Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'beat'

English Word: beat

Key Russian Translations:

• бить [ˈbʲitʲ] - [General use, Informal/Formal]
• побить [pɐˈbʲitʲ] - [Emphasizes completion or result, Informal/Formal]
• победить [pɐˈbʲedʲɪtʲ] - [To win or defeat, Formal/Informal]

Frequency: High (especially "бить" in everyday contexts)

Difficulty: A2-B1 (Beginner-Intermediate for "бить"; B2 for "побить" and "победить" due to nuances)

Pronunciation (Russian):

бить: [ˈbʲitʲ]

Note on бить: Stress falls on the first syllable. The soft 'b' sound is typical in Russian.

побить: [pɐˈbʲitʲ]

Note on побить: Prefix "по-" adds a sense of completion; stress on second syllable.

победить: [pɐˈbʲedʲɪtʲ]

Note on победить: Stress on second syllable; note the soft 'd' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To strike or hit (physically)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бить - Used for general striking or hitting, often in physical contexts (e.g., beating a drum or hitting someone).
• побить - Implies a completed action of beating or hitting with a result (e.g., to beat someone in a fight).

Usage Examples:

• Он бьёт по мячу с силой.

  He hits the ball with force.

• Она била в барабан всю ночь.

  She was beating the drum all night.

• Они побили его в драке.

  They beat him in a fight.

2. To defeat or win (in competition)

Translation(s) & Context:

• победить - Used for winning or defeating in competitions, games, or battles.
• побить - Sometimes used colloquially for defeating someone in a game or contest.

Usage Examples:

• Наша команда победила в финале.

  Our team won in the final.

• Он побил рекорд скорости.

  He beat the speed record.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

бить (to beat/hit, imperfective verb):

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter)
Я (I)	бью [bʲu]	бил / била / било
Ты (You)	бьёшь [bʲoʂ]	бил / била / било
Он/Она/Оно (He/She/It)	бьёт [bʲot]	бил / била / било

Note: "бить" is an irregular verb with a stem change in conjugation.

побить (perfective verb) and победить (perfective verb) follow similar conjugation patterns but are used only in past and future tenses as they denote completed actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "бить":

• ударить (to hit/strike)
• стукнуть (to knock, colloquial)

Note: "ударить" often implies a single strike, while "бить" can imply repeated action.

Synonyms for "победить":

• одолеть (to overcome)
• переиграть (to outplay, in games)

Antonyms for "победить":

• проиграть (to lose)

Related Phrases:

• бить тревогу - to sound the alarm (raise concern)
• побить рекорд - to beat a record
• победить в войне - to win a war

Usage Notes:

• "бить" is the most general and versatile term for "beat" in Russian, covering physical hitting and rhythmic beating (like a heart or drum).
• Use "побить" when emphasizing the result or completion of the action, often with a negative connotation (e.g., beating someone up).
• "победить" is specific to winning or defeating in a competitive or significant context; it does not apply to physical striking.
• Be mindful of aspect: "бить" is imperfective (ongoing/repeated action), while "побить" and "победить" are perfective (completed action).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "победить" for physical beating. Wrong: "Он победил его кулаками" (He defeated him with fists). Correct: "Он побил его" (He beat him up). Explanation: "победить" is for abstract or competitive victories, not physical fights.
• Error: Ignoring verb aspect. Wrong: "Я бью его вчера" (I beat him yesterday). Correct: "Я побил его вчера" (I beat him up yesterday). Explanation: Past actions with a result require the perfective "побить".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the verb "победить" carries a strong historical and emotional weight, often associated with significant victories like in wars (e.g., World War II, referred to as the Great Patriotic War). Using it in casual contexts might sound overly dramatic.

Related Concepts:

• победа (victory)
• удар (strike, hit)
• сражение (battle)