Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'thwart'

English Word: thwart

Key Russian Translations:

• препятствовать /prʲɪˈpʲætstvəvətʲ/ - [Formal]
• мешать /ˈmʲexətʲ/ - [Informal]

Frequency: Medium (This verb is commonly used in written and formal contexts, such as literature or official reports, but less so in everyday casual speech.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian verb conjugations and aspect, which can be challenging for learners beyond basic levels. For 'препятствовать', it's B2; for 'мешать', it's B1 due to simpler conjugation.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

препятствовать: /prʲɪˈpʲætstvəvətʲ/

мешать: /ˈmʲexətʲ/

Note on препятствовать: This word has a soft 'п' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers; the stress falls on the third syllable. Be mindful of palatalization in spoken Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To prevent someone or something from accomplishing a plan or goal.

Translation(s) & Context:

• препятствовать - Used in formal or professional contexts, such as legal or strategic discussions, to indicate active obstruction.
• мешать - Applied in informal everyday situations, like interrupting daily activities, with a sense of interference rather than complete prevention.

Usage Examples:

• Его действия препятствовали реализации проекта. (His actions thwarted the implementation of the project.)

  English Translation: His actions thwarted the implementation of the project.

• Плохая погода мешала нашим планам на выходные. (Bad weather thwarted our weekend plans.)

  English Translation: Bad weather thwarted our weekend plans.

• Правительство препятствует распространению дезинформации в СМИ. (The government is thwarting the spread of misinformation in the media.)

  English Translation: The government is thwarting the spread of misinformation in the media.

• Её вмешательство помешало ему закончить речь. (Her interference thwarted him from finishing his speech.)

  English Translation: Her interference thwarted him from finishing his speech.

• Технические проблемы постоянно препятствуют прогрессу в исследованиях. (Technical issues continually thwart progress in research.)

  English Translation: Technical issues continually thwart progress in research.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'препятствовать' and 'мешать' are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Препятствовать' is a first-conjugation verb with regular patterns, while 'мешать' follows similar rules but is more straightforward.

Note: These verbs do not change in the infinitive form and are aspectually paired with perfective counterparts like 'препятствовать' (no direct perfective, often used with prefixes) and 'помешать' for 'мешать'.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • противодействовать (to counteract; more formal, often in political contexts)
  • вмешиваться (to interfere; implies unwanted involvement)
  • тормозить (to hinder; used metaphorically for slowing progress)
• Antonyms:
  • помогать (to help; direct opposite in facilitating actions)
  • содействовать (to assist; formal term for supporting)

Related Phrases:

• препятствовать планам (to thwart plans; used when referring to obstructing strategies or intentions.)
• мешать работе (to interfere with work; common in professional or daily life contexts.)
• постоянно препятствовать успеху (to continually thwart success; emphasizes persistent obstruction in motivational or narrative settings.)

Usage Notes:

'Thwart' corresponds most closely to 'препятствовать' in formal English-Russian translation, especially for deliberate actions, while 'мешать' is better for casual, unintentional interference. Be cautious with aspect in Russian: use imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective (e.g., 'помешать') for completed ones. In formal writing, 'препятствовать' is preferred, but in spoken language, 'мешать' might sound more natural. When choosing between translations, consider the context—'препятствовать' implies a more strategic block, whereas 'мешать' suggests disruption.

Common Errors:

• Confusing aspect: Learners often use the imperfective 'препятствовать' when a perfective form like 'помешать' is needed for a completed action. Incorrect: "Я препятствовал весь день" (implying ongoing). Correct: "Я помешал ему" (for a finished thwarting). Explanation: Russian verbs require matching aspect to the context to avoid ambiguity.

• Misconjugating verbs: English speakers might forget gender agreement in past tense, e.g., saying "препятствовала" for a male subject. Incorrect: "Он препятствовала" (wrong gender). Correct: "Он препятствовал". Explanation: Always adjust past tense endings based on the subject's gender and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and literature, words like 'препятствовать' often appear in contexts of resilience against adversity, such as in historical narratives or Soviet-era stories where individuals or forces thwart external threats. This reflects a broader cultural emphasis on perseverance, as seen in works by authors like Tolstoy, where obstacles are central to character development.

Related Concepts:

• противодействие (counteraction)
• вмешательство (interference)
• барьер (barrier)