Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sanction'

English Word: sanction

Key Russian Translations:

• Санкции [ˈsanktsɨɪ] - [Plural, Formal, Used in legal and international contexts]
• Санкционировать [sənkt͡sɪonɪrəvətʲ] - [Verb, Formal, Used for official approvals or impositions]

Frequency: Medium (Common in news, politics, and legal discussions, but less frequent in everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of formal vocabulary and international relations, with "Санкции" being slightly easier and "Санкционировать" more challenging due to verb conjugation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Санкции: [ˈsanktsɨɪ]

Note on Санкции: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'ц' sound is a voiceless alveolar affricate, which may be tricky for English speakers used to softer 'ts' sounds.

Санкционировать: [sənkt͡sɪonɪrəvətʲ]

Note on Санкционировать: This is a longer word with a palatalized 'тʲ' at the end; practice the rolling 'р' for natural pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Official approval or permission

Translation(s) & Context:

• Санкционировать - Used in formal settings, such as government or legal approvals, where explicit authorization is needed.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство решило санкционировать строительство нового моста.

  The government decided to sanction the construction of a new bridge.

• Без санкционирования со стороны суда, проект не может продолжаться.

  Without sanction from the court, the project cannot proceed.

• Министерство санкционировало выделение средств на образование.

  The ministry sanctioned the allocation of funds for education.

• Руководитель санкционировал поездку сотрудников на конференцию.

  The manager sanctioned the employees' trip to the conference.

Meaning 2: Penalty or punishment, especially economic or international

Translation(s) & Context:

• Санкции - Typically used in plural form for restrictions like trade embargoes, often in geopolitical contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Международные санкции были наложены на страну за нарушение прав человека.

  International sanctions were imposed on the country for human rights violations.

• Экономические санкции привели к снижению импорта товаров.

  Economic sanctions led to a decrease in imported goods.

• Санкции ООН оказывают давление на режим.

  UN sanctions are putting pressure on the regime.

• Страна ввела санкции в ответ на агрессию соседнего государства.

  The country introduced sanctions in response to aggression from a neighboring state.

• Санкции могут быть сняты, если будут выполнены определенные условия.

  Sanctions can be lifted if certain conditions are met.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "Санкции" (feminine plural noun): This word is typically used in plural form and follows the standard first declension pattern for feminine nouns ending in -и. It is invariable in number for most contexts but can decline by case.

For "Санкционировать" (verb, imperfective): This is a first-conjugation verb with regular patterns. It conjugates based on tense, aspect, and person.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Эмбарго (embargo; often used interchangeably with санкции in trade contexts)
  • Ограничения (restrictions; more general and less formal than санкции)
• Antonyms:
  • Снятие санкций (lifting of sanctions; implies removal of penalties)
  • Разрешение (permission; opposite of punitive sanctions)

Related Phrases:

• Экономические санкции - Economic sanctions; used in discussions of trade wars or financial penalties.
• Международные санкции - International sanctions; refers to actions by global bodies like the UN.
• Ввести санкции - To impose sanctions; a common phrase in political rhetoric.

Usage Notes:

"Санкции" is almost always used in the plural form in modern Russian and directly corresponds to the punitive sense of "sanction" in English, especially in international contexts. For the approval meaning, "Санкционировать" is preferred and is more formal, often appearing in legal or bureaucratic language. English speakers should note that Russian has a strong preference for aspect in verbs—use the imperfective "Санкционировать" for ongoing actions. When choosing between translations, opt for "Санкции" in geopolitical discussions and "Санкционировать" for approvals to ensure precise correspondence.

Common Errors:

• Using "Санкция" in singular form: Incorrect: "Я наложил санкция." Correct: "Я наложил санкции." Explanation: "Санкция" is rarely used alone and sounds unnatural; always pluralize for penalties.
• Misconjugating "Санкционировать": Incorrect: "Он санкционируетс." Correct: "Он санкционирует." Explanation: Ensure proper verb endings based on person and tense to avoid grammatical errors.
• Confusing with similar words: Incorrect: Using "Санкция" to mean "approval" like "sanction." Correct: Use "Санкционировать" for approval. Explanation: These have distinct connotations; mix-ups can lead to misunderstandings in formal writing.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and media, "санкции" often carries significant emotional and political weight, especially since the early 2010s with Western sanctions against Russia over Crimea and Ukraine. This term is frequently discussed in news and evokes themes of national resilience or international isolation, reflecting Russia's complex relationship with global powers.

Related Concepts:

• Эмбарго
• Бойкот
• Торговые войны