Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'wean'

English Word: wean

Key Russian Translations:

• отучить [ɐˈtuʧʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, General use]
• отлучить от груди [ɐˈtlut͡ɕɪtʲ ɐt ˈɡru.dʲɪ] - [Formal, Specifically for breastfeeding]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in contexts like child-rearing or habit-breaking, but not in everyday casual conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage, though basic forms are accessible to learners with intermediate Russian proficiency)

Pronunciation (Russian):

отучить: [ɐˈtuʧʲɪtʲ] (Stress on the second syllable; the 'ч' is a palatalized fricative, similar to 'ch' in 'church')

отлучить от груди: [ɐˈtlut͡ɕɪtʲ ɐt ˈɡru.dʲɪ] (Stress on the second syllable of 'отлучить'; 'груди' has stress on the first syllable; note the soft sign 'ь' affecting pronunciation)

Note on отучить: This verb can have slight variations in informal speech, where the ending might soften, but standard pronunciation is as above.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To gradually stop a baby or young animal from feeding on its mother's milk.

Translation(s) & Context:

• отлучить от груди - Used in formal or medical contexts, such as discussing child development or veterinary care.

Usage Examples:

• Мать решила отлучить ребенка от груди в шесть месяцев, чтобы перейти на прикорм.

  The mother decided to wean the child from the breast at six months to switch to solid foods.

• Ветеринар рекомендовал отлучить щенка от матери как можно раньше для социализации.

  The veterinarian recommended weaning the puppy from its mother as early as possible for socialization.

• После консультации с педиатром, семья начала процесс отлучения от груди постепенно.

  After consulting with a pediatrician, the family began the weaning process from the breast gradually.

• В некоторых культурах отлучение от груди происходит позже, чем в других.

  In some cultures, weaning from the breast occurs later than in others.

Meaning 2: To accustom someone to do without something they have been relying on, such as a habit or dependency.

Translation(s) & Context:

• отучить - Used in everyday contexts for breaking habits, like quitting smoking or reducing screen time.

Usage Examples:

• Психолог помог отучить пациента от вредной привычки курить.

  The psychologist helped wean the patient off the harmful habit of smoking.

• Родители стараются отучить ребенка от использования гаджетов перед сном.

  The parents are trying to wean the child off using gadgets before bedtime.

• С помощью терапии он смог отучить себя от чрезмерного потребления кофе.

  With therapy, he was able to wean himself off excessive coffee consumption.

• В школе учителя отучили учеников от списывания, подчеркивая важность честности.

  At school, teachers weaned the students off cheating by emphasizing the importance of honesty.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both key translations are verbs, so they undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. "Отучить" is a perfective verb (indicating completion), while "отлучить" is also perfective and often used in the past tense for completed actions.

For "отучить" (to wean off):

For "отлучить от груди", it's a phrase where "отлучить" conjugates similarly, but "от груди" remains invariant as a prepositional phrase.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отвыкнуть (to get unaccustomed; similar to отучить but reflexive)
  • отказаться (to refuse; for voluntary weaning)
• Antonyms:
  • привить (to instill or habituate)
  • привыкнуть (to get accustomed)

Related Phrases:

• Отучить от чего-либо - To wean off something (e.g., a habit); commonly used in self-improvement contexts.
• Отлучение от груди - The process of weaning from the breast; often in parenting discussions.
• Постепенное отучение - Gradual weaning; emphasizes a slow transition.

Usage Notes:

"Wean" corresponds most directly to "отучить" in general dependency contexts and "отлучить от груди" for breastfeeding. Choose "отучить" for broader applications like breaking addictions, as it's more versatile. Be mindful of aspect: Russian verbs often require perfective/imperfective pairs, so pair with imperfective forms like "отучать" for ongoing actions. In formal writing, use full phrases for clarity, and avoid in casual speech unless necessary.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "отучить" interchangeably with "отказаться" without context. Correct: "Отучить" implies a gradual process, e.g., "Я отучу ребенка от сладкого" (I will wean the child off sweets). Incorrect: "Я откажусь ребенка от сладкого" (This is grammatically wrong and doesn't convey the same meaning).
• Mistake: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying "Я отучу" incorrectly in past tense. Correct: Use "отучил" for past actions; explain that Russian verbs change based on gender and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, weaning a child from the breast (отлучение от груди) is often tied to traditional practices and modern health advice, with variations based on regions. For instance, in rural areas, it might occur later due to historical norms, reflecting a cultural emphasis on extended family support in child-rearing.

Related Concepts:

• прикорм
• привычка
• зависимость