Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'undergo'

English Word: undergo

Key Russian Translations:

• подвергаться /pɐdˈvʲɛrɡət͡sə/ - [Formal, Verb]
• испытывать /ɪsˈpɨtɨvətʲ/ - [Informal, Verb, Used in everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in medical, scientific, and narrative contexts, but not as frequent in casual speech).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of reflexive verbs and verb conjugations, which can be challenging for learners at A2 level).

Pronunciation (Russian):

подвергаться: /pɐdˈvʲɛrɡət͡sə/ (Stress on the third syllable; the 'г' is pronounced as a voiced velar fricative, similar to 'g' in 'go').

Note on подвергаться: This word involves a reflexive suffix '-ся', which can alter pronunciation slightly in rapid speech, making the ending softer. Pay attention to the vowel reductions in unstressed syllables, common in Russian.

испытывать: /ɪsˈpɨtɨvətʲ/ (Stress on the second syllable; the 'ы' is a central vowel, distinct from 'i' in English).

Note on испытывать: The 'т' before 'ы' can be slightly palatalized; this verb is often used in perfective-imperfective pairs, but here it's the imperfective form.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To experience or go through a process, often medical or transformative (e.g., undergo surgery).

Translation(s) & Context:

• подвергаться - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as medical procedures or changes (e.g., in scientific writing or news reports).
• испытывать - Used in more general or emotional contexts, implying personal experience (e.g., in literature or everyday conversation).

Usage Examples:

• Он подвергался операции на сердце в прошлом году.

  He underwent heart surgery last year.

• Эта страна подвергается значительным экономическим изменениям.

  This country is undergoing significant economic changes.

• Я испытываю сильную боль после тренировки.

  I am undergoing intense pain after the workout.

• Дети подвергаются влиянию новых технологий ежедневно.

  Children undergo the influence of new technologies every day.

• Она испытывает стресс из-за работы.

  She is undergoing stress due to work.

Meaning 2: To endure or suffer something, often negative (e.g., undergo hardship).

Translation(s) & Context:

• подвергаться - Emphasizes passive endurance, common in formal descriptions of challenges (e.g., historical or legal contexts).
• испытывать - Focuses on the subjective experience, suitable for personal narratives.

Usage Examples:

• Жители подвергались бомбардировкам во время войны.

  The residents underwent bombings during the war.

• Он подвергался дискриминации на работе.

  He underwent discrimination at work.

• Мы испытываем трудности в адаптации к новому климату.

  We are undergoing difficulties in adapting to the new climate.

• Эта команда подвергается критике за свои результаты.

  This team is undergoing criticism for their performance.

• Девушка испытывает одиночество в большом городе.

  The girl is undergoing loneliness in the big city.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are verbs, with "подвергаться" and "испытывать" being imperfective. Russian verbs inflect based on tense, aspect, person, and number. "Подвергаться" is a reflexive verb (ends in -ся), which affects its conjugation.

Note: These verbs do not change irregularly but follow standard patterns for first-conjugation verbs. The reflexive form of "подвергаться" remains consistent across inflections.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • пережить (perezhit') - More focused on surviving an event; often used for intense experiences.
  • проходить (prokhodit') - Implies passing through a process, with less emphasis on suffering.
• Antonyms:
  • избегать (izbegat') - To avoid.
  • предотвращать (predotvrashchat') - To prevent.

Related Phrases:

• подвергаться опасности - Undergo danger (Used in risk assessment or adventure contexts).
• испытывать трудности - Undergo difficulties (Common in personal development or challenge narratives).
• подвергаться лечению - Undergo treatment (Specific to medical scenarios).

Usage Notes:

"Подвергаться" is the most direct equivalent to "undergo" in formal contexts, emphasizing a passive experience, while "испытывать" adds a subjective, emotional layer. Choose "подвергаться" for processes like medical procedures or external changes, and "испытывать" for internal states. Be mindful of Russian's aspect system: these are imperfective verbs, so pair them with perfective forms (e.g., подвергнуться) for completed actions. In informal speech, "испытывать" might sound more natural, but avoid it in technical writing where precision is key.

• Grammar note: Always use the reflexive particle "-ся" with "подвергаться" to maintain its meaning.
• Context tip: In Russian, these verbs often appear in the present tense for ongoing processes, aligning with English progressive forms.

Common Errors:

English learners often forget the reflexive "-ся" in "подвергаться," mistakenly using "подвергать" (which means "to subject someone else to"), leading to errors like saying "Я подвергать операцию" instead of "Я подвергаюсь операции." Correct usage: Always include "-ся" for self-experience. Another mistake is confusing aspect; for example, using "подвергаться" when a perfective verb like "подвергнуться" is needed for a completed action. Explanation: Russian verbs require careful aspect choice to convey whether an action is ongoing or finished, unlike English "undergo."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "подвергаться" often appear in contexts of resilience or endurance, reflecting historical experiences such as wars or economic hardships. This can add a layer of stoicism to the word, implying not just undergoing but persevering through adversity, which is a valued trait in Russian literature and society.

Related Concepts:

• претерпевать (preterpevat') - To endure over time.
• страдать (stradat') - To suffer.
• изменяться (izmenyat'sya) - To change.