Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'threaten'

English Word: threaten

Key Russian Translations:

• угрожать [ʊˈɡro.ʐɨtʲ] - [Formal, Common in legal or interpersonal contexts]

Frequency: Medium (This verb is encountered in everyday language, especially in news, literature, and conversations involving conflict.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Involves understanding verb conjugations and contexts; suitable for learners with basic Russian grammar knowledge.

Pronunciation (Russian):

угрожать: [ʊˈɡro.ʐɨtʲ]

Note on угрожать: The stress falls on the second syllable ("gro"), and the "ж" sound is a voiced palatal fricative, which may be challenging for English speakers. Be careful with the soft "тʲ" at the end.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To express an intention to inflict harm, punishment, or negative consequences

Translation(s) & Context:

• угрожать - Used in formal or serious situations, such as legal disputes, diplomatic negotiations, or personal conflicts, to indicate a warning of potential harm.

Usage Examples:

• Он угрожает мне, если я не верну долг. (On ugrozhaet mne, yesli ya ne vernu dolg.)

  He is threatening me if I don't return the debt. (This example shows the verb in a present tense, interpersonal context.)

• Правительство угрожает ввести санкции против страны. (Pravitel'stvo ugrozhaet vvesti sanktsii protiv strany.)

  The government is threatening to impose sanctions against the country. (Illustrates use in a political or international context.)

• Не угрожай ему, это только ухудшит ситуацию. (Ne ugrozhay yemu, eto tol'ko ukhudit situatsiyu.)

  Don't threaten him; it will only make the situation worse. (Demonstrates imperative form in advice-giving scenarios.)

• Она угрожала уйти, если он не изменит поведение. (Ona ugrozhalas' uyti, yesli on ne izmenit povedeniye.)

  She threatened to leave if he doesn't change his behavior. (Shows reflexive form in emotional or relational contexts.)

• В письме он угрожал разоблачить тайну. (V pis'me on ugrozhal razoblachit' taynu.)

  In the letter, he threatened to reveal the secret. (Example in a written or narrative context, highlighting potential consequences.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

угрожать is a first-conjugation verb in Russian, which means it follows regular patterns for most forms. It is imperfective and can be used in various tenses, aspects, and moods. Below is a table outlining its key inflections:

Note: The verb is regular, so it doesn't have irregular forms, but pay attention to aspect (imperfective here) when pairing with perfective counterparts like "угрожать" vs. "угроживать" in some contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: запугивать (zapugivat') - More intense, implying intimidation through fear; пугать (pugaat') - Lighter, meaning to scare but not necessarily threaten.
• Antonyms: успокаивать (uspokaivat') - To calm or reassure; ободрять (obodryat') - To encourage.

Related Phrases:

• угрожать жизни (ugrozhat' zhizni) - To threaten life; Meaning: To endanger someone's existence, often used in criminal or emergency contexts.
• угрожать силой (ugrozhat' siloy) - To threaten with force; Meaning: To warn of physical or coercive action, common in negotiations or conflicts.
• угрожать разоблачением (ugrozhat' razoblacheniyem) - To threaten exposure; Meaning: To warn of revealing secrets, as in blackmail scenarios.

Usage Notes:

угрожать directly corresponds to the English "threaten" in contexts involving warnings of harm, but it's more formal in Russian and often implies a serious intent. Use it in spoken or written language for interpersonal, legal, or political scenarios. Be cautious with grammar: it's an imperfective verb, so pair it with perfective forms like "угроживать" for completed actions. When choosing among synonyms, select угрожать for explicit threats rather than general scaring. In informal speech, Russians might soften it with particles like "ну" for nuance.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing угрожать with пугать, thinking they mean the same thing. Incorrect: "Он пугает меня" to mean a serious threat. Correct: "Он угрожает мне" for implying potential harm. Explanation: пугать means to scare temporarily, while угрожать involves a credible warning of consequences.

• Error: Incorrect conjugation, e.g., using "угрожает" in the first person. Incorrect: "Я угрожает" (grammatically wrong). Correct: "Я угрожаю". Explanation: Always match the verb ending to the subject for proper agreement in person and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, threats like those conveyed by угрожать are often expressed more directly in everyday interactions or media, reflecting a historical context of resilience and confrontation (e.g., in literature like Dostoevsky's works). However, in polite society, such language is avoided to prevent escalation, emphasizing the importance of context in usage.

Related Concepts:

• опасность (opasnost') - Danger
• шантаж (shantazh) - Blackmail
• предупреждение (preduprezhdeniye) - Warning