Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'vandalize'

English Word: vandalize

Key Russian Translations:

• вандализировать [vəndəlɪzɪrəvətʲ] - [Formal, often used in legal or official contexts]
• разрушить [rəzruʃʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, broader sense; used for general destruction]

Frequency: Low (This word and its translations are not commonly used in everyday Russian conversation but appear in news, legal, or historical discussions.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and formal vocabulary. For 'вандализировать', it's B2; for 'разрушить', it's B1 due to its more common usage.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

вандализировать: [vəndəlɪzɪrəvətʲ]

разрушить: [rəzruʃʲɪtʲ]

Note on вандализировать: The stress falls on the fourth syllable ('zi'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the Russian palatalization; pronounce the 'тʲ' with a soft 't' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To deliberately destroy or damage property

Translation(s) & Context:

• вандализировать - Used in formal contexts like reports of vandalism or legal proceedings, emphasizing intentional acts.
• разрушить - Applied in informal or everyday situations for destruction, but less specific to vandalism; often in contexts of war or accidents.

Usage Examples:

• Вандалы вандализировали статую в центре города.

  Vandals vandalized the statue in the city center. (This example shows the verb in a past tense context, highlighting intentional damage in an urban setting.)

• Протестующие разорили и вандализировали общественное имущество.

  Protesters looted and vandalized public property. (Demonstrates the verb in a compound sentence, paired with another action for emphasis.)

• Чтобы предотвратить вандализм, власти вандализировали доступ к памятникам.

  To prevent vandalism, authorities restricted access to monuments. (Here, it's used in a preventive context, showing conditional or hypothetical usage.)

• Он случайно разрушил стену, но это не было актом вандализма.

  He accidentally destroyed the wall, but it wasn't an act of vandalism. (Contrasts with 'вандализировать' to illustrate non-intentional destruction.)

• Вандализировать исторические здания — это преступление против культуры.

  Vandalizing historical buildings is a crime against culture. (Emphasizes the verb in a broader ethical or legal discussion.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

The primary translations are verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. 'Вандализировать' is a first-conjugation verb with regular patterns, while 'разрушить' is also regular but belongs to the perfective aspect. Below is a table for 'вандализировать' in present tense; 'разрушить' has similar structures but is perfective, so it's often used in past or future forms.

For 'разрушить': This is a perfective verb, so it doesn't have a present tense form. Its infinitive is used for general actions, and it conjugates in past and future (e.g., разрушил - he destroyed). Both verbs are regular, with no irregular inflections.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • разрушить (similar but broader; used for any destruction, not just deliberate)
  • повредить (to damage; milder connotation, often accidental)
• Antonyms:
  • сохранить (to preserve; implies protection from damage)
  • восстановить (to restore; used after destruction)

Related Phrases:

• Акт вандализма (Act of vandalism) - Refers to a specific incident of deliberate destruction, often in legal contexts.
• Вандализм в общественных местах (Vandalism in public places) - Common phrase for urban damage, highlighting societal issues.
• Предотвратить вандализм (To prevent vandalism) - Used in discussions about security measures.

Usage Notes:

When translating 'vandalize' to Russian, choose 'вандализировать' for precise, formal contexts where intent is key, such as legal or historical discussions. 'Разрушить' is better for everyday language but may not convey the same deliberate malice. Be mindful of aspect: Russian verbs have perfective and imperfective forms, so pair 'вандализировать' with imperfective counterparts if describing ongoing actions. In spoken Russian, these words are more common in urban or protest-related conversations, and they carry a negative connotation, so use them carefully in polite discourse.

Common Errors:

• English learners often confuse 'вандализировать' with 'разрушить' and use the latter in formal contexts where specificity is needed. Incorrect: "Я разрушил машину" (implying accident). Correct: "Я вандализировал машину" for intentional act. Explanation: 'Разрушить' is perfective and assumes completion, but it lacks the intentional element.
• Another error is incorrect verb conjugation, e.g., saying "вандализируеть" instead of "вандализировать." Correct form: Always end with -овать for this verb. Explanation: Russian verbs require precise endings based on conjugation rules to avoid sounding unnatural.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, acts of vandalism, such as graffiti on historical monuments, are often linked to social unrest or youth subcultures. For instance, during periods of political change, like in the 1990s, vandalism symbolized rebellion. This adds a layer of historical connotation, making words like 'вандализм' not just about destruction but about expressions of dissent in a society with a complex history of censorship and revolution.

Related Concepts:

• граффити (graffiti)
• акты протеста (acts of protest)
• сохранение памятников (preservation of monuments)