Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'astound'

English Word: astound

Key Russian Translations:

• удивлять [ʊˈdʲivlʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, commonly used in everyday conversation]
• поразить [pɐˈrazʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, often in literary or emphatic contexts]

Frequency: Medium (The verb is encountered in narratives, news, and discussions but not in basic daily exchanges.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of verb conjugations and aspect differences. For 'удивлять', it's straightforward; for 'поразить', it may vary slightly in perfective aspect.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

удивлять: [ʊˈdʲivlʲɪtʲ]

Note on удивлять: The stress falls on the second syllable ('di'). Be cautious with the soft 'л' sound, which is palatalized in Russian.

Audio: []

поразить: [pɐˈrazʲɪtʲ]

Note on поразить: Stress is on the second syllable ('ra'). The initial 'п' is unaspirated, typical in Russian pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To surprise or shock greatly

Translation(s) & Context:

• удивлять - Used in informal settings to describe ongoing or repeated surprise, such as in personal stories or casual discussions.
• поразить - Applied in formal contexts for a sudden, profound impact, like in news reports or literary descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Его открытие удивило весь мир. (Yego otkrytie udivilo ves' mir.)

  His discovery astounded the whole world. (This example shows the verb in a perfective aspect, emphasizing a completed action.)

• Фильм меня удивляет каждый раз, когда я его смотрю. (Film menya udivlyaet kazhdyy raz, kogda ya yego smotryu.)

  The movie astounds me every time I watch it. (Illustrates imperfective aspect for ongoing surprise in everyday contexts.)

• Её речь поразила аудиторию своей глубиной. (Yeyo rech' porazila auditoriyu svoyey glubиной.)

  Her speech astounded the audience with its depth. (Demonstrates formal usage in a professional or public setting.)

• Новости о пандемии поразили всех без исключения. (Novosti o pandemii porazili vsekh bez isklucheniya.)

  The news about the pandemic astounded everyone without exception. (Shows the verb in a broader, impactful context.)

• Он всегда удивляет друзей своими идеями. (On vsegda udivlyaet druzey svoyemi ideyami.)

  He always astounds his friends with his ideas. (Highlights repeated action in social interactions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'удивлять' and 'поразить' are verbs, specifically imperfective and perfective aspects in Russian. 'Удивлять' is imperfective (ongoing action), while 'поразить' is perfective (completed action). Russian verbs conjugate based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a table for key conjugations:

These verbs follow regular conjugation patterns for their aspects. Note that perfective verbs like 'поразить' do not have a present tense form.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • изумлять [ɪzʊmˈlʲatʲ] - Similar to удивлять but often implies a more intense, momentary surprise.
  • шокировать [ʃɐˈkʲirɐvatʲ] - Conveys shock, used when the astonishment is negative or overwhelming.
• Antonyms:
  • разочаровывать [rɐzət͡ɕɐˈrovɨvɐtʲ] - To disappoint, the opposite of positive surprise.
  • не интересовать [nʲe ɪnʲtʲerʲesavatʲ] - To not interest, implying no astonishment at all.

Related Phrases:

• Быть пораженным - To be astounded (Literal: "to be struck"; used in expressions of deep surprise, e.g., in response to unexpected news).
• Удивить до глубины души - To astound to the core of one's soul (A poetic phrase emphasizing profound emotional impact).
• Поразить воображение - To astound the imagination (Common in creative or artistic contexts, meaning to captivate creatively).

Usage Notes:

'Astound' corresponds closely to 'удивлять' for imperfective actions and 'поразить' for perfective ones. Choose 'удивлять' in informal, ongoing scenarios, like daily conversations, while 'поразить' suits formal writing or sudden events. Be mindful of aspect: Russian verbs distinguish between ongoing (imperfective) and completed (perfective) actions, unlike English. For example, avoid using 'поразить' for habitual surprises. In questions or negatives, conjugations change, e.g., 'Не удивляет ли вас это?' (Doesn't this astound you?).

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'удивлять' in perfective contexts, e.g., saying 'Я удивил вчера' instead of 'Я поразил вчера'.
  Correct: 'Я поразил вчера' [Ya porazil vchera] - Explanation: 'Удивлять' is imperfective and doesn't fit completed actions; use 'поразить' for past perfective.
• Mistake: Confusing pronunciation, e.g., stressing the wrong syllable in 'удивлять'.
  Correct: Ensure stress on 'di' to avoid miscommunication, as incorrect stress can alter perceived meaning.
• Mistake: Overusing 'поразить' in casual speech, making it sound overly dramatic.
  Correct: Opt for 'удивлять' in informal settings; e.g., say 'Это удивляет меня' instead of 'Это поразило меня' for a general reaction.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'поразить' often appear in literature (e.g., in Tolstoy's works) to describe profound, life-changing surprises, reflecting the Russian emphasis on emotional depth and introspection. This can tie into the cultural value of 'udivlenie' (wonder), where astonishment is not just shock but a pathway to deeper understanding.

Related Concepts:

• удивление (astonishment)
• шок (shock)
• изумление (amazement)