Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ablaze'

English Word: ablaze

Key Russian Translations:

• в огне [v ɐˈɡnʲe] - [Informal, Often used for literal fire]
• охваченный пламенем [ɐxˈvatʲɪnːɨj ˈplamʲɪnʲɪm] - [Formal, Descriptive]
• пылающий [pɨˈlajʊʂːɪj] - [Formal, Often metaphorical or poetic]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts, both literal and figurative)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies by translation - "в огне" is B1, "охваченный пламенем" is B2)

Pronunciation (Russian):

в огне: [v ɐˈɡnʲe]

Note on в огне: The stress is on the second syllable of "огне". The "г" is pronounced softly due to the following "н".

охваченный пламенем: [ɐxˈvatʲɪnːɨj ˈplamʲɪnʲɪm]

Note on охваченный пламенем: Stress falls on the second syllable of "охваченный" and the first of "пламенем".

пылающий: [pɨˈlajʊʂːɪj]

Note on пылающий: Stress on the second syllable; the "щ" sound is a soft, prolonged "sh".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Literal meaning (on fire, burning brightly)

Translation(s) & Context:

• в огне - Commonly used for physical objects burning (e.g., a house or forest).
• охваченный пламенем - More descriptive, often used in written or formal contexts to emphasize intensity of fire.

Usage Examples:

• Дом был в огне, когда прибыли пожарные.

  The house was ablaze when the firefighters arrived.

• Лес охвачен пламенем из-за сильной жары.

  The forest is ablaze due to the intense heat.

• Машина стояла в огне после аварии.

  The car was ablaze after the accident.

2. Figurative meaning (full of emotion, excitement, or light)

Translation(s) & Context:

• пылающий - Often used metaphorically for emotions (e.g., passion) or bright light.

Usage Examples:

• Её глаза были пылающими от гнева.

  Her eyes were ablaze with anger.

• Небо было пылающим на закате.

  The sky was ablaze at sunset.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

в огне: This is a fixed phrase. "Огонь" (fire) is a masculine noun and declines as follows in singular:

Case	Form
Nominative	огонь
Genitive	огня
Dative	огню
Accusative	огонь
Instrumental	огнём
Prepositional	об огне

охваченный пламенем: "Охваченный" is a past passive participle of "охватить" (to engulf), and agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies. "Пламя" (flame) is neuter and declines similarly to "огонь".

пылающий: This is a present active participle of "пылать" (to blaze), and also agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• горящий (burning, often literal)
• пламенеющий (flaming, often poetic)

Note: "горящий" is more neutral and widely used for literal burning, while "пламенеющий" is rare and poetic.

Antonyms:

• потухший (extinguished)
• холодный (cold, often metaphorical)

Related Phrases:

• в огне войны - "ablaze with war" (used for conflict or destruction)
• пылающий взор - "ablaze gaze" (intense, passionate look)
• охваченный огнём страсти - "ablaze with the fire of passion" (deep emotional intensity)

Usage Notes:

• "в огне" is the most common and versatile translation for literal burning; it is informal and widely understood.
• "охваченный пламенем" is more formal and often appears in literature or descriptive texts to emphasize the visual of flames.
• "пылающий" is frequently used in figurative contexts, such as describing emotions or bright colors (e.g., a sunset).
• Be cautious with word choice depending on whether the context is literal (fire) or metaphorical (emotion/light).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "пылающий" for literal fire in everyday speech. Wrong: "Дом пылающий." Correct: "Дом в огне." Explanation: "пылающий" sounds overly poetic for mundane contexts.
• Error: Misusing cases with "в огне". Wrong: "Я видел дом в огня." Correct: "Я видел дом в огне." Explanation: "огне" must be in the prepositional case after "в".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, fire and burning imagery (e.g., "пылающий") often carry strong emotional or symbolic weight, especially in literature and poetry, where they represent passion, destruction, or renewal. The concept of fire is also tied to folklore and historical narratives of resilience (e.g., villages "в огне" during wars).

Related Concepts:

• огонь (fire)
• пламя (flame)
• жар (heat)
• страсть (passion)