Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sue'

English Word: sue

Key Russian Translations:

• судиться [suˈdʲit͡ɕːə] - [Informal, often used in everyday legal contexts]
• подать иск [pəˈdatʲ ɪsk] - [Formal, typically in legal or official documents]

Frequency: Medium (Common in legal discussions but not in casual conversation; appears in media, court-related texts, and formal writing.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian verb conjugations and legal vocabulary; for 'судиться', it's slightly more challenging due to reflexive form, while 'подать иск' is straightforward as a phrase.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

судиться: [suˈdʲit͡ɕːə]

Note on судиться: The stress is on the second syllable, and the 'щ' sound is a soft palatal fricative, which can be tricky for English speakers. It's a reflexive verb, so it often ends in '-ся'.

подать иск: [pəˈdatʲ ɪsk]

Note on подать иск: 'Подать' has stress on the first syllable, and 'иск' is pronounced with a hard 's'. This phrase is more phonetic and easier for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To initiate legal action against someone in a court of law.

Translation(s) & Context:

• судиться - Used in informal or narrative contexts, such as personal stories or news articles, to describe ongoing legal disputes.
• подать иск - Applied in formal settings like official filings or legal advice, emphasizing the act of submitting a lawsuit.

Usage Examples:

• Он решил судиться с компанией за нарушение контракта. (He decided to sue the company for breach of contract.)

  Translation: He decided to sue the company for breach of contract. (This example shows the verb in a reflexive form, highlighting personal action in a civil dispute.)

• Женщина подала иск против бывшего мужа в суд. (The woman filed a lawsuit against her ex-husband in court.)

  Translation: The woman sued her ex-husband in court. (This demonstrates the phrase in a family law context, common in formal legal proceedings.)

• После аварии они судятся с страховой компанией уже год. (After the accident, they have been suing the insurance company for a year.)

  Translation: After the accident, they have been suing the insurance company for a year. (Illustrates ongoing action in imperfective aspect, showing duration in legal battles.)

• Адвокат посоветовал клиенту подать иск немедленно. (The lawyer advised the client to file a lawsuit immediately.)

  Translation: The lawyer advised the client to sue immediately. (Shows the phrase in an advisory context, emphasizing urgency in formal language.)

• Многие люди судятся из-за наследства, но это может занять годы. (Many people sue over inheritance, but it can take years.)

  Translation: Many people sue over inheritance, but it can take years. (This example varies the structure to discuss common scenarios, incorporating real-world implications.)

Secondary Meaning: To make a formal complaint or seek redress (in non-legal contexts, though rare).

Translation(s) & Context:

• судиться - Informally extended to metaphorical disputes, e.g., in arguments or complaints, but not standard.

Usage Examples:

• Друзья иногда судятся из-за мелких недоразумений. (Friends sometimes 'sue' each other over minor misunderstandings.)

  Translation: Friends sometimes quarrel over minor misunderstandings. (This uses the verb metaphorically, though not literally legal, to show informal extensions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'судиться' (a reflexive imperfective verb), it follows standard Russian verb conjugation patterns with the reflexive particle '-ся'. It is irregular in some aspects due to its reflexive nature.

For 'подать иск' (a phrase), 'подать' is a perfective verb and conjugates as follows in key forms: Infinitive: подать; Past: подал/подала; Future: подам. 'Иск' is a masculine noun that declines by case: Nominative: иск; Genitive: иска; Dative: иску, etc. It is invariant in number for common usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: оспаривать (to contest, more formal and legalistic), искать правосудия (to seek justice, broader context) - Note: 'оспаривать' implies challenging decisions, while 'искать правосудия' is more general.
• Antonyms: примириться (to reconcile), отступить (to withdraw, in legal contexts)

Related Phrases:

• Подать иск в суд (To file a lawsuit in court) - A formal phrase for initiating legal proceedings.
• Судиться за права (To sue for rights) - Used in contexts involving human rights or property disputes.
• Иск по делу (Lawsuit in the case) - Refers to a specific legal action with ongoing implications.

Usage Notes:

• Russian equivalents like 'судиться' are more reflexive and imply a personal involvement, unlike the direct action in English 'sue'. Use 'подать иск' for formal writing to match precise legal terminology.
• In everyday speech, 'судиться' might carry a connotation of prolonged conflict, so it's ideal for narratives; avoid it in official documents where 'подать иск' is preferred.
• Grammar note: 'Судиться' requires agreement in gender and number for past tense, e.g., 'судилась' for feminine subjects.
• When choosing between translations, opt for 'подать иск' in professional contexts and 'судиться' for descriptive stories.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'судить' (to judge) instead of 'судиться' (to sue). Incorrect: Он судит компанию. Correct: Он судится с компанией. Explanation: 'Судить' means to act as a judge, not to initiate a lawsuit; add '-ся' for the reflexive form to convey suing.
• Error: Forgetting case agreement with 'иск', e.g., saying 'подать в иск' instead of 'подать иск'. Incorrect: Подать в иск. Correct: Подать иск. Explanation: 'Иск' is in the accusative case here and doesn't change; this is a common oversight for beginners learning noun cases.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, legal actions like suing are often seen as a last resort due to the historical influence of the Soviet system, where courts were state-controlled. Terms like 'судиться' can carry undertones of bureaucracy and lengthy processes, reflecting a cultural wariness of the judicial system. Understanding this helps English speakers grasp why such phrases are used sparingly in casual conversation.

Related Concepts:

• Суд (court)
• Адвокат (lawyer)
• Правосудие (justice)