Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'restore'

English Word: restore

Key Russian Translations:

• восстановить [vɐs.tɐˈnʲovʲɪ.tʲ] - [Formal, Perfective aspect]
• восстанавливать [vɐs.tɐˈnʲavʲɪ.vatʲ] - [Informal, Imperfective aspect, Used for ongoing actions]

Frequency: Medium (Common in technical, historical, and everyday contexts, but not as frequent as basic verbs like делать)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; involves understanding Russian verb aspects, which can be challenging for learners beyond beginner level)

Pronunciation (Russian):

восстановить: [vɐs.tɐˈnʲovʲɪ.tʲ]

восстанавливать: [vɐs.tɐˈnʲavʲɪ.vatʲ]

Note on восстановить: The stress falls on the third syllable ("nʲov"), which is a common point of difficulty for English speakers due to Russian's mobile stress patterns.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To bring back to a former condition or original state

Translation(s) & Context:

• восстановить - Used in formal contexts like repairing objects or restoring data; implies completion of the action.
• восстанавливать - Used for ongoing or repeated restoration processes, such as in medical or environmental contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Мы восстановили старый дом после пожара.

  We restored the old house after the fire.

• Инженеры восстанавливают систему безопасности ежедневно.

  Engineers are restoring the security system daily.

• Врач помог восстановить зрение пациенту.

  The doctor helped restore the patient's vision.

• После аварии они восстанавливают данные с резервных копий.

  After the accident, they are restoring data from backups.

• Музей восстанавливает древние артефакты для выставки.

  The museum is restoring ancient artifacts for the exhibition.

To return something that was lost or give back

Translation(s) & Context:

• восстановить - In legal or administrative contexts, such as restoring rights or property.

Usage Examples:

• Суд восстановил его в правах на наследство.

  The court restored his rights to the inheritance.

• Мы восстановили доступ к аккаунту после хакерской атаки.

  We restored access to the account after the hacker attack.

• Правительство восстановило исторические земли коренному населению.

  The government restored historical lands to the indigenous population.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are verbs, and Russian verbs have aspects (perfective and imperfective), conjugations based on tense, person, and number. "Восстановить" is perfective, while "восстанавливать" is imperfective. They follow the first conjugation pattern with some irregularities in stems.

Note: These verbs do not change for gender in the infinitive but do in the past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • воссоздать (vɐs.sɐˈzdatʲ) - Similar but often implies recreation from scratch; used in artistic contexts.
  • исправить (ɪsˈpravitʲ) - More general for fixing, but less formal for restoration.
• Antonyms:
  • уничтожить (u.nʲiˈtʃitʲ) - To destroy completely.
  • разрушить (rɐˈzruʂɪtʲ) - To demolish or break down.

Related Phrases:

• восстановить равновесие - To restore balance (e.g., in negotiations or ecology).
• восстановить здоровье - To restore health (common in medical contexts).
• восстановить систему - To restore a system (e.g., in IT, meaning to fix and reboot).

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "restore" often maps to verbs with perfective and imperfective aspects, so choose based on context: use "восстановить" for completed actions and "восстанавливать" for ongoing ones. Be mindful of formal settings where "восстановить" is preferred. Unlike English, Russian verbs don't have a direct progressive form, so aspect conveys that nuance. When translating, ensure the aspect aligns with the English tense for accuracy.

• Always consider the object: Russian verbs like these often require accusative case for direct objects.
• For multiple translations, "восстановить" is more common in technical English equivalents.

Common Errors:

English learners often mix up verb aspects: for example, using "восстанавливать" when "восстановить" is needed for a completed action, like saying "Я восстанавливать дом" instead of "Я восстановил дом." Correct usage: The imperfective "восстанавливать" implies ongoing action, so for a finished restoration, use the perfective form. Another error is incorrect stress: mispronouncing "восстано́вить" as "восстанови́ть," which can change the word's meaning or make it incomprehensible.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "восстановить" carry historical weight, often linked to post-war reconstruction efforts in the Soviet era. For instance, restoring historical sites symbolizes national resilience, as seen in the rebuilding of cities like St. Petersburg after WWII, adding an emotional or patriotic connotation beyond the literal meaning.

Related Concepts:

• ремонтировать (to repair)
• воссоздание (recreation)
• реставрировать (to restore, especially in art conservation)