Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'surpass'

English Word: surpass

Key Russian Translations:

• превзойти [prʲɪvˈzɔɪtʲ] - [Formal, Literary]
• превышать [prʲɪˈvɨʂatʲ] - [Informal, Used for quantities or measurements]
• обогнать [ɐbɐˈɡnatʲ] - [Informal, Plural contexts, e.g., in competitions]

Frequency: Medium (This verb and its translations are commonly encountered in everyday Russian, especially in discussions of achievement, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "быть" or "делать".)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, as it involves understanding verb conjugations and contextual nuances; for 'превзойти', it's B2 due to its perfective aspect, while 'превышать' might be A2 for basic forms.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

превзойти: [prʲɪvˈzɔɪtʲ]

превышать: [prʲɪˈvɨʂatʲ] (Note the soft 'ш' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers due to the palatalization.)

обогнать: [ɐbɐˈɡnatʲ] (Emphasize the stress on the second syllable; a common variant in fast speech is [ɐbɐ'ɡnatʲ].)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To exceed in achievement or quality

Translation(s) & Context:

• превзойти - Used in formal or literary contexts, such as describing personal accomplishments or historical events.
• превышать - Applied in everyday situations involving measurements, like surpassing limits or standards.

Usage Examples:

• Его команда превзошла все ожидания в финале. (His team surpassed all expectations in the final.)

  His team surpassed all expectations in the final.

• Эта технология превышает возможности предыдущей модели. (This technology surpasses the capabilities of the previous model.)

  This technology surpasses the capabilities of the previous model.

• Спортсмен обогнал конкурентов на последнем круге. (The athlete surpassed his competitors on the last lap.)

  The athlete surpassed his competitors on the last lap.

• В её работе превзойдено мастерство великих художников. (In her work, the mastery of great artists has been surpassed.)

  In her work, the mastery of great artists has been surpassed.

• Доходы компании превысили прогнозы аналитиков. (The company's revenues surpassed the analysts' forecasts.)

  The company's revenues surpassed the analysts' forecasts.

To go beyond in quantity or degree

Translation(s) & Context:

• превышать - Common in scientific, business, or quantitative contexts, emphasizing numerical excess.
• обогнать - Used in dynamic scenarios like races or progress tracking.

Usage Examples:

• Температура превысила критический уровень. (The temperature surpassed the critical level.)

  The temperature surpassed the critical level.

• Машина обогнала автобус на шоссе. (The car surpassed the bus on the highway.)

  The car surpassed the bus on the highway.

• Его продажи превзошли цели квартала. (His sales surpassed the quarterly goals.)

  His sales surpassed the quarterly goals.

• Инфляция превышает нормы, установленные правительством. (Inflation surpasses the norms set by the government.)

  Inflation surpasses the norms set by the government.

• Дети обогнали родителей в изучении новых технологий. (The children surpassed their parents in learning new technologies.)

  The children surpassed their parents in learning new technologies.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These verbs are primarily perfective (for completed actions) and imperfective (for ongoing actions). 'Превзойти' is a perfective verb, while 'превышать' is imperfective, and 'обогнать' is also perfective. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, and number.

Note: These verbs do not change irregularly but follow standard patterns for Russian verbs of motion and achievement.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: перещеголять (to outshine, with a connotation of elegance), опередить (to get ahead of, in timing)
• Antonyms: уступить (to yield, often used in competitive contexts), отстать (to fall behind, implying delay)

Related Phrases:

• Превзойти самого себя - (To surpass oneself; used to describe personal improvement or exceptional performance.)
• Превышать лимит - (To exceed the limit; common in financial or regulatory contexts.)
• Обогнать время - (To outpace time; metaphorical, often in discussions of innovation or haste.)

Usage Notes:

'Превзойти' is the most direct translation for 'surpass' in contexts of achievement, but it's more formal and literary, so use it in written or professional settings rather than casual conversation. 'Превышать' is better for quantitative exceedance, like in math or business, and pairs well with numbers (e.g., "превышать 100%"). Choose 'обогнать' for physical or competitive surpassing. Be mindful of aspect: perfective verbs like 'превзойти' indicate completed actions, while imperfective like 'превышать' show ongoing processes. English learners should note that Russian verbs often require prepositions for full context, e.g., 'превзойти в чем-то' (surpass in something).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'превзойти' in ongoing contexts, e.g., saying "Я превзожу ожидания" instead of the correct imperfective "Я превышаю ожидания". Correct: The perfective 'превзойти' can't be used for present tense; use 'превышать' for ongoing actions. Explanation: English speakers often overlook Russian verb aspects, leading to tense mismatches.
• Error: Confusing 'обогнать' with 'превзойти', e.g., using 'обогнать' for intellectual surpassing. Correct: 'Обогнать' is for physical speed; use 'превзойти' for achievements. Explanation: This stems from literal translations without considering context.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like 'превзойти' often appear in literature and motivational contexts, reflecting the value placed on personal excellence and overcoming challenges, as seen in works by authors like Tolstoy. It carries a sense of heroic achievement, tied to historical narratives of Russian resilience.

Related Concepts:

• успех (success)
• достижение (achievement)
• конкуренция (competition)