Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unravel'

English Word: unravel

Key Russian Translations:

• распутывать [rɐˈsputɨvətʲ] - [Informal, used for physical untangling]
• разгадывать [rɐzɡɐˈdɨvətʲ] - [Formal, used for solving mysteries or abstract problems]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in everyday and literary contexts, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "делать")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; involves understanding verb conjugations and context-specific usage; распутывать may be slightly easier for beginners, while разгадывать requires more nuanced comprehension)

Pronunciation (Russian):

распутывать: [rɐˈsputɨvətʲ]

Note on распутывать: The stress falls on the second syllable ("pu"), which is common in Russian imperfective verbs; be careful with the soft 't' sound at the end.

Audio: []

разгадывать: [rɐzɡɐˈdɨvətʲ]

Note on разгадывать: The 'g' is pronounced as a hard [ɡ], and the stress is on the third syllable ("dy"); this verb often has a more intellectual connotation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To untangle or unwind something physical (e.g., a knot or thread)

Translation(s) & Context:

• распутывать - Typically used in informal or everyday contexts for literal untangling, such as with ropes or wires.

Usage Examples:

• Я распутываю клубок шерсти, чтобы связать шарф.

  I am unraveling the ball of wool to knit a scarf.

• Ему пришлось распутывать провода, запутавшиеся в ящике.

  He had to unravel the wires that were tangled in the drawer.

• Дети часто распутывают узлы на веревке во время игр.

  Children often unravel knots on the rope during play.

• После рыбалки мне нужно распутывать леску.

  After fishing, I need to unravel the fishing line.

2. To solve or reveal something abstract (e.g., a mystery or problem)

Translation(s) & Context:

• разгадывать - Used in more formal or intellectual contexts, such as puzzles, enigmas, or complex situations.

Usage Examples:

• Детектив разгадывает тайну убийства шаг за шагом.

  The detective is unraveling the murder mystery step by step.

• Ученые разгадывают загадки вселенной с помощью новых технологий.

  Scientists are unraveling the mysteries of the universe with new technologies.

• Ей удалось разгадать шифр, скрывающий важную информацию.

  She managed to unravel the code hiding important information.

• В романе главный герой разгадывает интригу, ведущую к развязке.

  In the novel, the main character unravels the plot leading to the resolution.

• Психолог помогает разгадывать эмоциональные узлы в терапии.

  The psychologist helps unravel emotional knots in therapy.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "распутывать" and "разгадывать" are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender. These verbs follow regular conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs.

Form	распутывать (e.g., Present Tense)	разгадывать (e.g., Present Tense)
I (Я)	распутываю	разгадываю
You (Ты)	распутываешь	разгадываешь
He/She/It (Он/Она/Оно)	распутывает	разгадывает
We (Мы)	распутываем	разгадываем
You (Вы, formal)	распутываете	разгадываете
They (Они)	распутывают	разгадывают
Note: For past tense, "распутывать" becomes "распутывал/распутывала" (masc./fem.), and "разгадывать" becomes "разгадывал/разгадывала". These verbs can form perfective aspects like "распутать" and "разгадать" for completed actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • распутать (for completed action of распутывать; more direct untangling)
  • развязывать (similar to распутывать, but often for knots; slight nuance in implying loosening ties)
  • расшифровывать (synonym for разгадывать in contexts of decoding)
• Antonyms:
  • запутывать (to tangle or complicate)
  • замыслить (to plot or make mysterious, opposite of solving)

Related Phrases:

• распутать клубок - A common phrase meaning "to unravel a ball (of yarn or metaphorically, a complex situation)"; used in storytelling for resolving complications.
• разгадать загадку - Means "to unravel a riddle"; often in educational or puzzle contexts.
• распутывать интригу - Translates to "to unravel an intrigue"; refers to uncovering plots in literature or real life.

Usage Notes:

"Unravel" in English can be both literal and figurative, much like its Russian counterparts. Choose "распутывать" for physical actions to match the informal, everyday tone, while "разгадывать" is better for intellectual or abstract scenarios. Be mindful of aspect: use imperfective forms like these for ongoing processes and perfective forms (e.g., распутать) for completed ones. In formal writing, "разгадывать" pairs well with nouns like "тайна" (mystery). Learners should note that Russian verbs require agreement in person and number, which differs from English's more flexible structure.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "распутывать" interchangeably with "разгадывать" in abstract contexts. Incorrect: "Я распутываю тайну" (implies physically untangling a mystery, which is awkward). Correct: "Я разгадываю тайну" – Explanation: "Разгадывать" is specifically for intellectual unraveling, avoiding confusion in meaning.
• Mistake: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying "распутывать" in all forms. Incorrect: "Я распутывать" (grammatically wrong). Correct: "Я распутываю" – Explanation: Always conjugate based on subject for proper sentence structure.
• Mistake: Overusing in formal settings. Incorrect: Using "распутывать" in academic writing for solving problems. Correct: Opt for "разгадывать" – Explanation: Maintains a more professional tone.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, phrases like "распутать клубок" often appear in literature, such as in works by Dostoevsky, where unraveling personal or societal mysteries symbolizes deep psychological exploration. This reflects Russia's rich tradition of mystery novels and philosophical inquiries, emphasizing patience and intellect in problem-solving.

Related Concepts:

• узел (knot)
• тайна (mystery)
• загадка (riddle)
• интрига (intrigue)