Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'waive'

English Word: waive

Key Russian Translations:

• Отказаться [IPA: ɐtkəˈzatsə] - [Formal, often used in legal or official contexts]
• Отменить [IPA: ɐtmʲɪˈnʲitʲ] - [Formal, Informal; implies cancellation, e.g., waiving a requirement]

Frequency: Medium (Common in legal, business, and everyday contexts, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "to do" or "to go")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugation and genitive case usage; for "Отказаться", it's B1, while "Отменить" might be A2 for beginners)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Отказаться: ɐtkəˈzatsə

Note on Отказаться: The stress falls on the third syllable ("za"), which is a common challenge for English speakers due to Russian's mobile stress patterns. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Отменить: ɐtmʲɪˈnʲitʲ

Note on Отменить: The palatalized "нʲ" sound is key; it's softer than the English "n". Avoid overemphasizing the "tʲ" at the end.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To give up a right or claim voluntarily

Translation(s) & Context:

• Отказаться - Used in formal contexts, such as waiving legal rights or benefits; often followed by the genitive case in Russian sentences.
• Отменить - Applied in scenarios involving cancellation of obligations, like waiving a fee; suitable for both formal and informal settings.

Usage Examples:

• Он отказался от своих прав на наследство. (He waived his rights to the inheritance.)

  He waived his rights to the inheritance.

• Компания решила отменить штраф за опоздание. (The company decided to waive the fine for being late.)

  The company decided to waive the fine for being late.

• В контракте указано, что стороны могут отказаться от некоторых условий. (The contract states that parties can waive certain conditions.)

  The contract states that parties can waive certain conditions.

• Она отказалась от премии в пользу коллег. (She chose to waive the bonus in favor of her colleagues.)

  She chose to waive the bonus in favor of her colleagues.

To relinquish or forgo something, e.g., a privilege

Translation(s) & Context:

• Отказаться - In personal or ethical contexts, such as waiving privacy for a greater cause.
• Отменить - Less common here, but used if it's about canceling a scheduled privilege.

Usage Examples:

• Атлет отказался от участия в соревнованиях из-за травмы. (The athlete waived participation in the competition due to injury.)

  The athlete waived participation in the competition due to injury.

• Правительство отменило ограничения на импорт. (The government decided to waive restrictions on imports.)

  The government decided to waive restrictions on imports.

• Он отказался от привилегий, чтобы быть равным с другими. (He chose to waive his privileges to be equal with others.)

  He chose to waive his privileges to be equal with others.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Отказаться" and "Отменить" are Russian verbs, specifically imperfective aspects. Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. "Отказаться" is a reflexive verb (ending in -ся), while "Отменить" is not. Below are inflection tables for key forms.

For "Отказаться" (Imperfective, Reflexive Verb):

Note: It is irregular in some aspects due to the reflexive particle "-ся", which remains constant.

For "Отменить" (Perfective Verb):

"Отменить" follows standard perfective patterns and does not change with reflexivity.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: Отменить (more about cancellation), Пожертвовать (implies sacrifice), Сдаться (in informal contexts, meaning to give up)
• Antonyms: Принять (to accept), Подтвердить (to confirm), Требовать (to demand)

Related Phrases:

• Отказаться от претензий - To waive claims; used in legal disputes to relinquish demands.
• Отменить требование - To waive a requirement; common in bureaucratic or contractual settings.
• Пожертвовать правами - To waive rights; often in ethical or social contexts.

Usage Notes:

When translating "waive" to Russian, choose "Отказаться" for voluntary relinquishment of rights, as it pairs well with the genitive case (e.g., "от чего-то"). "Отменить" is better for canceling formal obligations. Be mindful of formality: "Отказаться" is neutral to formal, while "Отменить" can be informal. In sentences, ensure subject-verb agreement and correct aspect usage—imperfective for ongoing actions, perfective for completed ones.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "Отказаться" without the genitive case, e.g., saying "Он отказался права" instead of "Он отказался от прав". Correct: "Он отказался от прав". Explanation: In Russian, "Отказаться" requires the preposition "от" followed by the genitive case to indicate what is being waived.
• Error: Confusing with "Отказать" (to refuse someone), e.g., thinking it means the same as "waive". Correct: Use "Отказаться" for self-directed waiving. Explanation: "Отказать" is transitive and involves refusing others, which doesn't align with "waive"'s self-voluntary nature.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, waiving rights or claims, as in "Отказаться от прав", often reflects themes of collectivism or sacrifice for the greater good, seen in literature like Dostoevsky's works. However, in modern contexts, it's more pragmatic, especially in legal systems influenced by Soviet history where individual rights were sometimes subordinated to state interests.

Related Concepts:

• Права (rights)
• Обязательства (obligations)
• Контракт (contract)