Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'spend'

English Word: spend

Key Russian Translations:

• тратить [ˈtratʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, Common in everyday speech]
• израсходовать [ɪzrəˈʂodəvətʲ] - [Formal, Used in official or precise contexts]
• проводить [prəvɐˈdʲitʲ] - [Informal, Specifically for spending time]

Frequency: Medium (The verb 'тратить' is commonly used in daily conversations, while 'израсходовать' is less frequent and more specialized.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate for 'тратить'; A2 for basic forms, but B2 for 'израсходовать' due to its formal conjugation patterns, per CEFR standards.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

тратить: [ˈtratʲɪtʲ]

израсходовать: [ɪzrəˈʂodəvətʲ]

проводить: [prəvɐˈdʲitʲ]

Note on тратить: The stress is on the first syllable, and the 'т' sound can be softened in fast speech. Pay attention to the palatalized 'тʲ' for accurate pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To use money or resources to pay for something.

Translation(s) & Context:

• тратить - Used in casual, everyday situations, such as discussing personal finances.
• израсходовать - Applied in formal or business contexts, implying complete expenditure.

Usage Examples:

• Я трачу много денег на книги каждый месяц.

  I spend a lot of money on books every month.

• Он израсходовал весь бюджет проекта за неделю.

  He spent the entire project budget in just a week.

• Мы тратим ресурсы неэффективно в этой компании.

  We are spending resources inefficiently in this company.

• Она тратила сбережения на путешествия по миру.

  She spent her savings on traveling around the world.

To pass or occupy time in a particular way.

Translation(s) & Context:

• проводить - Used for spending time, often in leisure or routine activities.

Usage Examples:

• Я провожу выходные с семьей в парке.

  I spend my weekends with my family in the park.

• Он проводит часы за чтением книг.

  He spends hours reading books.

• Мы проводим время, обсуждая важные вопросы.

  We spend time discussing important matters.

• Дети проводят лето на даче.

  The children spend the summer at the dacha.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'тратить' and 'израсходовать', which are verbs, Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'тратить' is an imperfective verb, while 'израсходовать' is perfective. 'проводить' is also imperfective.

Here is a sample conjugation table for 'тратить' (imperfective):

For 'израсходовать' (perfective), it doesn't have a present tense form; use: израсходую (future), израсходовал (past).

'проводить' follows similar patterns but is irregular in some aspects. These verbs do not change for gender in the infinitive form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • расходовать - Similar to тратить but more formal, often for resources.
  • употреблять - Used for consuming or spending in a broader sense.
• Antonyms:
  • экономить - Means to save or economize, opposite of spending money.
  • сберегать - Implies preserving or conserving, especially time or resources.

Related Phrases:

• тратить впустую - To waste (e.g., money or time); often used for futile expenditures.
• израсходовать средства - To expend funds; common in financial contexts.
• проводить время с пользой - To spend time productively; emphasizes meaningful use of time.

Usage Notes:

Choose 'тратить' for everyday, informal contexts when referring to ongoing spending, as it aligns closely with the English 'spend' in its imperfective aspect. 'Израсходовать' is better for completed actions in formal settings, such as business reports. For time-related meanings, 'проводить' is the most direct equivalent. Be mindful of Russian's aspect system: use imperfective for habitual actions and perfective for one-time events. In sentences, the verb must agree with the subject in person and number, which can differ from English verb structures.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'тратить' in formal writing where 'израсходовать' is more appropriate, e.g., saying "Я тратил деньги" instead of "Я израсходовал средства" in a business report. Correct: Stick to 'израсходовать' for precision to avoid sounding casual.
• Mistake: Confusing verb aspects, like using 'тратить' for a completed action: "Я потратил время" (incorrect mix). Correct: Use perfective forms like 'израсходовать' for finished actions, e.g., "Я израсходовал время."
• Mistake: Forgetting gender agreement in past tense, e.g., "Я тратил" for a female speaker. Correct: Females should say "Я тратила" to match gender.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like 'тратить деньги' often reflect a pragmatic attitude toward finances, influenced by historical economic challenges such as the Soviet era. Spending time with family ('проводить время с семьей') is highly valued, emphasizing community and personal relationships over material pursuits.

Related Concepts:

• экономия
• бюджет
• времяпровождение