Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'shirk'

English Word: shirk

Key Russian Translations:

• уклоняться [ʊk.ləˈnʲi.t͡sə] - [Informal, Verb, Used in everyday contexts for avoiding duties]
• избегать [ɪzˈbʲe.ɡətʲ] - [Formal, Verb, Used in professional or written contexts for evading responsibilities]

Frequency: Medium (Common in conversational Russian, especially in discussions about work or obligations, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "делать").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and prepositions, as per CEFR standards. For 'уклоняться', it's B1; for 'избегать', it's A2 due to its simplicity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

уклоняться: [ʊk.ləˈnʲi.t͡sə]

Note on уклоняться: The stress is on the third syllable ('nʲi'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized 'nʲ'. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

избегать: [ɪzˈbʲe.ɡətʲ]

Note on избегать: The initial 'и' is pronounced as a short 'i', and the palatalized 'bʲ' sound requires careful articulation. Common in both spoken and written Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility

Translation(s) & Context:

• уклоняться от – Used in informal contexts, such as everyday conversations about shirking work or chores, implying deliberate evasion.
• избегать – Applied in more formal settings, like business or legal discussions, to describe avoiding responsibilities systematically.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда уклоняется от домашних дел, предпочитая играть в видеоигры.

  He always shirks household chores, preferring to play video games instead.

• В офисе некоторые сотрудники избегают сложных заданий, передавая их коллегам.

  In the office, some employees shirk difficult tasks by passing them to colleagues.

• Молодой человек уклоняется от военной службы, ссылаясь на здоровье.

  The young man is shirking military service by citing health issues.

• Избегать налогов – это серьезное нарушение закона в России.

  Shirking taxes is a serious legal violation in Russia.

• Она уклоняется от ответственности, blaming других за свои ошибки.

  She shirks responsibility, blaming others for her mistakes.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'уклоняться' and 'избегать' are verbs in Russian, which means they undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Russian verbs are imperfective or perfective; 'уклоняться' is imperfective, while 'избегать' can be used in imperfective forms.

For 'уклоняться' (imperfective):

For 'избегать' (imperfective), it follows a similar pattern but is less irregular:

These verbs do not change in a highly irregular way, making them straightforward for intermediate learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • уклоняться – уклоняться can be synonymous with 'прятаться' (to hide), but 'прятаться' implies physical evasion.
  • избегать – Synonymous with 'предотвращать' (to prevent), though 'избегать' is more about avoidance than prevention.
• Antonyms:
  • выполнять (to fulfill)
  • брать на себя (to take on)

Related Phrases:

• уклоняться от обязанностей – A common phrase meaning "to shirk duties"; used in contexts of work or family responsibilities.
• избегать ответственности – Means "to avoid responsibility"; often in legal or ethical discussions.
• сбежать от работы – Translates to "to run away from work"; an idiomatic expression for shirking in informal settings.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'уклоняться' and 'избегать' both correspond to 'shirk' but differ in nuance: 'уклоняться' suggests a more active, deliberate avoidance, often with a negative connotation, while 'избегать' can be neutral or even positive in some contexts (e.g., avoiding danger). Always pair these verbs with prepositions like 'от' (from) for accuracy. For English speakers, note that Russian verb aspect (imperfective vs. perfective) affects usage—use imperfective for ongoing actions. Choose 'уклоняться' for informal speech and 'избегать' for formal writing.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'уклоняться' without a preposition, e.g., saying "Я уклоняюсь" instead of "Я уклоняюсь от работы." Correct: Always include 'от' to specify what is being avoided. Explanation: This makes the sentence incomplete and ungrammatical in Russian.

• Error: Confusing with 'бежать' (to run), leading to incorrect phrases like "Я бегу от работы" meaning "I run from work" literally, but not implying shirking. Correct: Use 'уклоняться от работы'. Explanation: 'Бежать' emphasizes physical movement, not evasion of duty.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, shirking responsibilities, as implied by words like 'уклоняться', is often viewed negatively, especially in contexts like military service or communal work during Soviet times. Phrases related to this can evoke historical themes of duty and collectivism, where avoiding obligations was seen as anti-social.

Related Concepts:

• ответственность (responsibility)
• обязанности (duties)
• ленивый (lazy)