Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'survive'

English Word: survive

Key Russian Translations:

• выжить /vɨˈʐɨtʲ/ - [Formal, used for surviving a specific event]
• выживать /vɨˈʐɨvətʲ/ - [Informal, used for ongoing survival or endurance]
• пережить /pʲɪrʲɪˈʐɨtʲ/ - [Formal, often implies emotional or historical survival]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in news, literature, and everyday discussions about resilience or crises)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, according to CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugations and context, with выживать being slightly more advanced for ongoing actions)

Pronunciation (Russian):

выжить: /vɨˈʐɨtʲ/

выживать: /vɨˈʐɨvətʲ/

пережить: /pʲɪrʲɪˈʐɨtʲ/

Note on выживать: The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; it sounds like the 's' in "measure." Variations may occur in dialects, but standard Russian uses this pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To continue living after a dangerous event

Translation(s) & Context:

• выжить - Used in contexts of physical survival, such as natural disasters or accidents (e.g., in formal writing or news reports).
• выживать - Applied to ongoing struggles, like in everyday life or economic hardships (e.g., informal conversations).

Usage Examples:

• Он выжил после авиакатастрофы, но получил серьёзные травмы.

  He survived the plane crash but sustained serious injuries.

• В условиях войны люди учатся выживать, находя еду и убежище.

  In wartime conditions, people learn to survive by finding food and shelter.

• Несмотря на болезнь, она смогла выжить благодаря своевременной медицинской помощи.

  Despite the illness, she was able to survive thanks to timely medical help.

• В дикой природе животные должны выживать, избегая хищников.

  In the wild, animals must survive by avoiding predators.

• Экономический кризис заставил многих выживать на минимальный доход.

  The economic crisis forced many to survive on a minimal income.

To endure or persist through difficulties

Translation(s) & Context:

• пережить - Often used for emotional or psychological survival, such as overcoming loss (e.g., in literary or reflective contexts).
• выживать - Emphasizes long-term endurance, like in challenging environments (e.g., informal or motivational speech).

Usage Examples:

• Она пережила потерю близкого человека и продолжила жить полной жизнью.

  She survived the loss of a loved one and went on to live a full life.

• В суровом климате Сибири люди учатся выживать, полагаясь на традиции.

  In Siberia's harsh climate, people learn to survive by relying on traditions.

• Бизнесу пришлось пережить пандемию, чтобы восстановиться позже.

  The business had to survive the pandemic in order to recover later.

• Дети в лагере выживают без современных гаджетов, развлекааясь на природе.

  Children in the camp survive without modern gadgets by having fun in nature.

• Он пережил финансовый крах и теперь делится советами по выживанию.

  He survived a financial crash and now shares survival tips.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These translations are primarily verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. "Выжить" and "пережить" are perfective verbs (indicating a completed action), while "выживать" is imperfective (indicating an ongoing process). Russian verbs have regular and irregular patterns; these follow standard patterns but require attention to aspects.

Note: These verbs do not change for gender in the infinitive form but conjugate accordingly in past tense. For irregular aspects, consult a full conjugation chart.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • пережить - Similar to выжить but often connotes deeper emotional resilience.
  • сохраниться - Used in contexts of preservation, like surviving in a non-physical sense (e.g., cultural survival).
• Antonyms:
  • погибнуть - To perish or die.
  • умереть - To die, implying a final end.

Related Phrases:

• Выжить в катастрофе - To survive a disaster; used in emergency contexts.
• Выживать в трудных условиях - To survive in difficult conditions; common in motivational or survival stories.
• Пережить утрату - To survive a loss; often refers to emotional endurance in personal narratives.

Usage Notes:

Russian translations of "survive" like выжить and выживать are aspectually distinct: use выжить for a one-time event (perfective) and выживать for continuous actions (imperfective). In formal contexts, such as academic or news writing, выжить is preferred for precision. English speakers should note that Russian verbs often require a specific aspect to match the context, and пережить carries an emotional connotation not always present in "survive." When choosing between translations, consider the aspect and formality to avoid awkward phrasing.

Common Errors:

• Confusing aspects: English speakers might use выжить when выживать is needed, e.g., saying "Я выжил каждый день" (incorrect for ongoing survival) instead of "Я выживаю каждый день." Correct: Use выживать for habitual actions to convey continuity.
• Misconjugating verbs: Forgetting gender agreement in past tense, e.g., saying "Она выжил" (wrong; should be "выжила") for a female subject. Explanation: Russian past tense verbs agree with the subject's gender, unlike English.
• Overusing formal terms: Using пережить in casual speech when выживать is more natural, e.g., "Я пережил вчерашний день" instead of "Я выжил вчерашний день" for a simple daily survival context.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like выжить and пережить often appear in literature and historical narratives, such as in works by authors like Tolstoy or in discussions of WWII survival stories. They embody themes of resilience (e.g., "Великая Отечественная война"), reflecting Russia's history of enduring hardships, which adds a layer of national pride and stoicism to their usage.

Related Concepts:

• жизнь (life)
• выносливость (endurance)
• катастрофа (disaster)