Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

to pass, transfer

прeдaвa´ть/прeдa´ть to betray

плa´мя

flame ( see 9.1.10)

плe´мя

tribe (see 9.1.10)

поднимa´ть

to lift

подымa´ть (R1)

to lift (esp with

difficulty)

поли´тик

politician, policy maker

поли´тикa

politics

полити´чeский

relating to politics

полити´чный

careful, tactful

поня´тливый

quick to understand

поня´тный

understandable, intelligible

посту´пок

act, deed

просту´пок

misbehaviour

прa´здничный

festive

прa´здный

idle, vain

85

3

Problems of meaning: Russian words

прaкти´чeский

practical , i.e. relating to

прaкти´чный

practical , i.e. having

practice , e.g. of help,

experience, expertise

work

прaх

ashes, remains; dust

по´рох

powder

(rhet)

проводи´ть/провeсти´

to conduct, carry out,

производи´ть/

to produce, promote ; but in

trick

произвeсти´

the expression

произвeсти´ о´пыт, to

conduct an experiment

прохлa´дный

cool

холо´дный

cold

прочe´сть(pf; R1)

to read

прочитa´ть(pf; R2)

to read

рa´вный

equal

ро´вный

flat, level, even, exact

рaзвито´й

developed , i.e. mature,

рaзви´тый

developed (i.e. past pass

advanced

part of рaзви´ть)

рот

mouth

ро´тa

company (mil)

свистa´ть(impf; R1)

to whistle

свистe´ть(impf; R2) to whistle

сeрeди´нa

middle

срeдa´

Wednesday

milieu, environment (see

3.1.1)

слу´шaть/послу´шaть

to listen (to)

слы´шaть/услы´шaть

to hear

слыхa´ть(R1)

to hear

Note:

слыхa´ть is used mainly in the infinitive or the past tense and tends to have a frequentative sense.

сосe´дний

neighbouring

сосe´дский

belonging to one’s

neighbour

состоя´ть(impf )

to consist (in some

состоя´ться(pf )

to take place

contexts to be ;

see 4.2)

сто´ить

to cost, be worth

стоя´ть

to stand

сторонa´

side

стрaнa´

country (nation)

тeку´чий

fluid, unstable

тeку´щий

current, present

тe´хник

technician

тe´хникa

technique, technology

удa´чливый

lucky

удa´чный

successful, felicitous

фи´зик

physicist

фи´зикa

physics

86

3.5

Faux amis

хорони´ть(impf )

to inter

хрaни´ть(impf )

to keep, preserve

экономи´чeский

relating to economics

экономи´чный

economical

элe´ктрик

electrician

элeктри´чкa

suburban electric train

3.5

Faux amis ( л ´ожн ые д pу зь ´Я ) There are in Russian many words of foreign origin which bring to

mind an English word but in fact have or may have quite a different

meaning from the English cognate. This section lists a few of these, together with the usual Russian equivalents of the English word with which confusion has arisen.

aвaнтю´рa

shady enterprise

adventure

приключe´ниe

aгитa´ция

(political) agitation

agitation

волнe´ниe (anxiety)

трeво´гa (alarm)

aдeквa´тный

identical, appropriate,

adequate

достa´точный

good

aкaдe´мик

member of the

academic

унивeрситe´тский

Academy of Sciences

прeподaвa´тeль

(university teacher)

учёный (scholar)

aкaдeми´чeский

academic (relating

academic

учёный (scholarly)

to an academy

тeорeти´чeский (of no

or to academia)

practical significance)

aбстрa´ктный (abstract)

aккомпaни´ровaть

to accompany

to accompany

провожa´ть/проводи´ть (go

(impf ) + dat

(musically only)

with)

сопровождa´ть (go with)

aккурa´тный

punctual, neat, tidy,

accurate

то´чный (precise)

conscientious

мe´ткий (of shooting)

aктуa´льный

topical, pressing

actual

дeйстви´тeльный (real)

нaстоя´щий (genuine)

сущeству´ющий (existing)

a´кция

share (i.e. equity),

action(i.e. an act) дe´йствиe, посту´пок

also political or

diplomatic action

aнги´нa

tonsillitis

angina

груднa´я жa´бa

aрти´кль(m)

article (gram term)

article

in other senses: see 4.1

aрти´ст

(performing) artist

artist

in other sense: see 4.1

aссистe´нт

junior teacher (in

assistant