Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'widen'

English Word: widen

Key Russian Translations:

• расширять [rɐˈʂɨrʲɪtʲ] - [Imperfective aspect, used for ongoing or repeated actions]
• расширить [rɐˈʂɨrʲɪtʲ] - [Perfective aspect, used for completed actions]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in contexts like construction, descriptions, and general discussions about expansion).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; involves understanding Russian verb aspects, which can be challenging for learners beyond beginner level).

Pronunciation (Russian):

расширять: [rɐˈʂɨrʲɪtʲ]

расширить: [rɐˈʂɨrʲɪtʲ] (Note: The "ш" sound is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, similar to 'sh' in English "she", but with a retroflex quality; pronunciation may vary slightly by dialect.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To make something wider or broader (e.g., a road, a concept, or a space).

Translation(s) & Context:

• расширять - Used in contexts involving ongoing processes, such as in descriptions or instructions (e.g., in engineering or everyday conversation).
• расширить - Applied to completed actions, often in narratives or reports (e.g., in news or historical accounts).

Usage Examples:

• Мы расширяем дорогу, чтобы уменьшить пробки в городе.

  We are widening the road to reduce traffic jams in the city.

• Правительство планирует расширять доступ к образованию для всех слоёв населения.

  The government plans to widen access to education for all segments of the population.

• Инженеры расширили туннель за неделю.

  The engineers widened the tunnel in just a week.

• Эта программа помогает расширять кругозор молодёжи через путешествия.

  This program helps to widen the horizons of youth through travel.

• В прошлом году мы расширили офисное пространство для новых сотрудников.

  Last year, we widened the office space for new employees.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "расширять" and "расширить" are verbs, and Russian verbs change based on aspect, tense, person, and number. "Расширять" is imperfective, while "расширить" is perfective. They follow standard conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs.

Note: These verbs are regular but require attention to aspect; they do not have irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • увеличивать (uvelichivat') - To increase or enlarge; often used interchangeably but implies growth in size or quantity.
  • раздвигать (razdwigat') - To spread out or pull apart; more specific to physical separation.
• Antonyms:
  • сужать (suzhat') - To narrow or constrict.
  • уменьшать (umenshat') - To decrease or reduce.

Related Phrases:

• расширить кругозор - To broaden one's horizons; used in educational or personal development contexts to mean expanding knowledge or experiences.
• расширять возможности - To expand opportunities; common in business or policy discussions, implying increasing access or potential.
• расширить спектр - To widen the range; often applied in technical or scientific contexts, such as product features or research areas.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, choose between "расширять" (imperfective) and "расширить" (perfective) based on the action's completeness: use imperfective for ongoing processes and perfective for results. This corresponds to English's simple vs. progressive forms but is more rigid. "Widen" often translates to these verbs in formal or technical contexts, but in casual speech, synonyms like "увеличивать" might be preferred. Be mindful of verb aspects when conjugating, and note that these verbs can take direct objects (e.g., "расширить дорогу").

Common Errors:

• Confusing verb aspects: Learners might incorrectly use "расширять" for a completed action, e.g., saying "Я расширяю дорогу вчера" (wrong) instead of "Я расширил дорогу вчера" (correct). Explanation: Russian requires perfective for past completed actions; the incorrect version implies an ongoing action in the past, which changes the meaning.
• Overusing in formal contexts: Beginners may forget to adjust for register, using "расширять" in highly formal writing where a more precise synonym is expected, e.g., "увеличивать" in official documents.

Cultural Notes:

Words like "расширять" and "расширить" reflect Russia's emphasis on expansion and development, often tied to historical contexts such as the country's vast geography or Soviet-era infrastructure projects. In modern usage, they appear in discussions about urbanization or personal growth, symbolizing progress in a society that values resilience and adaptation.

Related Concepts:

• узкий (uzkiy) - Narrow
• увеличение (uvelichenie) - Enlargement
• сокращать (sokrašchat') - To shorten or reduce