Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'unwind'

English Word: unwind

Key Russian Translations:

• Расслабиться (rəsləˈbitsə) - [Informal, Verb, Used in everyday contexts for mental relaxation]
• Размотать (rəzməˈtatʲ) - [Formal/Neutral, Verb, Used for physical unwinding of objects like strings or reels]

Frequency: Medium (Common in casual conversations and literature, but not as frequent as basic daily verbs like есть or идти)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate level; requires understanding of reflexive verbs for "расслабиться" and perfective aspects for "размотать", based on CEFR standards)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Расслабиться: rəsləˈbitsə

Note on Расслабиться: The stress falls on the third syllable ("bitsə"). Be cautious with the reflexive suffix "-ся", which can be tricky for beginners as it indicates the action is done to oneself.

Размотать: rəzməˈtatʲ

Note on Размотать: The final "тʲ" is palatalized, common in Russian verbs; pronounce it softly as in "tea". This verb often has aspectual pairs.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To relax and de-stress after tension or activity (e.g., winding down from work)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Расслабиться - Used in informal settings, such as personal conversations or self-care routines, to describe mental unwinding.

Usage Examples:

• После долгого дня я люблю расслабиться с книгой. (After a long day, I like to unwind with a book.)

  English Translation: After a long day, I like to unwind with a book.

• Давай расслабимся на пляже, чтобы снять стресс. (Let's unwind at the beach to relieve stress.)

  English Translation: Let's unwind at the beach to relieve stress.

• Ей нужно расслабиться перед важной встречей. (She needs to unwind before an important meeting.)

  English Translation: She needs to unwind before an important meeting.

• Мы расслабились у камина, слушая музыку. (We unwound by the fireplace, listening to music.)

  English Translation: We unwound by the fireplace, listening to music.

• Расслабиться помогает йога, если вы напряжены. (Unwinding through yoga helps if you're tense.)

  English Translation: Unwinding through yoga helps if you're tense.

Meaning 2: To undo something that is wound up, such as a string, tape, or clock (e.g., physically unwinding an object)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Размотать - Used in practical, everyday scenarios involving physical objects, often in neutral or formal contexts like instructions or descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Он размотал рыболовную леску, чтобы подготовиться к рыбалке. (He unwound the fishing line to get ready for fishing.)

  English Translation: He unwound the fishing line to get ready for fishing.

• Размотай эту ленту осторожно, чтобы не повредить. (Unwind this tape carefully so as not to damage it.)

  English Translation: Unwind this tape carefully so as not to damage it.

• Дети размотали старый каток и играли с ним. (The children unwound the old reel and played with it.)

  English Translation: The children unwound the old reel and played with it.

• Мне пришлось размотать проволоку, чтобы починить забор. (I had to unwind the wire to fix the fence.)

  English Translation: I had to unwind the wire to fix the fence.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both key translations are verbs, and Russian verbs exhibit conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. "Расслабиться" is a reflexive verb (imperfective aspect), while "Размотать" is a perfective verb. Below is a table for their key inflections:

Note: These verbs follow regular conjugation patterns for most forms, but pay attention to gender agreement in the past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Отдохнуть (Rest; similar to расслабиться but more about physical rest)
  • Снять напряжение (Relieve tension; a phrase often used interchangeably with расслабиться in emotional contexts)
  • Распутать (Untangle; for размотать, implying a similar action on knots)
• Antonyms:
  • Напрячься (To tense up; opposite of расслабиться)
  • Свернуть (To wind up or roll up; opposite of размотать)

Related Phrases:

• Расслабиться и отдохнуть - (To unwind and rest; Used in contexts of vacation or leisure, implying a complete break from stress.)
• Размотать клубок - (To unwind a ball of yarn; Common in literal scenarios like crafting, with metaphorical use in problem-solving.)
• Полностью расслабиться после работы - (To fully unwind after work; A phrase emphasizing deep relaxation in daily routines.)

Usage Notes:

"Расслабиться" directly corresponds to the emotional sense of "unwind" in English, often used in informal speech, but it's a reflexive verb, so always include the "-ся" suffix. For "размотать", it's more literal and perfective, meaning the action is completed. Choose between translations based on context: use "расслабиться" for people and mental states, and "размотать" for objects. Be mindful of aspect in Russian—imperfective for ongoing actions and perfective for completed ones. In formal writing, pair these with adverbs like "полностью" (fully) for emphasis.

Common Errors:

• Error: Omitting the reflexive suffix in "расслабиться", e.g., saying "расслабить" instead, which means "to relax someone else". Correct: Use "расслабиться" for self-relaxation. Explanation: Russian reflexive verbs require "-ся" to indicate the subject is affected, which English learners often miss.

• Error: Confusing aspect, e.g., using "расслабиться" in a perfective context like "I will unwind quickly". Correct: For future actions, ensure proper conjugation; for physical unwinding, use "размотать" with its perfective form. Explanation: This can lead to grammatical inaccuracies in Russian sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "расслабиться" often ties to the importance of "отдых" (rest) as a national value, especially in contexts like dacha weekends or banya sessions, where unwinding is a social ritual. This reflects a broader cultural emphasis on balancing intense work with communal relaxation, differing from more individualistic approaches in English-speaking cultures.

Related Concepts:

• Отдых (Rest)
• Стресс (Stress)
• Распутывать (To untangle)