent action or feeling

Translation(s) & Context:

• отплатить - Often in idiomatic expressions, implying balance or justice.

Usage Examples:

• Судьба отплатила ему за добрые дела. (Fate requited him for his good deeds.)

  Fate repaid him for his good deeds. (Context: Philosophical or literary usage.)

• Он отплатил несправедливость молчанием. (He requited the injustice with silence.)

  He repaid the injustice with silence. (Context: Passive response in a moral dilemma.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "отплатить" and "отблагодарить" are perfective verbs in Russian, which means they express completed actions. They follow standard Russian verb conjugation patterns for the first conjugation group. Note that Russian verbs have aspects (perfective and imperfective), and these are perfective forms. The imperfective counterparts are "отплачивать" and "отблагодаривать," respectively.

For past tense: "отплатил" (masc.), "отплатила" (fem.), etc. These verbs do not change in the infinitive form but require aspect consideration in sentences.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • вознаграждать (voznagrazhdat' - to reward, with a focus on compensation)
  • отомстить (otomstit' - to avenge, implying retaliation)
• Antonyms:
  • обиделить (obidelit' - to offend or deprive)
  • проигнорировать (proignorirovat' - to ignore, especially in response)

Related Phrases:

• отплатить добром (otplatit' dobrom) - To repay with kindness; a common idiom meaning to respond to good with good.
• отблагодарить подарком (otblagodarit' podarkom) - To requite with a gift; used in social or familial contexts to express gratitude materially.
• отплатить той же монетой (otplatit' toy zhe monyetoy) - To requite in kind; an idiomatic phrase for giving back exactly what was received, often negatively.

Usage Notes:

"Requite" is a formal English word that doesn't have a direct one-to-one match in Russian; choose "отплатить" for neutral or reciprocal actions and "отблагодарить" for positive, gratitude-based contexts. Be mindful of Russian verb aspects: use the perfective form for completed actions, as shown here. In everyday Russian, these words are more common in written or formal speech; in casual conversation, simpler alternatives like "спасибо" (thank you) might suffice. When translating, consider the emotional tone— "отплатить" can carry a sense of justice or revenge, while "отблагодарить" is warmer.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Confusing the perfective and imperfective forms, e.g., using "отплачивать" (imperfective) when a completed action is needed. Correct: Use "отплатить" for finished events. Example: Incorrect - "Я отплачиваю ему" (implies ongoing); Correct - "Я отплачу ему" (for a specific future repayment).
• Mistake: Forgetting gender agreement in past tense, e.g., saying "отплатила" for a male subject. Correct: Match the subject, as in "он отплатил" for male. This often trips up learners due to English's lack of gender in verbs.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "otplata" (repayment) often ties into themes of honor and reciprocity, as seen in literature like Dostoevsky's works. Repaying kindness (e.g., via "отблагодарить") is highly valued, reflecting communal values where mutual support strengthens social bonds, but failing to do so can be seen as a moral slight.

Related Concepts:

• благодарность (blagodarnost' - gratitude)
• возмездие (vozmezdie - retribution)
• взаимность (vzaimnost' - reciprocity)