Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'transgress'

English Word: transgress

Key Russian Translations:

• нарушать [nəˈruʂətʲ] - [Informal, Verb]
• преступить [prʲɪˈstupʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Verb]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in legal, ethical, and everyday contexts, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage, though the core meaning is straightforward for learners at this level).

Pronunciation (Russian):

нарушать: [nəˈruʂətʲ]

преступить: [prʲɪˈstupʲɪtʲ]

Note on нарушать: The 'ш' sound (as in [ʂ]) can be challenging for English speakers; it's a voiceless retroflex fricative. Stress is on the second syllable.

Note on преступить: This is a perfective verb; pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech, with emphasis on the prefix.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To break a law, rule, or moral principle.

Translation(s) & Context:

• нарушать - Used in informal or general contexts, such as everyday rule-breaking.
• преступить - Used in more formal or legal contexts, implying a serious violation.

Usage Examples:

• Он часто нарушает правила дорожного движения. (He often transgresses traffic rules.)

  English Translation: He often breaks traffic rules.

• В этом обществе преступить моральные нормы считается недопустимым. (In this society, to transgress moral norms is considered unacceptable.)

  English Translation: In this society, to break moral norms is considered unacceptable.

• Молодые люди иногда нарушают традиции, чтобы выразить свою независимость. (Young people sometimes transgress traditions to express their independence.)

  English Translation: Young people sometimes break traditions to express their independence.

• Если вы преступите закон, то столкнетесь с последствиями. (If you transgress the law, you will face consequences.)

  English Translation: If you break the law, you will face consequences.

• В исторических текстах часто описывается, как лидеры преступали границы власти. (In historical texts, it's often described how leaders transgressed boundaries of power.)

  English Translation: In historical texts, it's often described how leaders broke boundaries of power.

Meaning 2: To go beyond a limit or boundary (metaphorical sense).

Translation(s) & Context:

• нарушать - In metaphorical contexts, like exceeding limits in behavior or space.
• переступить - Sometimes used interchangeably, but more for physical or emotional boundaries.

Usage Examples:

• Её действия нарушили границы личного пространства. (Her actions transgressed personal space boundaries.)

  English Translation: Her actions broke personal space boundaries.

• Художник переступил традиционные нормы, создав шедевр. (The artist transgressed traditional norms, creating a masterpiece.)

  English Translation: The artist broke traditional norms, creating a masterpiece.

• В спорте спортсмены иногда нарушают правила, чтобы выиграть. (In sports, athletes sometimes transgress rules to win.)

  English Translation: In sports, athletes sometimes break rules to win.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. 'Нарушать' is an imperfective verb, while 'преступить' is perfective. Russian verbs change based on tense, aspect, person, and number.

Note: These verbs do not have irregular forms but follow standard patterns for first conjugation verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • игнорировать (ignorovat') - To ignore, often in less formal contexts.
  • переходить (perekhodit') - To cross over, for boundaries.
• Antonyms:
  • соблюдать (soblyudat') - To observe or follow rules.
  • уважать (uvazhat') - To respect boundaries.

Related Phrases:

• Нарушить закон (Naрушit' zakon) - To break the law; used in legal contexts.
• Преступить черту (Prestupl' chertu) - To cross the line; implies going beyond acceptable limits.
• Нарушать традиции (Naрушat' traditsii) - To transgress traditions; common in cultural discussions.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'transgress' is best translated based on context: use 'нарушать' for ongoing or habitual actions, and 'преступить' for completed ones. English speakers should note that Russian verbs have aspects (imperfective vs. perfective), which affect tense usage. For formal writing, opt for 'преступить'; in casual speech, 'нарушать' is more natural. Be mindful of grammatical gender and number in conjugations.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Confusing imperfective and perfective aspects, e.g., using 'нарушать' when a completed action is needed. Correct: Use 'преступить' for one-time events. Example of error: "Я нарушу закон завтра" (incorrect for a specific future action); Correct: "Я преступлю закон завтра".
• Mistake: Overusing in formal contexts. Explanation: Beginners might use 'нарушать' everywhere, but it's less precise in legal settings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, transgressing social norms or laws can carry heavy connotations due to historical emphasis on collective rules, as seen in Soviet-era literature. For instance, themes of transgression in works by authors like Dostoevsky often explore moral dilemmas, reflecting deeper philosophical and ethical debates in Russian society.

Related Concepts:

• нарушение (naрушhenie) - Violation
• преступление (prestupleniye) - Crime
• граница (granitsa) - Boundary