Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'subdue'

English Word: subdue

Key Russian Translations:

• подавить [pədɐˈvʲitʲ] - [Formal, often used in contexts of suppression or control]
• подчинить [pətɕʲɪˈnʲitʲ] - [Formal, typically in authoritative or military scenarios]
• успокоить [us.pɐˈko.ɪtʲ] - [Informal, when referring to calming or pacifying emotions or situations]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, news, and everyday discussions about control or conflict)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate level; requires understanding of verb conjugations and context, with подавить and подчинить being slightly more advanced due to their formal usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

подавить: [pədɐˈvʲitʲ]

Note on подавить: The stress falls on the second syllable; be cautious with the palatalized 'вʲ' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers. It can vary slightly in rapid speech.

подчинить: [pətɕʲɪˈnʲitʲ]

Note on подчинить: The 'tɕʲ' sound is similar to the English 'ch' in 'church', but softer; stress is on the third syllable.

успокоить: [us.pɐˈko.ɪtʲ]

Note on успокоить: This verb has a rolling 'r' in some dialects, and the final 'tʲ' is lightly palatalized.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To bring under control (e.g., in military or emotional contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• подавить - Used in formal settings like suppressing rebellions or emotions; common in news or historical texts.
• подчинить - Applied in scenarios involving authority, such as subduing enemies or subordinates.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство быстро подавило протесты, чтобы восстановить порядок.

  The government quickly subdued the protests to restore order.

• В битве армия подчинилась превосходящим силам противника.

  In the battle, the army was subdued by the enemy's superior forces.

• Она смогла подавить свой гнев и продолжить разговор спокойно.

  She managed to subdue her anger and continue the conversation calmly.

• Подчинение мятежников заняло несколько дней интенсивных переговоров.

  Subduing the rebels took several days of intense negotiations.

To suppress feelings or impulses

Translation(s) & Context:

• успокоить - Informal and emotional contexts, like calming oneself or others; less forceful than подавить.

Usage Examples:

• Он пытался успокоить свою тревогу перед важным выступлением.

  He tried to subdue his anxiety before the important speech.

• Чтобы подавить импульс кричать, она глубоко вздохнула.

  To subdue the impulse to shout, she took a deep breath.

• Успокоив свои эмоции, она приняла правильное решение.

  After subduing her emotions, she made the right decision.

• Подавление страха помогло ему преодолеть препятствие.

  Subduing fear helped him overcome the obstacle.

• В терапии пациенты учатся успокаивать негативные мысли.

  In therapy, patients learn to subdue negative thoughts.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations (подавить, подчинить, успокоить) are verbs, which follow regular conjugation patterns in Russian. They are imperfective verbs that can be conjugated based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a sample conjugation table for "подавить" in the present tense; similar patterns apply to the others with minor variations.

For подчинить and успокоить, the patterns are similar but may involve aspectual pairs (e.g., подавить is perfective; its imperfective counterpart is подавлять). These verbs do not have irregular forms, making them straightforward for learners at B2 level.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Сдержать (sderžatʲ) - To hold back; similar to suppressing emotions, but often implies restraint.
  • Остановить (astanavʲitʲ) - To stop; used when subduing implies halting an action.
• Antonyms:
  • Восстать (vasstatʲ) - To rise up; directly opposite in contexts of rebellion.
  • Освободить (asvabodʲitʲ) - To free; contrasts with subjugation.

Related Phrases:

• Подавить восстание - To suppress a rebellion (used in historical or political contexts to describe quelling uprisings).
• Подчинить себе - To subdue oneself or others (implies personal mastery or domination, often in psychology or leadership).
• Успокоить нервы - To calm the nerves (informal phrase for subduing anxiety in everyday situations).

Usage Notes:

While "subdue" in English often carries connotations of force or control, Russian equivalents like подавить are more formal and precise, typically used in written or official language. Choose подчинить for contexts involving hierarchy or authority, as it aligns closely with military or organizational subjugation. Успокоить is better for emotional or informal scenarios. Be mindful of aspect in Russian verbs; for example, use the perfective form (e.g., подавить) for completed actions and imperfective (подавлять) for ongoing ones. English learners should note that Russian verbs require agreement in person and number, which has no direct equivalent in English verb structures.

• Tip: In formal writing, подавить is preferred over успокоить to match the intensity of "subdue."
• Context guide: Avoid using these in casual conversations unless emphasizing control, as they can sound overly dramatic.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse the aspect of verbs, such as using the imperfective form (e.g., подавлять) when a perfective one (подавить) is needed for a completed action. For example:

• Incorrect: Он подавляет свой гнев каждый день. (This implies ongoing suppression, which might not fit if the action is finished.)
• Correct: Он подавил свой гнев во время встречи. (This correctly indicates a completed event.)
• Another error: Misusing подчинить in emotional contexts, e.g., saying "Я подчинил свой страх" instead of "Я подавил свой страх," which could imply literal subjugation rather than emotional control. Explanation: Подчинить suggests external dominance, so reserve it for interpersonal or hierarchical scenarios.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like подавить often evoke historical contexts, such as the suppression of uprisings during the Soviet era or in literature by authors like Tolstoy, where subduing emotions reflects themes of stoicism and resilience. This can add a layer of depth, implying not just control but endurance in the face of adversity, which is a valued trait in Russian society.

Related Concepts:

• Восстание (rebellion)
• Контроль (control)
• Самоконтроль (self-control)