Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unsettle'

English Word: unsettle

Key Russian Translations:

• Беспокоить [bʲɪˈspɐkəɪtʲ] - [Informal, Everyday use]
• Возмутить [vɐzˈmutʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Literary or emotional contexts]
• Нарушить [nɐˈruʂɪtʲ] - [Neutral, Often in contexts of stability or routine]

Frequency: Medium (Common in conversational Russian but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs like "сказать")

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (Requires understanding of verb conjugations; varies by translation: Беспокоить is B1, Возмутить is B2 due to its formal tone)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Беспокоить: [bʲɪˈspɐkəɪtʲ]

Note on Беспокоить: The stress falls on the second syllable ("spo"), and the soft sign (ь) affects the preceding consonant's pronunciation, making it palatalized. Common in spoken Russian with slight regional variations in vowel length.

Возмутить: [vɐzˈmutʲɪtʲ]

Note on Возмутить: Stress on the third syllable ("mut"), and the initial "v" is pronounced as a voiced labiodental fricative. This word may have a more emphatic delivery in emotional speech.

Нарушить: [nɐˈruʂɪtʲ]

Note on Нарушить: The "ш" sound is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, which can be challenging for English speakers; stress on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To disturb mentally (e.g., causing emotional unease)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Беспокоить - Used in informal, everyday situations, such as personal conversations about anxiety or worry.
• Возмутить - Applied in more formal or intense contexts, like literature or debates, to convey deeper emotional disruption.

Usage Examples:

• Его неожиданное решение меня беспокоит.

  His unexpected decision unsettles me. (Shows use in a personal, reflective context.)

• Новости о кризисе беспокоят всю семью.

  The news about the crisis unsettles the whole family. (Illustrates plural subject and broader emotional impact.)

• Этот фильм меня беспокоит своими тёмными темами.

  This film unsettles me with its dark themes. (Demonstrates use with objects like media.)

• Её слова меня беспокоят, но я стараюсь не показывать.

  Her words unsettle me, but I try not to show it. (Highlights emotional suppression in dialogue.)

To make unstable or disrupt (e.g., physical or situational instability)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Нарушить - Common in neutral contexts, such as describing changes in plans, routines, or structures.
• Возмутить - Used when the disruption has an emotional or ethical component, like in social or political discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Землетрясение нарушило стабильность зданий.

  The earthquake unsettled the stability of the buildings. (Applies to physical contexts.)

• Его речь нарушила ход встречи.

  His speech unsettled the course of the meeting. (Shows interruption in a formal setting.)

• Изменения в законе нарушили равновесие общества.

  Changes in the law unsettled the balance of society. (Illustrates societal or abstract use.)

• Этот инцидент нарушил наши планы на отпуск.

  This incident unsettled our vacation plans. (Demonstrates everyday disruptions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations (Беспокоить, Возмутить, Нарушить) are verbs, which follow standard Russian conjugation patterns for imperfective verbs. Russian verbs inflect based on tense, aspect, person, number, and gender. These are imperfective, meaning they describe ongoing or repeated actions.

Note: These verbs are regular in conjugation but may vary slightly in aspect (e.g., perfective forms exist: обеспокоить, возмутить). They do not change in gender or number in the infinitive form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Тревожить (trevozhit') - Similar to Беспокоить but often implies more acute anxiety; used in psychological contexts.
  • Встревожить (vstrevoshit') - A synonym for Возмутить, emphasizing sudden disturbance.
  • Расстроить (rasstroit') - Close to Нарушить, but with a focus on emotional upset.
• Antonyms:
  • Успокоить (uspokoit') - To calm or settle.
  • Стабилизировать (stabilizirovat') - To stabilize or make steady.

Related Phrases:

• Беспокоить кого-то - To worry someone; often used in phrases like "Это меня беспокоит" (This unsettles me; implies personal concern).
• Возмутить общественное мнение - To unsettle public opinion; a formal phrase in media or politics.
• Нарушить равновесие - To unsettle the balance; commonly in scientific or everyday contexts, e.g., in physics or relationships.

Usage Notes:

Беспокоить is the most direct equivalent to "unsettle" in informal English-Russian correspondence, ideal for everyday conversations, while Возмутить suits formal or literary uses. Choose Нарушить when emphasizing disruption of stability. Be mindful of aspect: use imperfective for ongoing actions (e.g., "Я беспокоюсь" for "I am unsettled"). In Russian, these verbs often require a direct object, so pair with nouns like "меня" (me) for accuracy. Avoid direct word-for-word translation; context dictates the best fit.

Common Errors:

• Confusing Беспокоить with Успокоить: English learners might mistakenly use Успокоить (to calm) when intending "unsettle." Correct: Use Беспокоить for disturbance. Example of error: "Я успокою его" (I calm him) instead of "Я беспокою его" (I unsettle him).
• Overlooking conjugation: Forgetting to change endings based on person, e.g., saying "Я беспокoit" instead of "Я беспокою." Correct form: Always conjugate per the table above to match subject.
• Misapplying formality: Using Возмутить in casual talk, which sounds overly dramatic. Correct: Opt for Беспокоить in informal settings for natural flow.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like Беспокоить often reflect the value placed on emotional restraint and stability, influenced by historical events like the Soviet era. For instance, "unsettling" topics in literature (e.g., in works by Dostoevsky) use verbs like Возмутить to evoke deep introspection, highlighting Russia's tradition of philosophical and emotional depth in language.

Related Concepts:

• Тревога (trevoga) - Anxiety
• Стабильность (stabil'nost') - Stability
• Эмоциональный баланс (emotsional'nyy balans) - Emotional balance