Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sustain'

English Word: sustain

Key Russian Translations:

• поддерживать [pɐd.dʲɪrˈʐɨ.vətʲ] - [Formal, commonly used in professional or academic contexts]
• выдерживать [vɨ.dʲɪrˈʐɨ.vətʲ] - [Formal, often in contexts of endurance or resilience]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are encountered in everyday Russian, especially in discussions on economics, environment, or personal development, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage. For 'поддерживать', it's B2; for 'выдерживать', it may lean towards B1 if endurance contexts are familiar.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

поддерживать: [pɐd.dʲɪrˈʐɨ.vətʲ]

Note on поддерживать: The stress falls on the third syllable ('ʐɨ'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft 'дʲ' sound. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

выдерживать: [vɨ.dʲɪrˈʐɨ.vətʲ]

Note on выдерживать: Emphasize the 'ʐɨ' in the third syllable; the initial 'вɨ' is pronounced with a soft, almost whispered 'ы' sound, common in Russian verbs of endurance.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To maintain or support something over time (e.g., sustaining growth or an effort)

Translation(s) & Context:

• поддерживать - Used in formal or professional settings, such as sustaining an economy or a relationship; implies ongoing support.
• выдерживать - Less common for this meaning; typically for physical or emotional endurance, but can apply in metaphorical contexts like sustaining pressure.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство должно поддерживать устойчивый рост экономики.

  The government must sustain sustainable economic growth.

• Экологи работают над тем, чтобы поддерживать баланс в экосистеме.

  Ecologists work to sustain balance in the ecosystem.

• Чтобы поддерживать мотивацию, нужно ставить реалистичные цели.

  To sustain motivation, you need to set realistic goals.

• Иногда трудно поддерживать дружбу на расстоянии.

  Sometimes it's hard to sustain a friendship over distance.

Meaning 2: To endure or withstand something (e.g., sustaining injury or hardship)

Translation(s) & Context:

• выдерживать - Primarily used for enduring physical or emotional challenges; common in everyday and literary contexts.
• поддерживать - Can be used metaphorically for sustaining oneself through support, but less direct than выдерживать.

Usage Examples:

• Она смогла выдерживать сильную боль во время операции.

  She was able to sustain severe pain during the surgery.

• В трудные времена люди учатся выдерживать давление.

  In tough times, people learn to sustain pressure.

• Чтобы выдерживать одиночество, он занялся хобби.

  To sustain loneliness, he took up a hobby.

• Спортсмены должны выдерживать интенсивные тренировки.

  Athletes must sustain intense training sessions.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'поддерживать' and 'выдерживать' are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender. These verbs follow the first conjugation pattern, which is regular but requires attention to stem changes.

Note: These verbs do not have irregular forms, but aspect changes (e.g., to perfective: поддержать or выдержать) are common in Russian to indicate completion.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for поддерживать: сохранять (sokhranyat' - to preserve), обеспечивать (obespechivat' - to provide for; implies more active support)
• Synonyms for выдерживать: терпеть (terpet' - to endure, with a connotation of patience), устоять (ustoat' - to withstand, often in a one-time sense)
• Antonyms: разрушать (razrushat' - to destroy), сдаваться (sdavatsya - to give up)

Related Phrases:

• Поддерживать связь - Maintain contact (Used for keeping relationships alive, e.g., in professional networking.)
• Выдерживать испытание - Withstand a test (Refers to enduring challenges, like in exams or life trials.)
• Поддерживать баланс - Sustain balance (Common in health or environmental contexts, meaning to keep equilibrium.)

Usage Notes:

'Поддерживать' is the most direct translation for 'sustain' in the sense of maintaining something, and it's preferred in formal writing or speeches. 'Выдерживать' better captures endurance aspects and is often used in narrative or emotional contexts. English speakers should note that Russian verbs require aspect consideration—use imperfective for ongoing actions like 'sustain' implies. In casual speech, synonyms like 'сохранять' might be more idiomatic. Choose based on context: 'поддерживать' for support, 'выдерживать' for resilience.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Confusing 'поддерживать' with 'поддержать' (the perfective form), leading to incorrect aspect usage. For example, a learner might say "Я поддержал экономику" when meaning ongoing action, but it implies a completed event. Correct: "Я поддерживаю экономику" for sustaining it over time.
• Mistake: Overusing 'выдерживать' in non-endurance contexts, e.g., saying "Я выдерживаю дом" instead of "Я поддерживаю дом" (I sustain the house). Explanation: 'Выдерживать' implies enduring hardship, not maintenance. Correct usage: Use 'поддерживать' for general sustaining.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'выдерживать' often carry connotations of resilience and stoicism, reflecting historical contexts such as enduring wars or economic hardships. For instance, in literature like Tolstoy's works, sustaining through adversity is a common theme, emphasizing collective endurance over individual support.

Related Concepts:

• устойчивость (sustainability, in environmental contexts)
• терпение (patience, linked to endurance)
• обеспечение (provision, related to support)