Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'send'

English Word: send

Key Russian Translations:

• отправить [ɐtˈpravʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, commonly used in official or written contexts]
• послать [pɐˈslaʲtʲ] - [Informal, often in everyday spoken language]

Frequency: High (This verb and its variants are frequently used in modern Russian communication, especially in digital and postal contexts.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; involves understanding verb conjugations and context-dependent usage. The formal 'отправить' may be slightly easier for beginners than the informal 'послать', which has more irregular forms.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

отправить: [ɐtˈpravʲɪtʲ]

Note on отправить: The stress falls on the second syllable ('prav'), and the 'т' is softened before 'ь'. Pay attention to the palatalization for accurate pronunciation.

послать: [pɐˈslaʲtʲ]

Note on послать: The stress is on the second syllable ('sla'), and this word has a more abrupt, informal tone in speech. Common in casual conversations.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To transmit or dispatch something to a recipient (e.g., sending messages, packages, or emails).

Translation(s) & Context:

• отправить - Used in formal settings, such as business emails or postal services, implying a deliberate and organized action.
• послать - Applied in informal or everyday contexts, like sending a quick text or instructing someone, but can carry a slightly abrupt connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Я отправил электронное письмо на работу. (Ya otpralil elektronnoe pismo na rabotu.)

  I sent an email to work.

• Она послала подарок другу по почте. (Ona posala podarok drugu po pochtye.)

  She sent a gift to her friend by mail.

• Мы отправим отчет завтра утром. (My otpratim otchet zavtra utrom.)

  We will send the report tomorrow morning.

• Пожалуйста, пошли сообщение сразу. (Pozhaluysta, posli soobshchenie srazu.)

  Please send the message right away.

• Он отправил посылку из Москвы в Санкт-Петербург. (On otpralil posylku iz Moskvy v Sankt-Peterburg.)

  He sent a package from Moscow to Saint Petersburg.

To cause something to go or be conveyed (e.g., sending someone on an errand).

Translation(s) & Context:

• послать - Often used informally for dispatching people or things, with a sense of immediacy.
• отправить - More formal, for organized dispatches like business trips.

Usage Examples:

• Начальник послал меня на встречу. (Nachalnik posal menya na vstrechu.)

  The boss sent me to the meeting.

• Родители отправили ребенка в лагерь. (Roditeli otpralili rebyonka v lager.)

  The parents sent the child to camp.

• Я пошлю друга за покупками. (Ya poshlyu druga za pokupkami.)

  I'll send my friend to do the shopping.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'отправить' and 'послать' are verbs in Russian, belonging to the first conjugation group, but they exhibit regular and irregular patterns. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Отправить' is a perfective verb (indicating completion), while 'послать' can be imperfective in some forms.

Note: These verbs do not change for gender in the infinitive form but do in the past tense. They are aspectual pairs, with imperfective forms like 'отправлять' for ongoing actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • передать [pʲɪrʲɪˈdatʲ] - To pass on, often for handing over physically; differs by implying direct transfer.
  • выслать [vɨˈslaʲtʲ] - To send out, commonly for mail or exports; more formal and official.
• Antonyms:
  • получить [pɐˈluʧʲɪtʲ] - To receive.
  • вернуть [vʲɪrˈnutʲ] - To return.

Related Phrases:

• отправить по почте - To send by mail; used for postal services.
• послать сообщение - To send a message; common in digital communication.
• отправить в путь - To send on a journey; implies starting a trip or mission.

Usage Notes:

'Отправить' is the preferred translation for 'send' in formal or professional contexts, aligning closely with English usage in emails and logistics, while 'послать' is better for casual, spoken scenarios but can sound rude if not contextualized. Choose based on register: use 'отправить' for written English equivalents and 'послать' for imperative or informal commands. Grammatically, both require attention to aspect (perfective for completed actions) and agreement in past tense.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'отправить' and 'послать': English learners often use 'послать' in formal contexts, which can sound too informal or abrupt. Correct: Use 'отправить' for emails; Error: "Я пошлю письмо" (informal) instead of "Я отправлю письмо" (formal).
• Incorrect conjugation: Forgetting gender agreement in past tense, e.g., saying "Я отправила" for a male speaker. Correct: "Я отправил" for males; Error: "Я отправила" (feminine form used incorrectly).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, sending items like letters or packages often evokes historical contexts, such as the Soviet-era postal system, which was highly efficient but bureaucratic. Words like 'отправить' may carry connotations of reliability in communication, reflecting Russia's emphasis on formal correspondence in business and personal life.

Related Concepts:

• получить
• доставить
• переслать