Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'straggle'

English Word: straggle

Key Russian Translations:

• отставать [ɐtsta'vatʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used in contexts of lagging behind in movement or progress]
• тянуться [ˈtʲænʲɪt͡ɕ] - [Neutral, Verb, Often used for straggling in a line or extending slowly]
• расползаться [rɐspɐ'lzat͡sə] - [Informal, Verb, Applied when things or people scatter or spread out unevenly]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversation but not as frequent as basic verbs; appears in narratives or descriptions of movement)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations, but basic forms are accessible for learners at this level. For 'отставать': B1; for 'тянуться': A2 due to simpler conjugation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

отставать: [ɐtsta'vatʲ] (Stress on the second syllable; the 'т' is soft, which can be tricky for English speakers)

тянуться: [ˈtʲænʲɪt͡ɕ] (The initial 'т' is palatalized; note the soft 'н' sound)

расползаться: [rɐspɐ'lzat͡sə] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'л' and 'з' sounds may vary in speed)

Note on отставать: The verb has imperfective aspect, which means it describes ongoing actions; beginners often mispronounce the soft 'т' as a hard 't'.

Note on тянуться: This verb can have reflexive forms; pay attention to the palatalized consonants for accurate pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To trail behind or lag in movement (e.g., people or objects not keeping up with a group).

Translation(s) & Context:

• отставать - Used in informal or neutral contexts, such as describing someone falling behind in a race or journey (e.g., in sports or daily life).
• тянуться - Applied in scenarios where something extends slowly, like a line of people or a procession.

Usage Examples:

• Они отставали от группы во время похода.

  They were straggling behind the group during the hike.

• Дети тянулись позади родителей в парке.

  The children were straggling behind their parents in the park.

• Автобусы начали расползаться по улицам из-за пробок.

  The buses started straggling across the streets due to traffic jams.

• Во время марша солдаты отставали из-за усталости.

  During the march, the soldiers were straggling due to fatigue.

• Процессия тянулась по площади, мешая движению.

  The procession was straggling across the square, disrupting traffic.

Meaning 2: To spread out unevenly or scatter (e.g., for objects or abstract concepts).

Translation(s) & Context:

• расползаться - Common in informal settings, such as describing disarray in physical or metaphorical senses (e.g., ideas or crowds).

Usage Examples:

• Книги расползались по всей комнате после урагана.

  The books were straggling all over the room after the storm.

• Идеи в его речи расползались, confusing the audience.

  His ideas were straggling, confusing the audience.

• Люди расползались по пляжу в поисках места.

  People were straggling across the beach in search of a spot.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Отставать' and 'тянуться' are imperfective verbs, while 'расползаться' is also imperfective and reflexive.

Note: These verbs follow regular conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs in Russian. They do not have irregular forms, but reflexive verbs like 'расползаться' add '-ся' for reflexivity.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: запаздывать (to be late or delay) - Often used interchangeably in timing contexts; отстать (to fall behind) - More static than ongoing.
• Antonyms: опережать (to overtake or go ahead) - Implies moving faster; вести (to lead) - Used for taking the front position.

Related Phrases:

• отставать от графика - Falling behind schedule; commonly used in professional or daily planning contexts.
• тянуться хвостом - To trail like a tail; refers to a line or procession extending slowly.
• расползаться по швам - To come apart at the seams; a metaphorical phrase for something breaking down or scattering.

Usage Notes:

'Straggle' corresponds most closely to 'отставать' in Russian when describing physical lagging, but 'тянуться' or 'расползаться' may be better for extended or scattered scenarios. These verbs are typically used in informal speech; for formal contexts, opt for more precise alternatives like 'задерживаться'. Always consider the imperfective aspect, which emphasizes ongoing actions rather than completed ones. When choosing among translations, select based on context: use 'отставать' for people or groups, and 'расползаться' for objects or ideas.

Common Errors:

• Common mistake: Using 'отставать' interchangeably with 'отстать', which is perfective and implies a completed action. Incorrect: "Я отстал вчера" (implying permanence); Correct: "Я отставал вчера" for ongoing straggling. Explanation: English speakers often overlook aspect, leading to tense mismatches.
• Another error: Misconjugating reflexive verbs like 'расползаться' by dropping the '-ся'. Incorrect: "Они расползают"; Correct: "Они расползаются". Explanation: The reflexive particle is essential for meaning.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like 'отставать' often appear in contexts related to endurance, such as in literature or military history (e.g., in war stories where soldiers straggle during marches). This reflects a cultural emphasis on resilience and group cohesion, where falling behind can symbolize failure or isolation.

Related Concepts:

• догонять (to catch up)
• отставной (retired or lagging behind)
• марш (march, as in a procession)