Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'try'

English Word: try

Key Russian Translations:

• попробовать [pɐprɐˈvatʲ] - [Informal, used for attempting something once]
• пытаться [pɨˈtasʲt͡ɕɪt͡ɕ] - [Formal, implies ongoing or repeated attempts]
• попытка [pɐˈjɔtkə] - [Noun form, for a single attempt; Plural: Попытки [pɐˈjɔtkʲɪ]]

Frequency: High (Common in everyday conversation and literature)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; for 'попробовать' and 'пытаться' as verbs; A2 for 'попытка' as a noun, per CEFR standards)

Pronunciation (Russian):

попробовать: [pɐprɐˈvatʲ]

пытаться: [pɨˈtasʲt͡ɕɪt͡ɕ]

попытка: [pɐˈjɔtkə]

Note on попробовать: The stress falls on the last syllable, which can be tricky for English speakers due to Russian's mobile stress patterns; variations in fast speech may soften the 'р' sound.

Note on пытаться: The 'ы' sound is a back unrounded vowel, often challenging; pronounce it like a deeper 'i' in "bit".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To attempt or make an effort to do something (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• попробовать - Used in casual, everyday contexts for trying something new or experimental, e.g., tasting food or testing an idea.
• пытаться - Applied in more persistent or formal scenarios, such as ongoing efforts in work or personal challenges.

Usage Examples:

• Я попробую приготовить это блюдо сегодня вечером.

  I will try to cook this dish tonight. (Shows a one-time attempt in a domestic setting.)

• Она пытается выучить русский язык с нуля.

  She is trying to learn Russian from scratch. (Illustrates continuous effort in an educational context.)

• Давай попробуем новый маршрут в горах.

  Let's try a new route in the mountains. (Demonstrates informal suggestion in adventure scenarios.)

• Он пытался убедить друзей в своей идее, но безуспешно.

  He tried to convince his friends of his idea, but unsuccessfully. (Highlights repeated attempts in social interactions.)

Meaning 2: An attempt or effort (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• попытка - Used as a noun for a specific instance of trying, often in reflective or narrative contexts, such as in stories or discussions about failure and success.

Usage Examples:

• Его первая попытка была неудачной, но он не сдался.

  His first try was unsuccessful, but he didn't give up. (Emphasizes a single event in a motivational context.)

• Это была хорошая попытка, несмотря на ошибки.

  It was a good try, despite the mistakes. (Used in evaluative or encouraging situations.)

• Попытки добиться успеха требуют терпения.

  Tries to achieve success require patience. (Plural form in general advice or philosophical discussions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'попробовать' (verb, imperfective aspect): This is a first conjugation verb with regular inflections. It conjugates based on tense, person, and number. Below is a basic conjugation table for the present tense:

For 'пытаться' (verb, imperfective): Similar to 'попробовать', it follows first conjugation patterns but is used for continuous actions. Example: Present tense - пытаюсь (I am trying), пытаешься (You are trying).

For 'попытка' (noun, feminine): This is a first declension noun with regular inflections. It changes by case and number:

These forms are regular, making them relatively straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: стараться (to strive, similar but more about effort than trial), усиливаться (to intensify efforts, with a nuance of increasing intensity)
• Antonyms: отказаться (to refuse, directly opposite in intent)

Related Phrases:

• Попробовать удачу - To try one's luck (Used in gambling or risky situations; implies a casual attempt at fortune.)
• Пытаться заново - To try again (Common in contexts of perseverance, like retrying a task after failure.)
• Сделать попытку - To make an attempt (A formal phrase for initiating action in professional or academic settings.)

Usage Notes:

Choose 'попробовать' for one-off, experimental actions, as it aligns closely with the English 'try' in informal contexts, while 'пытаться' is better for ongoing processes, similar to 'attempt' in English. Be mindful of aspect in Russian verbs: 'попробовать' is perfective for completed tries, but its imperfective counterpart 'пробовать' might be more appropriate for continuous actions. In formal writing, prefer 'пытаться' to convey determination. Grammatically, these verbs require agreement with subject in person and number, and nouns like 'попытка' must decline according to case.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'попробовать' for ongoing actions, e.g., saying "Я попробую учить русский каждый день" instead of "Я буду пытаться учить русский каждый день". Correct: The first implies a single try, while the latter conveys daily effort. Explanation: English speakers often overlook Russian verbal aspects, leading to mismatched tense usage.

• Error: Forgetting to decline 'попытка' in sentences, e.g., saying "Я помню попытка" instead of "Я помню попытку" (accusative case). Correct: Always adjust for case, as in "Я помню эту попытку". Explanation: This is a common novice mistake due to English's lack of declensions.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like 'попробовать удачу' reflect a philosophical acceptance of fate, often seen in literature such as Tolstoy's works, where attempts at life changes are portrayed with resilience. This vocabulary underscores the Russian emphasis on perseverance in the face of adversity, influenced by historical contexts like the Soviet era's focus on collective efforts.

Related Concepts:

• Успех (success)
• Неудача (failure)
• Усилие (effort)