Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'abound'

English Word: abound

Key Russian Translations:

• изобиловать [ɪzɐˈbʲiləvətʲ] - [Formal, Often used in written contexts]
• кишеть [kʲɪˈʂetʲ] - [Informal, Often used with negative connotations]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts rather than everyday speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "изобиловать"; B1 (Lower Intermediate) for "кишеть"

Pronunciation (Russian):

изобиловать: [ɪzɐˈbʲiləvətʲ]

Note on изобиловать: Stress falls on the third syllable. The "о" in the first syllable is pronounced as a schwa sound [ɐ] due to vowel reduction.

кишеть: [kʲɪˈʂetʲ]

Note on кишеть: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ш" sound is a retroflex fricative, distinct from English "sh."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To be plentiful or abundant (general abundance)

Translation(s) & Context:

• изобиловать - Used in formal or literary contexts to describe a large quantity of something positive or neutral (e.g., resources, opportunities).

Usage Examples:

• Этот регион изобилует природными ресурсами.

  This region abounds in natural resources.

• Его речь изобиловала примерами из истории.

  His speech abounded with examples from history.

• Книга изобилует полезными советами.

  The book abounds with useful advice.

2. To be full of something (often negative or undesirable)

Translation(s) & Context:

• кишеть - Used in informal contexts, often implying an overwhelming or unpleasant abundance (e.g., pests, errors).

Usage Examples:

• Этот старый дом кишит тараканами.

  This old house abounds with cockroaches.

• Его текст кишит ошибками.

  His text abounds with mistakes.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

изобиловать (verb, imperfective): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in -овать. It is used only in the imperfective aspect, as it describes a state or ongoing condition.

кишеть (verb, imperfective): This verb also follows regular conjugation patterns and is used only in the imperfective aspect to describe a continuous state.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for изобиловать:

• переполняться (to overflow, often used metaphorically)
• быть в изобилии (to be in abundance, more descriptive)

Synonyms for кишеть:

• роиться (to swarm, often used for insects or crowds)

Antonyms:

• недоставать (to be lacking)
• исчезать (to disappear)

Related Phrases:

• изобиловать чем-либо - To abound in something; often used with the instrumental case to specify what is abundant.
• кишеть народом - To be swarming with people; a common expression for crowded places.

Usage Notes:

• "изобиловать" is more formal and typically used in written or elevated speech. It often pairs with positive or neutral objects (e.g., resources, ideas). It requires the instrumental case when specifying what is abundant.
• "кишеть" is more colloquial and often carries a negative connotation, implying an unpleasant or excessive presence (e.g., pests, errors). It can also be used metaphorically for crowds.
• Choose between the two based on tone and context: use "изобиловать" for formal or positive abundance, and "кишеть" for informal or negative excess.

Common Errors:

• Mixing up tone: English speakers often use "кишеть" in formal contexts, which sounds inappropriate. For example, saying "Этот регион кишит ресурсами" (This region swarms with resources) is incorrect; use "изобилует" instead.
• Incorrect case usage with изобиловать: Learners often forget to use the instrumental case, e.g., saying "изобиловать ресурсы" instead of the correct "изобиловать ресурсами."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the choice between "изобиловать" and "кишеть" can reflect cultural nuances. "изобиловать" often appears in historical or literary texts to describe abundance in a celebratory or neutral way, reflecting Russia's vast natural resources. "кишеть," on the other hand, might evoke imagery of overcrowding or chaos, often tied to urban or negative contexts.

Related Concepts:

• избыток (excess)
• множество (multitude)
• толпа (crowd)