Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'sway'

English Word: sway

Key Russian Translations:

• качать [ˈkaʧatʲ] - [Informal, Used for physical swaying or rocking]
• влиять [vlʲiˈatʲ] - [Formal, Used for influencing or persuading opinions]
• шатать [ʃɐˈtatʲ] - [Informal, Used for unsteady swaying or shaking]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday contexts like descriptions of movement or influence, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "идти" in Russian speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate for physical meanings like "качать"; B2 for abstract meanings like "влиять", as it involves understanding nuances of influence in Russian grammar)

Pronunciation (Russian):

качать: [ˈkaʧatʲ]

Note on качать: The stress is on the first syllable; the "ч" sound is a soft palatal fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers. Be careful with the vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.

влиять: [vlʲiˈatʲ]

Note on влиять: The "й" represents a palatal approximant; stress on the second syllable. This verb often undergoes palatalization in conjugation.

шатать: [ʃɐˈtatʲ]

Note on шатать: The initial "ш" is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, similar to "sh" in "ship"; stress on the second syllable, with potential vowel reduction.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Verb: To move back and forth (Physical swaying)

Translation(s) & Context:

• качать - Used in contexts involving rhythmic or gentle movement, such as swaying objects in nature or daily life (e.g., swinging a child).
• шатать - Used for more unstable or forceful swaying, often implying instability (e.g., in windy conditions or emotional contexts).

Usage Examples:

• Русский: Ветер качает ветви деревьев в парке.

  English: The wind sways the branches of the trees in the park.

• Русский: Мама качает колыбель, чтобы убаюкать ребенка.

  English: Mom sways the cradle to lull the child to sleep.

• Русский: Корабль начал шатать из-за сильных волн.

  English: The ship started to sway due to the strong waves.

• Русский: Он шатал головой в знак несогласия.

  English: He swayed his head in disagreement.

• Русский: Дети качают качели на детской площадке.

  English: The children sway on the swings at the playground.

Noun/Verb: To influence or persuade (Abstract swaying of opinions)

Translation(s) & Context:

• влиять - Used in formal or professional contexts to describe exerting influence, such as in politics, psychology, or decision-making.

Usage Examples:

• Русский: Его аргументы смогли влиять на решение комитета.

  English: His arguments were able to sway the committee's decision.

• Русский: Реклама влияет на потребителей, заставляя их изменить предпочтения.

  English: Advertising sways consumers, making them change their preferences.

• Русский: Политик пытался влиять на общественное мнение через СМИ.

  English: The politician tried to sway public opinion through the media.

• Русский: Её слова повлияли на мою точку зрения.

  English: Her words swayed my point of view.

• Русский: Влияние родителей часто качает будущее детей.

  English: The influence of parents often sways the future of children.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For "качать" (a first-conjugation verb), it follows regular patterns with infinitive, past, present, and future tenses. It is imperfective and can be aspectualized with perfective forms like "качнуть".

For "влиять" (an imperfective verb), it is irregular in some aspects due to its consonant stem. It conjugates as follows:

"шатать" follows similar first-conjugation patterns and is generally regular.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • качать: раскачивать (to swing more forcefully), укачивать (to rock gently, e.g., a baby)
  • влиять: убеждать (to convince, often more persuasive), воздействовать (to affect or impact)
  • шатать: трясти (to shake), колебать (to waver)
• Antonyms:
  • Для качать: стабилизировать (to stabilize)
  • Для влиять: игнорировать (to ignore)
  • Для шатать: укреплять (to strengthen)

Related Phrases:

• Качать головой - A phrase meaning "to shake one's head" in disagreement; used to express denial or disapproval.
• Влиять на кого-то - Means "to influence someone"; common in psychological or social contexts.
• Шаткий стул - Refers to "an unsteady chair"; implies instability in everyday objects.
• Качать права - An idiomatic expression meaning "to throw one's weight around" or assert authority aggressively.

Usage Notes:

"Sway" as "качать" corresponds closely to physical movements in English but is more vivid in Russian for rhythmic actions. Use "влиять" for abstract influence, which aligns with formal English contexts like persuasion. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: "качать" is imperfective, so pair it with perfective forms (e.g., "качнуть") for completed actions. In informal speech, "шатать" might carry a negative connotation of instability, so choose based on context to avoid miscommunication.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse "качать" with "трясти" (to shake), leading to overuse of "трясти" for gentle swaying. Correct: Use "качать" for smooth, back-and-forth motion, e.g., "Ветер качает" instead of "Ветер трясет".
• Mixing aspects: Saying "я качаю дерево" when a completed action is needed; correct with "я качнул дерево" for a one-time sway.
• For "влиять", learners might forget conjugation, e.g., incorrectly saying "я влиять" instead of "я влияю". Explanation: Russian verbs require proper ending based on person and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "качать права" reflect a historical emphasis on authority and hierarchy, stemming from Soviet-era dynamics where asserting influence was common in social interactions. This can help English users understand subtle power plays in Russian conversations.

Related Concepts:

• Качение (rocking or rolling)
• Влияние (influence)
• Колебание (wavering or oscillation)
• Устойчивость (stability)