Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'scrimp'

English Word: scrimp

Key Russian Translations:

• экономить [ɪkɐˈnomʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, commonly used in everyday financial contexts]
• урезать [ʊˈrʲezətʲ] - [Informal, often applied to reducing quantities or sizes]

Frequency: Medium (The verb is encountered in daily conversations about finances and resources, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like "to eat.")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage, with "экономить" being slightly easier for beginners and "урезать" more nuanced for intermediate learners.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

экономить: [ɪkɐˈnomʲɪtʲ]

урезать: [ʊˈrʲezətʲ]

Note on экономить: The stress falls on the third syllable; be mindful of the palatalized 'т' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. A common variant in rapid speech might soften the initial vowel.

Note on урезать: Pronounce with a clear 'р' trill; the 'е' is often reduced in informal speech, making it sound like [ʊˈrʲezətʲ].

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To save money or resources by being economical.

Translation(s) & Context:

• экономить - Used in formal and everyday contexts when discussing budgeting or frugality, such as in financial planning or household management.

Usage Examples:

• Я стараюсь экономить на повседневных расходах, чтобы накопить на отпуск.

  I try to scrimp on everyday expenses to save up for a vacation.

• Семья экономит электричество, выключая ненужные лампы.

  The family scrimps on electricity by turning off unnecessary lights.

• Во время кризиса люди учатся экономить на еде и одежде.

  During a crisis, people learn to scrimp on food and clothing.

• Экономить время – это ключ к продуктивности в работе.

  Scrimping on time is key to productivity at work.

Meaning 2: To make something smaller, less, or reduced in size/quantity.

Translation(s) & Context:

• урезать - Typically informal, used when cutting back on portions, budgets, or plans, often implying a necessary reduction.

Usage Examples:

• Пришлось урезать бюджет проекта из-за нехватки средств.

  We had to scrimp the project budget due to a lack of funds.

• Она урезала порции еды, чтобы хватило на всю семью.

  She scrimped the food portions so there would be enough for the whole family.

• В театре урезали спектакль, чтобы уложиться в время.

  They scrimped the play to fit within the time limit.

• Урезать расходы – это первый шаг к финансовой стабильности.

  Scrimping expenses is the first step to financial stability.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "экономить" (a first-conjugation verb), it follows regular patterns with infinitive, present, past, and future tenses. It is intransitive and can be used in various aspects.

For "урезать" (also a verb, but with imperfective aspect), it has similar conjugation but is less regular in some dialects. Infinitive: урезать; Present: урезаю / урезаешь / урезает, etc. It remains relatively stable across forms but can vary in perfective pairs like "урезать" (imperfective) vs. "урезать" in perfective contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • сберегать (sberegat') - More formal, emphasizes preservation over reduction.
  • тратить экономно (tratat' ekonomno) - Implies careful spending, with a nuance of wisdom rather than necessity.
• Antonyms:
  • тратить (tratat') - To spend freely.
  • расходовать (rasxodovat') - To expend or use up resources without restraint.

Related Phrases:

• Экономить деньги - A common phrase meaning "to save money," often used in financial advice contexts.
• Урезать расходы - Refers to "cutting expenses," typically in budgeting or economic discussions.
• Экономить на здоровье - Means "to scrimp on health," implying neglecting well-being for other priorities, with a connotation of unwise sacrifice.

Usage Notes:

"Экономить" directly corresponds to the economical aspect of "scrimp" and is preferred in formal or written contexts, while "урезать" aligns with reducing sizes or quantities, making it more informal. English users should note that Russian verbs like these require gender and number agreement in past tense. For example, choose "экономить" for general saving, but consider context—e.g., avoid it in poetic or emotional scenarios where "сберегать" might fit better. Always pair with appropriate prepositions, like "на" for "on" (e.g., экономить на чем-то).

Common Errors:

• Confusing "экономить" with "тратить": English learners often misuse "экономить" when they mean "to spend," leading to sentences like "Я экономлю деньги на покупки" (incorrect if implying waste). Correct: Use "тратить" for spending; example: Wrong: "Я экономлю еду" (implies saving food oddly); Right: "Я экономлю на еде" (I scrimp on food). This error stems from overlooking the prepositional requirements in Russian.
• Overlooking verb aspects: For "урезать," learners might forget its imperfective nature and use it where a perfective form is needed, e.g., "Я урезаю бюджет" instead of "Я урезал бюджет" for a completed action.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "экономить" carry historical connotations from Soviet-era scarcity, where scrimping was a necessity due to resource shortages. This can add a layer of resilience or pragmatism to its usage, unlike in English where "scrimp" might imply mere thriftiness without the same survival undertones.

Related Concepts:

• бюджет (byudzhet) - Budget
• сбережения (sberezheniya) - Savings
• расходы (rasxody) - Expenses