Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'stagnate'

English Word: stagnate

Key Russian Translations:

• стагнировать [stəɡnʲɪˈrəvətʲ] - [Formal, General]
• застояться [zəstɐˈjətʲsə] - [Informal, Specific to liquids or processes]

Frequency: Medium (Common in economic, business, and scientific contexts, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage; 'стагнировать' may be slightly more challenging due to its borrowed origin)

Pronunciation (Russian):

стагнировать: [stəɡnʲɪˈrəvətʲ]

Note on стагнировать: The stress falls on the third syllable ('ni'), which can be tricky for learners. It's a borrowed word from English/French, so pronunciation is relatively straightforward but pay attention to the soft 'н' sound.

застояться: [zəstɐˈjətʲsə]

Note on застояться: This is a perfective verb with a reflexive suffix; the 'й' in 'jətʲsə' indicates the reflexive ending, which might vary in speed in casual speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To stop developing or progressing, often in an economic or social context.

Translation(s) & Context:

• стагнировать - Used in formal discussions about economies, societies, or processes that halt progress, e.g., in business reports or academic texts.

Usage Examples:

• Экономика страны стагнирует из-за высоких налогов и нестабильности.

  The economy of the country is stagnating due to high taxes and instability.

• Без инноваций, проект может стагнировать и потерять актуальность.

  Without innovations, the project may stagnate and lose its relevance.

• Рынок стагнирует уже несколько лет, что приводит к безработице.

  The market has been stagnating for several years, leading to unemployment.

• Если не внести изменения, отношения в команде стагнируют.

  If changes aren't made, the relationships in the team will stagnate.

Meaning 2: To become stagnant, especially referring to liquids or static conditions.

Translation(s) & Context:

• застояться - Typically used for physical stagnation, like water or air, in everyday or informal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Вода в пруду застаивается и становится грязной.

  The water in the pond stagnates and becomes dirty.

• Если еда застаивается в холодильнике, она может испортиться.

  If food stagnates in the refrigerator, it can spoil.

• Воздух в комнате застаивается из-за отсутствия вентиляции.

  The air in the room stagnates due to lack of ventilation.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are verbs, but they follow different patterns in Russian. 'Стагнировать' is an imperfective verb borrowed from Western languages, while 'застояться' is a perfective reflexive verb.

For 'стагнировать' (imperfective):

For 'застояться' (perfective reflexive): This verb is irregular and doesn't have a full present tense form as it's perfective. Past tense: застаивался(ся), застаивалась(ся), etc. It remains unchanged in infinitive form and is used in perfective aspects.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • заглохнуть (to stall or halt suddenly; often for engines)
  • застояться (for the second meaning; overlaps with original)
  • Стоять на месте (literally 'to stand in place'; idiomatic for lack of progress, with subtle difference in implying complete inaction)
• Antonyms:
  • развиваться (to develop)
  • прогрессировать (to progress)
  • двигаться (to move forward)

Related Phrases:

• Экономический застой - Economic stagnation; refers to a period of little or no growth.
• Застоявшаяся вода - Stagnant water; common in environmental contexts.
• Войти в застой - To enter stagnation; used for processes or systems slowing down, with the implication of negative consequences.

Usage Notes:

'Стагнировать' is a direct cognate from English and is preferred in formal, technical contexts like economics, where precision is key. It doesn't have perfective forms, so pair it with perfective synonyms for completed actions. 'Застояться' is more colloquial and physical, often implying decay or staleness. Choose based on context: use 'стагнировать' for abstract concepts and 'застояться' for tangible ones. Be mindful of aspect in Russian sentences, as English 'stagnate' can be both imperfective and perfective.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'стагнировать' in informal speech for physical stagnation, e.g., saying "Вода стагнирует" instead of "Вода застаивается".
  Correct: "Вода застаивается" – Explanation: 'Стагнировать' is too formal and abstract for this context; it sounds unnatural.
• Mistake: Forgetting verb conjugations, e.g., using the infinitive form incorrectly in a sentence like "Я стагнировать сейчас".
  Correct: "Я стагнирую сейчас" – Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject in person and number.
• Mistake: Confusing with similar verbs, e.g., using 'заглохнуть' for economic contexts.
  Correct: Use 'стагнировать' for economies; 'заглохнуть' is for mechanical failures – Explanation: This mix-up can lead to humorous or confusing statements.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, especially post-Soviet contexts, terms like 'застой' (stagnation) evoke the era of 'застой' under Brezhnev, symbolizing economic and social inertia. This historical connotation adds a layer of negativity, making 'стагнировать' not just a neutral term but one loaded with references to inefficiency and decline in discussions of modern Russian economics.

Related Concepts:

• Развитие (development)
• Прогресс (progress)
• Кризис (crisis)
• Стабильность (stability)