Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'succumb'

English Word: succumb

Key Russian Translations:

• поддаться (/pɐˈdat͡sə/) - [Formal, Verb; Used in contexts of yielding to pressure, illness, or temptation]
• погибнуть (/pəˈgʲibnʊtʲ/) - [Formal, Verb; Used specifically when referring to death from illness or external forces]
• сдаться (/sdat͡sə/) - [Informal, Verb; Used in scenarios of surrender or giving in, often with a connotation of defeat]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literary, medical, and everyday contexts, but not as frequent as basic verbs in casual speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage; 'поддаться' and 'погибнуть' may vary slightly in difficulty based on exposure to Russian verb aspects)

Pronunciation (Russian):

поддаться: /pɐˈdat͡sə/ (Stress on the second syllable; the 'дд' is a geminate 'd' sound, which can be challenging for non-native speakers)

погибнуть: /pəˈgʲibnʊtʲ/ (The 'гʲ' is a palatalized 'g', pronounced softly; common in verbs with infinitive endings)

сдаться: /sdat͡sə/ (The 'с' is soft and followed by a quick 'д'; note the reflexive particle 'ся' which affects pronunciation in context)

Note on поддаться: This verb often involves a perfective aspect in sentences, so pronunciation may shift slightly in conjugated forms; practice with native speakers to master the stress.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To yield or give way to superior force, pressure, or temptation (e.g., emotional or situational submission)

Translation(s) & Context:

• поддаться - Used in formal or narrative contexts, such as resisting temptation but eventually giving in; common in psychological or emotional discussions.
• сдаться - Informal context, often implying defeat or surrender in conflicts; suitable for everyday conversations about personal struggles.

Usage Examples:

• Он поддался давлению и подписал договор. (He succumbed to the pressure and signed the contract.)

  Translation: He gave in to the pressure and signed the contract. (This example shows the verb in a business or personal decision context.)

• После долгой борьбы, она сдалась и признала поражение. (After a long struggle, she succumbed and admitted defeat.)

  Translation: After a long struggle, she gave in and admitted defeat. (Illustrates informal usage in emotional or competitive scenarios.)

• Многие поддаются искушению в моменты слабости. (Many succumb to temptation in moments of weakness.)

  Translation: Many give in to temptation in moments of weakness. (Demonstrates the verb with abstract concepts.)

• Он не хотел сдаться, но обстоятельства заставили. (He didn't want to succumb, but circumstances forced him.)

  Translation: He didn't want to give in, but circumstances forced him. (Shows variation in tense and aspect.)

• Поддавшись уговорам друзей, она изменила решение. (Succumbing to her friends' persuasion, she changed her decision.)

  Translation: Giving in to her friends' persuasion, she changed her decision. (Highlights social influence contexts.)

Meaning 2: To die as a result of an illness, injury, or after resistance (e.g., medical contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• погибнуть - Formal and literal, used in medical or tragic narratives; emphasizes fatal outcomes.
• поддаться - Used metaphorically for yielding to illness, but less common than 'погибнуть' in direct death scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Пациент погибнул от осложнений после операции. (The patient succumbed to complications after surgery.)

  Translation: The patient died from complications after surgery. (This example focuses on medical contexts.)

• Несмотря на лечение, он поддался болезни. (Despite treatment, he succumbed to the illness.)

  Translation: Despite treatment, he gave in to the illness. (Shows metaphorical use in health struggles.)

• Многие солдаты погибли от ран в бою. (Many soldiers succumbed to their wounds in battle.)

  Translation: Many soldiers died from their wounds in battle. (Illustrates historical or wartime usage.)

• Она не поддалась вирусу сразу, но в конце концов погибла. (She didn't succumb to the virus immediately, but eventually died.)

  Translation: She didn't give in to the virus immediately, but eventually died. (Demonstrates progression in illness.)

• Пожилые люди часто погибают от простуды в холодную зиму. (Elderly people often succumb to colds in cold winters.)

  Translation: Elderly people often die from colds in cold winters. (Highlights vulnerability in everyday scenarios.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Поддаться' and 'сдаться' are imperfective verbs, while 'погибнуть' is perfective. Below is a sample conjugation table for 'поддаться' (imperfective) in present tense; other verbs follow similar patterns with irregularities.

For 'погибнуть' (perfective), it is often used in past tense and does not conjugate in present; e.g., past: погиб, погибла. 'Сдаться' has similar conjugations but is reflexive, adding 'ся' in all forms, making it irregular in some aspects.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • уступить (yield) - Often used interchangeably with 'поддаться' in non-fatal contexts; implies voluntary concession.
  • покориться (submit) - Similar to 'сдаться' but with a more formal tone, especially in authoritative scenarios.
  • склоняться (incline) - A softer synonym for yielding to influence.
• Antonyms:
  • сопротивляться (resist)
  • выстоять (withstand)
  • победить (overcome)

Related Phrases:

• Поддаться искушению - (To succumb to temptation; Used in moral or ethical dilemmas.)
• Погибнуть от болезни - (To succumb to illness; Common in health-related discussions.)
• Сдаться без боя - (To succumb without a fight; Implies giving up easily in conflicts.)

Usage Notes:

Russian translations like 'поддаться' directly correspond to 'succumb' in contexts of yielding, but they emphasize the perfective aspect, meaning the action is completed. Choose 'погибнуть' for fatal outcomes to align more closely with English medical usage. Be mindful of formality: 'сдаться' is informal and conversational, while 'поддаться' suits written or formal speech. Grammatically, these verbs require the dative case for the influencing factor (e.g., поддаться давлению). English learners should note that Russian verbs often pair with specific prepositions, such as 'от' for causes of death.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'поддаться' interchangeably with 'погибнуть' in non-fatal contexts. Incorrect: Он погибнул давлению (He succumbed to pressure). Correct: Он поддался давлению. Explanation: 'Погибнуть' implies death, so it's inappropriate for emotional yielding; this error stems from overgeneralizing verb meanings.
• Mistake: Forgetting the reflexive particle in 'сдаться'. Incorrect: Он сдал (He succumbed). Correct: Он сдался. Explanation: 'Сдаться' is reflexive, and omitting 'ся' changes the meaning to 'to hand over', leading to confusion in surrender contexts.
• Mistake: Incorrect conjugation in past tense. Incorrect: Он поддался вчера (if meant for plural). Correct: Они поддались вчера. Explanation: Verbs must agree in number and gender, which English speakers might overlook due to the lack of similar inflection.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like 'поддаться' often appear in literature (e.g., in works by Tolstoy) to depict internal struggles or historical events, reflecting themes of resilience against adversity. 'Погибнуть' carries a somber connotation in contexts like war memorials, emphasizing the cultural value of endurance and sacrifice in Russian history.

Related Concepts:

• сопротивление (resistance)
• победа (victory)
• искушение (temptation)