Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Adore'

English Word: Adore

Key Russian Translations:

• обожать [ɐbɐˈʐatʲ] - [Informal, Expresses strong affection]
• восхищаться [vɐsxʲɪˈɕːatʲsə] - [Formal, Often used for admiration of qualities or achievements]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "обожать"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "восхищаться"

Pronunciation (Russian):

обожать: [ɐbɐˈʐatʲ]

Note on обожать: The stress is on the second syllable, and the "ж" sound is a voiced retroflex fricative, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

восхищаться: [vɐsxʲɪˈɕːatʲsə]

Note on восхищаться: The stress is on the third syllable, and the "щ" sound is a soft, prolonged "sh" sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To love or like very much (Emotionally intense affection)

Translation(s) & Context:

• обожать - Used in informal contexts to express deep affection, often for people, pets, or things.

Usage Examples:

• Я обожаю свою младшую сестру.

  I adore my little sister.

• Он обожает шоколадное мороженое.

  He adores chocolate ice cream.

• Мы обожаем путешествовать летом.

  We adore traveling in the summer.

2. To admire or respect deeply (Appreciation of qualities or achievements)

Translation(s) & Context:

• восхищаться - Used in formal or neutral contexts to express admiration for someone's talents, beauty, or accomplishments.

Usage Examples:

• Я восхищаюсь её талантом к рисованию.

  I adore (admire) her talent for drawing.

• Все восхищаются его смелостью.

  Everyone adores (admires) his courage.

• Она восхищается природой гор.

  She adores (admires) the beauty of the mountains.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

обожать (Verb, Imperfective): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for first-conjugation verbs in Russian. It expresses ongoing or habitual action.

восхищаться (Verb, Imperfective, Reflexive): This verb requires the reflexive particle "-ся" and follows regular conjugation for second-conjugation verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for обожать:

• любить (to love, more general)
• боготворить (to idolize, stronger and often figurative)

Synonyms for восхищаться:

• восторгаться (to be delighted, more emotional)
• уважать (to respect, less intense)

Antonyms:

• ненавидеть (to hate)
• презирать (to despise)

Related Phrases:

• обожать до безумия - To adore to the point of madness (extreme affection).
• восхищаться от души - To admire wholeheartedly (genuine admiration).

Usage Notes:

• "обожать" is more informal and emotional, often used in personal or casual contexts to express love or strong liking. It is closer to the English "adore" in tone.
• "восхищаться" is more formal and focuses on admiration or respect for qualities or achievements. It may not always convey the same emotional warmth as "adore."
• Choose "обожать" when talking about personal affection (e.g., for family, hobbies, or food) and "восхищаться" when discussing admiration for skills, beauty, or accomplishments.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "восхищаться" in overly casual or personal contexts, e.g., saying "Я восхищаюсь мороженым" (I admire ice cream), which sounds unnatural.
• Correction: Use "обожать" instead: "Я обожаю мороженое" (I adore ice cream).
• Error: Forgetting the reflexive "-ся" in "восхищаться," e.g., saying "Я восхищаю" (incorrect).
• Correction: Always include the reflexive particle: "Я восхищаюсь."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressions of admiration or affection like "обожать" are often used more sparingly than in English. Russians may reserve such strong terms for genuinely deep feelings, while "восхищаться" is commonly used in formal or polite contexts to express respect or appreciation, especially in professional or artistic settings.

Related Concepts:

• любовь (love)
• уважение (respect)
• восторг (delight)